Attard 1

Gharghur 6

Attard’s hopes of climbing out of the relegation zone were cut short when they were defeated with the humiliating score of 1-6.

This was the third consecutive win for Gharghur, who maintained their fourth place with 34 points, and the second time this season that they scored six goals in one match. The other occasion was their triumph over St Venera in the beginning of the second round with the same score.

Gharghur opened the scoring only two minutes into the match, when Beppe Antignolo hit home with a long-distance drive.

On 20 minutes, Gauci chipped towards Benjamin Perry Acton who beat Ubberden with a low shot.

After 34 minutes of play, Perry Acton tried his luck form outside the area, but his shot was temporarily blocked by the goalkeeper; yet from the rebound, Trayo Grozev hit home.

Five minutes before the break, Antignolo fled Attard’s defence and passed to the unmarked Benjamin Perry Acton who hit home with a splendid first-timer. On 68 minutes, Benjamin Perry Acton scored his third goal, when after a very quick combination between Iliev and Grozev, he beat Attard’s defence with a shot from an acute angle. Ten minutes from time, Attard scored their only goal in the match, when goalkeeper Zarb caught Mohammed’s foot in the area, with the referee awarding a penalty. From the spot, Kurt Zahra hit home for Attard.

Five minute from the final whistle, Trayo Grozev scored a magnificent goal, when after going through Attard’s defence in a long run, he put past goalkeeper Ubberden with a powerful strike.

Attard: R. J. Ubberden, O. Tabone, C. Lanzon (E. Azzopardi), A. Agius, J. Gauci (N. Spiteri), D. Agius, D. Galea (S. Agius), K. Zahra, D. Traykov, S. A. Mohammed, C. Farrugia

Gharghur: D. Zarb, L. Stivala, R. Mifsud, D. Brincat, J. Debattista, C. Farrugia, K. Azzopardi, S. Iliev, B. Antignolo, B. Perry Acton, M. Gauci, T. Grozev

Referee: Tristan Farrugia

Gzira 1

Gudja 6

Contrary to all possible predictions and expectations, Gudja triumphed over Gzira with the incredible score of 6-1, a loss which was not accepted at all by Gzira’s numerous supporters.

Despite this loss, Gzira still remain at the summit of the table with 45 points, with Gudja now going onto 35, following Mellieha who have 40 points.

Gudja took the lead 15 minutes after kick-off, when from a freekick by Camenzuli, Emerson Vella hit home. They doubled their lead ten minutes later, when from another freekick by Camenzuli, Peter Paul Sammut rose above everyone to direct a splendid looping header in the corner of the net.

Gzira pulled one back after 39 minutes of play, when they were awarded a penalty for Gjepali’s foul at Ewrun’s expense. From the spot, Anthony Ewrun didn’t miss.

On 62 minutes, a heated argument ensued between players and club officials on both sides, in which Gzira’s goal-scorer Anthony Ewrun was sent off.

Six minutes later, Dean Agius halted Gzira’s efforts once again when he hit home for Gudja with a low shot.

Fifteen minutes from stoppage time, Pace caught Thomas’ foot in the area, with the referee awarding the second penalty of the match, this time Gudja’s way. From the spot, captain William Camenzuli did not miss.

Substitute Timothy John Thomas scored a brace in the last ten minutes of the match, first with a lovely header on a cross by Agius, followed by a low first-timer on another pass by Agius, for a final score of 6-1.

Gzira: S. Agius, Y. Tonna, M. Cocks, R. G. Goncalves Alihno, A. Ewrun, S. Pace, K. Cassar, S. Shead, R. Deguara (K. Saliba), A. Galea, A. White (T. Micallef)

Gudja: M. Xerxen, A. Gjepali (C. Galea), E. Vella, M. Milutinovic, W. Camenzuli, K. Bonello, D. Agius, E. Bugeja, E. Gauci, P. P. Sammut, T. Thomas (T. J. Thomas)

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri

Luqa 0

Mellieha 1

Mellieha consolidated their place in the standings when they beat Luqa SA with an impressive David Cauchi early in the game. Mellieha dominated the match for long stretches, especially in the first half where they created several scoring chances, but Loquete was not his usual self missing a couple of sitters in front of goal.

Mellieha’s decisive goal was scored on 14 minutes when a William Borg corner was met by David Cauchi whose powerful header finished in the top corner of the net.

In the following minutes Mellieha should have wrapped up the match but Loquete missed two glaring chances with an open goal at is mercy.

But on 28 minutes in a rare Luqa attack they were unlucky when a Darren Agius shot hit the base of the upright.

In the second half Luqa controlled better but Mellieha still held the edge and went close on a couple of instances late in the game.

Luqa: K. Ellul, C. Caruana, G. Failla, D. Agius, E. Catania (R. Debattista), J. Good, L. Vella, C. Gatt, M. Ciantar, M. Camilleri (A. Psaila),  J. Fenech.

Mellieha: J. Abela, D. Cauchi, Matthew Vella, L. Cauchi, P. Taylor, W. Borg, K. Gauci (G. Magri), R. Perkins, G. Galea (Mark Vella), W. Borg St.John (W. Buttigieg), T. Loquete

Referee: Paul Apap

Senglea 2

Kirkop 6

Kirkop registered a very easy win over bottom-side Senglea with the comfortable score of 6-2, thus going to a total of 20 points on the standings.

This was a difficult blow for Senglea, who after managing to take home two points from their last two outings, made no further progress this week and remain with just 11 points.

Kirkop opened the scoring 24 minutes into the match, when Busuttil’s effort was blocked by the goalkeeper, but from the rebound Ivan Stankovic tapped the ball home. Ten minutes later, Kirkop doubled their lead when Rumen Kerekov’s effort from outside the area susprised the opposing defence.

On 40 minutes, Kirkop were awarded a freekick when Rababah fouled Busuttil outside the area, with the same Albert Busuttil hitting home from the direct corner.

Three minutes from the break, Senglea pulled one back thanks to John Ronald Emeka who after fleeing Kirkop’s defence, beat goalkeeper Caruana with a powerful strike.

Kirkop increased their lead again on 46 minutes with a powerful shot from Brownen Bugeja from outside the area, and again on 68 minutes thanks to Lee Cumbo following a personal action.

Ivan Stankovic scored his second goal of the match after 72 minutes of play with a looping header on a cross by Cumbo. Three minutes from time, Senglea hit home for the second time thanks to Philip Camilleri who surprised Kirkop’s defence with a good run.

Senglea: B. Bartolo, C. Borg, M. Ciappara (G. Buttigieg [P. Zarb]), R. Tanti, T. Thomas, D. Xuereb, O. Rababah, G. Brincat, P. Camilleri (K. Galea), A. Sciortino, J. R. Emeka

Kirkop: C. Caruana, R. Galea, L. Cumbo (M. Theuma), A. Busuttil, M. Pisani (N. Tabone), S. Petrov, I. Stankovic, B. Bugeja, R. Kerekov, M. Aquilina, C. Farrugia

Referee: Duncan Cutajar

Zebbug 3

Zurrieq 0

Zebbug registered a very easy win over Zurrieq with the final score 3-0, where they also missed a penalty, thus going to a total of 33 points in their fifth place on the grid.

On the other hand Zurrieq, who spent a good deal of the match playing with nine men, remain in the lower end of the grid with just 15 points.

Zebbug opened the scoring 35 minutes into the match, when Gordon Mallia took the opposing defence by susprise with a lovely shot from outside the area. One minute before the break, Zurrieq’s Victor Micallef was sent off for dissent.

Zebbug increased their lead on 52 minutes, when after Spiteri’s accurate cross, Julian Spiteri went past goalkeeper Alden and tapped the ball between the uncostoded posts and at the back of the net.

Ten minutes later, Barbara was seen catching Caruana’s foot in the area, with referee Zammit awarding a penalty. From the spot, Anyanwu’s effort was too central and blocked by the goalkeeper, and from the rebound, Anyanwu’s second effort went incredibly high.

On 65 minutes, Alex Barbara committed his second bookable offence in the area, this time at Sammut’s expense, and was sent off, with the referee awarding a second penalty. This time, Uchenna Anyanwu hit home.

Zebbug: R. Debono, J. Mercieca, D. Caruana, J. Alegbe (B. Chetcuti), G. Mallia, M. Farrugia, R. Spiteri, S. Pereira da Mata, C. Sammut (D. Farrugia), D. D’Agostino (J. Agius), U. Anyanwu

Zurrieq: J. Alden, S. Azzopardi (N. Zammit), A. Barbara, D. Stojanovic, V. Micallef, J. Lia, J. Briffa (D. Mula), D. Bonnici, A. Camilleri, M. Genuis (N. Abdilla), V. Zdezdan

Referee: Fiodor Zammit