Photo Domenic Aquilina

 

Following the midweek win for the national team against Latvia and the euphoria that ensued it was back to domestic football when Gżira faced Mosta in the first match played at the Centenary Stadium.

The Maroons were the dominant force in his match and thus registered their second consecutive win after beating Valletta by a 3-1 scoreline the previous match. On the other hand for Mosta this was their first defeat of the campaign following two draws and a win.

The Covid-19 pandemic also seems to be hitting hard local football with Mosta suffering from this problem since they could only field fifteen players in their line up.

Mosta were the first to venture forward when after 8 minutes Andrei Spiteri had the best out of a tussle with Nikolai Muscat only for Tulimieri’s shot to sail over the bar from close range. A minute later Gżira forged ahead with Amadou Samb finding the net after chesting a cross by Sacha Borg.

But only a few minutes later and Mosta were on level terms. Spiteri set Takanori Yokochi who blasted home from just inside the area. Gżira regained the lead in the 17th minute through Hamed Kone who after receiving a pass from the left flank drilled the ball past Spiteri.

Four minutes later Gżira United increased their lead this time Ricardo Correa Duarte finding the net with a shot from the edge of the area following a short clearance by the Mosta rearguard.

The Maroons were now controlling the match and in th 26th minute a Clyde Borg shot sailed just over the bar. And ten minutes later it was Gżira once again when a Samb headed effort was turned onto a corner by Spiteri.

And Gżira crowned a fantastic first half when a minute from the break they scored their fourth goal. A Mendoza corner from the right side was met by an unmarked Amadou Samb who had the easiest of tasks to head the ball into the net.

On the change of ends Gżira had an early chance when off a Mendoza free kick Bohrer Mentz headed just over. But they were not to be denied on 66 minutes when Jefferson De Assis scored a scorcher with a diagonal shot from the edge of the area.

Fourteen minutes from the end a Mendoza free kick found Cohen whose shot went inches over the bar. And on 79  minutes Gżira scored their sixth goal when after Braunovic brought down Mendoza in the area from the resultant penalty Andrew Cohen made no mistake.