Luqa S.A. 0

Gzira U 5

Gzira confirmed their place on top of the table with 45 points – a good eight-point lead over Mellieha who are now placed second.

The Maroons’ excelled in their playing tactics and continuously pressurised the Luqa players without allowing them to score at least one goal throughout the whole 90 minutes.

On the 12th minute, Luis Fernando Borges met Silva’s cross in the direction of Anthony Ewurun but the ball was cleared by Luqa’s Lawrence Vella. Gzira took the lead on the 19th minute when Anthony Ewurun dribbled past three Luqa defenders and hit a low central shot past goalkeeper Kevin Ellul.

Gzira doubled on the 43rd minute when Antoine Galea crossed to Simon Shead who fired home a low angled shot.

Christian Caruana’s free kick for Luqa was saved by Gzira’s goalkeeper Simon Agius on the 50th minute. On the 65th, Gzira increased the gap in an action where Anthony Ewurun’s shot was partially saved by goalkeeper Ellul, the ball hit the post, and from the rebound Simon Shead blasted the ball at the back of the net.

On the 71st minute, Gzira made them four when Luis Fernando Borges e Silva took off from the centre and beat Luqa’s defence and goalkeeper Ellul.

Two minutes later, Gzira sealed the win with a fifth goal when Ryan Deguara’s cross found Anthony Ewurun who scored a low shot.

Luqa S.A.: K. Ellul, G. Failla, M. Camilleri (G. Frendo) (T. Cauchi), M.Ciantar, L. Baldacchino, L. Vella (E. Catania), J. Fenech, C. Gatt, C. Caruana, A. Abdilla, I. Milosevic

Gzira U.: S. Agius, K. Cassar (A. Buttigieg), A. Ewurun (L. Camilleri), R. Deguara, M. Cocks, L.F. Borges e Silva, R.A. Congalves Giunte, S. Shead, T. Micallef, S. Pace, A. Galea

Referee: Jude Utulu

Zebbug R. 3

Kirkop U. 0

Mark Brincat’s goal and Charlon Sammut’s stylish double gave Zebbug Rangers another win and are now placed fourth in the standings with 30 points.

Kirkop United lacked skill in their passes and never threatened their adverseries throughout the whole 90 minutes.

During the first half, the match was balanced with both teams creating scoring opportunities.

Zebbug opened the score on the 33rd minute when Mark Brincat shot past Kirkop’s goalkeeper Christian Francica with a nice angled shot.

The second half was dominated by the Rangers. On the 58th minute, Zebbug doubled the score when Charlon Sammut beat two Kirkop defenders and goalkeeper Francica with a central shot from close range.

The Rangers made them three four minutes later when Uchenna Anyanwu took off from the centre, crossed in the direction of Charlon Sammut who concluded an easy ball in an empty net.

Zebbug R.: J. Mercieca, M. Brincat, J. Mercieca, D. Agius, R. Spiteri, J. Alegbe (J. Spiteri), M. Farrugia, S. Pereira Da Mata, D. D’Agostino (J. Agius), C. Sammut, U. Anyanwu

Kirkop U.: C. Francica, B. Falzon, A. Busuttil, M. Pisani, S. Petrov (T. Bonnici), I. Stankovic, N. Tabone (J. Gerada), B. Bugeja (R. Galea), R. Kerekov, B. Farrugia, M. Aquilina.

Referee: Luke Portelli

Attard 1

St Venera 2

St Venera pocketed a very important three points from their encounter against Attard, with all goals being scored in the last ten minutes of the match. Attard were initially in the lead, but St Venera managed to turn the game in their favour thus going on a total of 20 points in the standings in contrast to Attard’s 15.

The only action worthy of note in the first half came on the half-hour mark, when Micallef’s powerful effort from outside the area was saved in style by Attard’s goalkeeper.

The first goal of the match was scored on 81 minutes, when after a foul by Onohua, Dimcho Traykov beat St Venera’s defence from a direct freekick. 

A minute later, Daniel Gauci was sent off for his second bookable offence, with the referee awarding a penalty. From the spot, Dylan Mercieca equalised for St Venera.

A minute from stoppage time, St Venera took the lead for the first time during the match, when from a corner, Karl Cilia tapped the ball at the back of the net, sealing his side’s victory.

Attard: R. Ubbergen, O. Tabone, D. Agius, D. Gauci, J. C. Cachia, R. Filipov, C. Farrugia, K. Zahra, N. Spiteri (A. Lanzon), D. Galea, S. A. Mohammed

St Venera: E. Attard, S. Farrugia (L. Ferreira Guglielmetti), M. Muscat, K. Cilia, E. Muscat, G. Micallef, D. Calleja, D. Mercieca, J. Onohua, R. Borg, D. Wingfield

Referee: Paul Caruana

San Gwann 2

Mellieha 3

Mellieha registered their fourth consecutive win this season when they beat San Gwann 2-3, thus securing their second place on the grid with 37 points.

This was the second consecutive defeat for San Gwann, who remained in the middle of the standings with 25 points.

Mellieha opened the scoring 20 minutes into the match, when Tiago Loquete dispossessed San Gwann’s defence and tapped the ball at the back of the net with a low shot.

Five minutes into the second half, Mellieha doubled their lead, when after a brilliant action by Glenn Magri, who went past half the opposing defence, he beat goalkeeper Carbonaro with a splendid shot from an acute angle.

San Gwann re-entered the match on 65 minutes, when after receiving from Xuereb, Miguel Francica beat Abela with a looping header.

Barely five minues later, San Gwann equalised thanks to Shawn Vella who took Mellieha’s goalie by surprise with a long-distance drive.

Yet when it seemed that both sides would take home a point each, Giovanni Galea scored the winner for Mellieha with a lovely overhead kick from inside the area.

San Gwann: C. Carbonaro, M. Axiaq, M. Francica, K. Vella (D. Cosaitis), M. Mercieca, P. Xuereb, A. Borg, C. Cuschieri (S. Vella), C. Cacciattolo, R. Zammit (R. Attard), R. Sell

Mellieha: J. Abela, M. Vella, R. Perkins, P. Taylor, L. Cauchi, W. Borg, G. Magri (M. Calleja), K. Fenech, G. Galea (M. Vella), W. Borg St. John (W. Buttigieg), T. Loquete

Referee: Ryan Spiteri

Msida 1

Gudja 1

Gudja failed to keep the pace with Mellieha in the race for second place in the standings, when they were held to a one-all draw by Msida, with the equaliser being scored in the second minute of injury time.

This was the third consecutive match from which Gudja failed to take the maximum points home. They now remain in third place with 32 points, preceded by Mellieha with 37 points.

The only action worthy of note in the first half came just one minute before the break, when from a corner, Gjepali had good ball-control and saw his effort on target being converted into another corner in style by goalkeeper Agius.

Gudja opened the scoring on 68 minutes, when after a good run, Sammut was fouled in the area by Borda, with the referee awarding a penalty. From the spot, Elvin Gauci hit home.

Msida increased their pressure and were close to equalising 15 minutes from time, when Pavia’s long-distance drive on a corner skimmed the woodwork.

Msida saved the point in the second minute of injury time, when Mario Caruana took Gudja’s defence by surprise with a low header.

Msida: J. Agius, L. Cassar, O. Zammit, M. Borda, R. Zammit (M. Grech), D. Attard (M. Pisani), M. Caruana, J. Pavia, F. D. De Andrade, R. Xuereb, A. Pirrone (G. Refalo)

Gudja: M. Xerxen, C. Galea, G. Cutajar, E. Vella, M. Milutinovic, A. Gjepali (T. Thomas), E. Bugeja, E. Gauci, D. Agius, P. P. Sammut (C. Grech), T. J. Thomas (A. Guazzo)

Referee: Stefan Pace

Senglea 3

Siggiewi 3

Senglea and Siggiewi each took a point home from a very exciting and highly motivated match, in which the three points could have easily gone either way, now coming to a total of 10 and 23 points respectively.

Senglea opened the scoring 15 minutes after kick-off, when John Ronald Emeka took Siggiewi’s defence by surprise with a long-distance drive. They doubled their lead on 27 minutes, with another lovely shot from outside the area, this time from Tyrone Thomas’s boot.

Siggiewi pulled one back 65 minutes into the match thanks to Kim Buhagiar’s direct freekick from outside the area. Five minutes later, Siggiewi equalised thanks to Roderick Farrugia, who tapped the ball at the back of the net following a good run by Vassallo.

On 73 minutes, Senglea took the lead once again, when John Ronald Emeka displayed some very good ball control and his effort found the corner of the net. Yet three minutes later, Siggiewi saved the match when Brian Galea’s header beat Senglea’s defence. 

Senglea: B. Bartolo, C. Borg, A. Sciortino, C. Dimech (G. Buttigieg), T. Thomas, D. Xuereb, G. Brincat (O. Rababbah), P. Camilleri, K. Galea, R. Degorgio, J. R. Emeka

Siggiewi: K. Grech, S. Delia (B. Galea), N. Galea, E. Cutajar, M. Bajada, E. Vella (D. Vella), K. Buhagiar, M. Camilleri, R. Farrugia, J. Camilleri, J. Vassallo

Referee: Marco Borg

Zurrieq 0

Gharghur 2

Gharghur kept their fifth place on the grid, now with a total of 28 points, after beating Zurrieq 0-2, with both goals being scored in the last 20 minutes of the match.

This was the eighth consecutive match in which Zurrieq failed to take home the three points from an encounter, and thus remain in the lower end of the grid with just 15 points.

The match was very quiet and uneventful, with very few actions on either side, where both goalkeepers were rarely called into action.

On the whole, Gharghur were better than their opponents, being more offensive at times, and thus deserving the three points.

The best action worthy of note in the first half came five minutes before the break on Gharghur’s side, when Gauci’s shot on target went slightly high over the crossbar.

On 67 minutes, Stivala saw his effort from the distance being saved from over the line by goalkeeper Alden. Gharghur eventually opened the scoring on 73 minutes, when Iro Curmi displayed good ball-controlling skills and put the ball at the back of the net with a powerful strike.

Five minutes from stoppage time, Gharghur sealed the match, when after a good run by Perry Acton who crossed central, defender Victor Micallef found himself on the ball’s route and involuntarily tapped the ball at the back of his own net.

Zurrieq: J. Alden, V. Micallef, A. Barbara, D. Stojanovic, K. Sacco, J. Lia, Z. Vukovic, J. Briffa, M. Genius (C. Schembri), A. Portelli (J. Fenech), A. Camilleri

Gharghur: D. Zarb, L. Stivala, T. Grozev (C. Vella), B. Perry Acton, M. Gauci (I. Curmi), S. Iliev, R. Mifsud, J. Debattista, R. Debattista, K. Azzopardi, B. Antignolo (D. Konavessis)

Referee: Duncan Sultana