Gzira 2

Kirkop 1

Gzira continued with their positive run after with a little difficulty managed to beat Kirkop 2-1 in a match in which Gzira found themselves a goal down. This was the second consecutive defeat for Kirkop and the second consecutive match where they lost the match after having been in front.

Gzira had their first attempt on goal after just 40 seconds when Ryan Deguara shot on target from outside the box but found Caruana who saved the shot. Kirkop had to wait until the 18th minute to have their first real action when from a corner by Buttigieg, Rahmani headed the ball but his header was central and Agius saved.

On the 23rd minute a free-kick by Kevin Cassar, found Matthew Cocks but his header was saved by Caruana. The same Cocks had a shot deflected a minute later. Gzira continued to be superior territorialy and on the 37th minute a direct free-kick from Anthony Galea forced Caruana to turn the ball into a corner. 2 minutes later a shot from captain Bryan Falzon went wide.

Kirkop took the lead on the 50th minute when Rumen Kerekov beat substitute Gerada with a good shot. Gzira made a good reaction and equalised seven minutes later when an excellent run from Anthony Ewurum from half pitch to the box, then he crossed and found Simon Shead who headed home from close range.

Gzira were now piling the pressure and a free-kick from Anthony Galea went wide. Two minutes later Caruana turned into a corner a shot from Ewurum. Kirkop went very close to take the lead when a shot from Stankovic gave the illusion of the goal but his shot went very close.

On the 76th minute a shot from Ryan Deguara went wide but two minutes later Gzira scored the winning goal. It was another run by Ewurum who found Yanis Tonna who beat Caruana with a low shot.

Gzira: S. Agius (K. Gerada), R. Alinho, K. Cassar (A. Ewurum), S. Pace, R. Deguara, Y. Tonna, S. Shead, M. Cocks (P. Camilleri), T. Micallef, A. Galea, J. Hussey

Kirkop: C. Caruana, C. Farrugia, M. Aquilina, A. Busuttil, M. Pisani (C. Mifsud), B. Falzon, O. Buhagiar ( D. Zammit), I. Stankovic, R. Kerekov, M. Rahmani, P. Cassar

Referee: Esther Azzopardi

San Gwann 0

Gharghur 0

San Gwann and Gharghur shared a point apiece in a 0-0 draw. This was a very quiet game and in some flashes it was very mediocre.

On the second minute a cross from Brincat for Gharghur to Nwoba who headed out. Two minutes later, San Gwann went close when a free-kick from Chris Cacciatolo hit the crossbar.

We had to wait until the 25th minute to see another action when a central shot from Antignolo was saved by Carbonaro. On the 31st minute Carbonaro saved a free-kick from Nwoba and on the other hand Zarb saved a free-kick from Chris Pace.

On the 53rd minute a shot from Lapira was saved by Zarb and after four minutes another free-kick from Nwoba went over the bar. Later a shot from Chris Pace went wide.

San Gwann had their best chance of the match when on the 74th minute Dunstan Zarb saved twice after a header from Attard and a shot from Pace.

On the 81st minute Gharghur were reduced to 10 men after Dunstan Zarb was given a red card after a foul outside the box. San Gwann almost took the three points when on the 92nd minute they hit the crossbar.

San Gwann: C.Carbonaro, G. Agius, Q. Bregman, K. Vella, D. Cosaitis, S. Vella (J. Borg), P. Xurereb, C. Pace, A. Borg, C. Cacciatolo, R. Attard (M. Francica)

Gharghur: D. Zarb, R. Debattista, B. Perry Acton, R. Mifsud, J. Debattista, E. Lapira, J. Nwoba, B. Antignolo, D. Brincat (C. Vella), K. Azzopardi, I. Curmi (C. Farrugia)

Referee: Mario Apap

Luqa 5

Attard 1

Luqa held on to their place in the middle of the table, now with 12 points, when they comfortably won their encounter with Attard.

Luqa dominated throughout the entire match, and produced a very convincing performance. On the other hand, Attard showed serious difficulty in co-ordination and team work, where they were at toils to pose a serious threat to their adversaries.

Luqa opened the scoring after just 15 minutes, when Sandro Brazilino Costa beat Ubberden with a powerful long-distance effort.

Attard’s reaction was immediate, and in the 33rd minute they managed to equalise thanks to Dimcho Traykov’s header on a cross by Thornton.

Luqa dictated play after the break and were the better side on the pitch. They took the lead again in the 57th minute, when an Attard defender was seen fouling Baldacchino in the area, with the referee awarding a penalty. From the spot, Lee Baldacchino hit home.

Luqa continued to increase Attard’s suffering and scored three times in the last 15 minutes. In the 74th minute, Jason Good surprised Ubberden with a lovely chip from outside the area; and in the 80th and 88th minute it was Roderick Debattista who, from two personal actions, scored twice with two precise low shots, where on both occasions he fled the Attard defence with incredible agility.

Luqa: P. Psaila, A. Abdilla, F. Cauchi, M. Ciantar, L. Baldacchino (L. Vella), R. Debattista, S. Brazilino Costa (J. Good), C. Gatt, C. Caruana, G. Frendo (S. Gatt), J. Fenech

Attard: R. Ubberden, O. Tabone, C. Lanzon (C. Farrugia), A. Agius, D. Gauci, J. C. Cachia, D. Galea, R. Pilipov, K. Zahra, D. Traykov, E. Thornton

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi

Senglea A. 0

Zebbug R. 2

This was a keenly contested match between bottom team Senglea and Zebbug in which both teams played well and made their utmost to end winners.

However it was Zebbug who got the upper hand thanks to two late goals. They are now placed fifth together with Gharghur.

During the first half, Senglea played on the attack and exerted pressure on the Rangers’ defence. On the other hand, Zebbug missed a number of free kicks.

Zebbug’s goalkeeper James Mercieca saved two corners taken by Glenn Brincat.

Zebbug Rangers dominated during the final 45 minutes. On the 85th minute, David Caruana’s cross found Zebbug’s Uchenna Anyanwu who scored from close range. Three minutes from time, Zebbug doubled the score following the substitute’s Malcolm Tirchett’s throw in, which Uchenna Anyanwu concluded with a rising angled shot.

Senglea A.: B. Bartolo, M. Ciappara, S. Vella (D. Grech), S. Calleja, A. Sciortino, R. Tanti, J. Alegbe, R. Degiorgio, G. Brincat (O. Rababbah), J. R. Emeka, B. Zerafa

Zebbug R.: J. Mercieca, D. Caruana, M. Brincat, G. Mallia, J. Mercieca, M. Farrugia (D. D’Agostino), R. Spiteri, J. Felice (J. Agius), S. Pereira De Mata, A. Agius (M. Tirchett), U. Anyanwu.

Referee: Roberto Vella

Gudja U. 4

Siggiewi 0

Three goals in favour of Gudja scored in a seven minute time frame against Siggiewi determined the match performance. Siggiewi’s players were discouraged by this sudden change in score and although they played well, it was difficult for them to conclude at least one of their attempts successfully.

On the 32nd minute, Gudja took the lead when they were awarded a penalty, scored by William Camenzuli following Siggiewi’s goalkeper Jonathan Vella’s foul on Gudja’s Peter Paul Sammut.

Three minutes later, Gudja doubled when Ives Bilocca back-heeled in a difficult shot. Peter Paul Sammut’s cross from the edge of the area, on the 39th minute found Elton Bugeja who shot at an angle beating Vella.

During the second half, Gudja put further pressure on the Siggiewi players who seemed to have resigned themselves to defeat. The only scoring opportunies for Siggiewi were on the 66th minute when Josef Vassallo’s corner was cleared by William Camenzuli and on the 79th minute when Roderick Vella’s shot ended a few centimetres wide.

Siggiewi’s goalkeeper Jonathan Vella saved several Gudja attempts but his efforts failed on the 90th minute when substitute Christopher Grech scored the fourth and final goal with an amazing angled shot.

Gudja U.: M. Xerxen, J. Mallia (A. Cutajar), G. Cutajar, J. Tonna, M. Milutinovic, W. Camenzuli (C. Grech), K. Bonello, D. Agius, I. Bilocca (D. Zammit), E. Bugeja, P.P. Sammut

Siggiewi: J. Vella, M. Bajada, S. Delia, B. Galea, E. Vella, E. Bugeja, J. Shead, E. Cutajar (M. Deguara), R. Farrugia, J. Vassallo, E. Ciappara

Referee: Paul Apap

Mellieha 4

St Venera 0

Mellieha won easily against St Venera, thanks to a hat-trick by Wayne Borg St John, with all goals being scored in the second half. This win meant that Mellieha retain their second place on the table with 19 points.

The first half saw very little action, where Mellieha were at toils to construct a solid attack. The best chance came Mellieha’s way in the 18th minute, when after receiving from Borg St John, Loquete’s effort hit the crossbar and was converted into a corner by the Saints’ goalkeeper Cuschieri.

Mellieha were decidedly better in the second half, and deservedly took the lead in the 55th minute, when from a pass by Loquete, Wayne Borg St John beat Cuschieri with a header.

Twenty minutes from stoppage time, Wayne Borg St John beat Cuschieri again, this time with a powerful long-distance drive from outside the penalty area.

Thirteen minutes later, Thiago Loquete further increased Mellieha’s lead when after going past two defenders, he chipped the ball over the goalkeeper and at the back of the net.

Just a few seconds before the final whistle, Wayne Borg St John sealed the Blues’ victory, when after a good run through the Saints’ defence, Cuschieri was beat again with a precise shot.

Mellieha: J. Abela, M. Vella, D. Cauchi, W. Buttigieg, P. Taylor, W. Borg, K. Gauci, K. Fenech (R. Perkins), W. Borg St. John, M. Vella (K. Simiana), T. Loquete (L. Cauchi)

St Venera: W. Cuschieri, D. Calleja, J. Onouha, M. Muscat, E. Muscat (J. Zammit), D. Wingfield (C. Harris), G. Micallef, A. Hili (M. Grech), R. Carbonaro, R. Borg, D. Mercieca

Referee: Jude Amin Utulu

Msida 0

Zurrieq 1

Zurrieq won their duel with Msida with the marginal score of 1-0, in a very balanced match where the three points could have gone either way. Zurrieq scored very early in the match, and spent the remainder of the 90 minutes defending their backyard.

What proved to be the only goal of the match came just 19 minutes from kick-off thanks to Alistair Camilleri, who after fleeing the Msida defence, beat goalkeeper Agius with a powerful long-distance drive.

Msida had their opportunity to level matters in the 37th minute, when Pirrone’s low pass found Deandrade unmarked facing goalkeeper Ellul, but the Msida striker failed to hit the ball.

Zurrieq regained control of the match after the break, and put on a tenacious display, even better than their performance in the first 45 minutes. They had a golden opportunity to seal the match on 62 minutes, when after receiving from Josef Briffa, Vukonic’s soaring header was saved by goalkeeper Agius from over the line.

Msida: J. Agius, R. Zammit, L. Cassar, M. Borda, M. Clark, D. Attard, A. Pirrone, R. Xuereb (A. Dalli), P. Shackai, F. Deandrade, M. Curtis (M. Crupi)

Zurrieq: K. Ellul, A. Barbara (J. Fenech), K. Sacco, N. Abdilla, D. Bonnici, M. Genuis, J. Lia (A. Portelli), J. Briffa, J. Briffa, Z. Vukonic, A. Camilleri (K. Agius)

Referee: Luke Portelli