Gzira United registered an important and akmost decisive victory yesterday against Mosta to move closer to safety and leave Mosta in deep relegation trouble.

The position of Mosta and Valletta, who lost on Saturday a crucial match against Santa Lucia, is becoming more desperate as with five matches to go their chances are really slim.

Gzira did the early running with Brooklyn Borg’s attempt from the edge of the area going just wide. Mosta had to wait till the 25th minute to get a glimpse of goal through Nwonga who took posession of the ball and had a surging run that was only stopped by a decisive sortie from the Gzira goalkeeper Zarkov.

The first half was rather cagey and lacked clear cut scoring opportunites as both sides were more intent on not conceeding the goal than of trying to forge ahead.

The second half started on a faster pace and Mosta went close with a solo run from Hovhannisyan that was finally blocked by the alert Zarkov. On 51 minutes Gzira broke the deadlock when Jackson Mendosa fired a long range grounder that finished at the back of the net.

Gzira’s joy was shortlived as six minutes Tenebe scored a great goal direct from a freekick. The match was now an open contest and on 77 minutes Gzira scored again for what proved to be the winner. Thiago Espindola floated a precise cross for substitute Bohrer who headed home.

On 85 minutes Gzira were unlucky not to seal the issue when a powerful drive by Spence smashed against the upright. Three minutes from time Mosta almost salvaged a point when a Tulimieri freekick was met by Aneni whose header was brilliantly saved by Zarkov.