Gzira 2

Gharghur 0

Gzira were officially promoted to Division I on Friday evening when they defeated Gharghur 2-0, now going to a total of 55 points and keeping teir place at the summit of the table. On the other hand, Gharghur’s hopes for a promotion seem to have faded now, who after a positive streak of 5 victories and a draw, remain in fourth place with 41 points.

Gharghur had a good start, where the first half was very-well balanced. Yet Gzira were definitely the better side in the second half, with various scoring opportunities, where the score could have been a lot higher.

Gzira had a good chance ten minutes into the match, when Ewrum chipped the ball past goalkeeper Zarb, but Mifsud managed to clear the ball from over the line. Gharghur went close 12 minutes later, when after a good run by Mamo on the left who crossed towards Curmi, the latter’s shot went high over the crossbar.

Gzira opened the scoring six minutes into the second half, with a splendid shot by RYAN DEGUARA from outside the area. They sealed the match on 65 minutes, when from a personal action, TONY EWRUM took the opposing defence by surprise with a powerful shot from a very acute angle.

Gzira: S. Agius, S. Pace, T. Ewrum, Y. Tonna, K. Saliba (S. Bonello), K. Cassar, A. White, R. Deguara, A. Galea, M. Cocks, S. Shead (L. S. Borges Correira e Silva)

Gharghur: D. Zarb, D. Mamo (L. Stivala), C. Farrugia (J. Debattista), B. Pace, R. Mifsud, B. Perry Acton, C. Azzopardi, I. Curmi, S. Iliev, T. Grozev, B. Antignolo

Referee: Jude Ameen Utulu

Mellieha 1

Kirkop 0

Mellieha edged a step closer to promotion when they beat Kirkop 1-0, despite having played 45 minutes with 10 men. The Northerners have now gone to a total of 47 points on the grid, thus going four points clear of third-place Gudja, who after being held to a one-all draw by St Venera, have fallen behind in the race for promotion.

The only goal of the match came 23 minutes into the match, when following a precise Buttigieg cross, GIOVANNI GALEA’s first timer ended at the back of the net.

Mellieha were down to ten men on 44 minutes, when Phil Taylor was sent off for a foul on Josef Attard. 

Mellieha were close to sealing the match on 70 minutes, when Borg chipped towards Borg St. John, who was unmarked in front of goalkeeper Caruana, but his shot on target went slightly wide from a very ideal position.

Mellieha: J. Abela, M. Vella, L. Cauchi, D. Cauchi, P. Taylor, W. Borg, K. Gauci, K. Fenech, W. Borg St. John (K. Simiana), G. Galea (G. Magri), W. Buttigieg

Kirkop: C. Caruana, B. Falzon, C. Farrugia, A. Busuttil, M. Pisani, S. Petrov, M. Aquilina, N. Tabone, J. Gerada (T. Vella Stanyer), R. Kerekov, J. Attard

Referee: Karl Cumbo

Msida 1

Zebbug 1

Msida and Zebbug gained a point each from their encounter. The match was very-well balanced, with the result being a just one. Msida have now gone to a total of 27 points, whilst Zebbug have 41 points in all, with both sides being away from relegation danger-zone.

Msida opened the scoring just five minutes into the matc, when JORGE PAIVA  tried his luck from the middle of the pitch and took goalkeeper Mercieca completely by surprise with a splendid shot. On 18 minutes, Agius had a good run for Zebbug but saw his shot going inches wide.

Paiva fled Zebbug’s defence six minutes before the break, but his effort from outside the area hit the upright.

Zebbug went close on 78 minutes when substitute Sammut’s effort was cleared from over the line. They managed to save the match two minutes before stoppage time, when JEREMY AGIUS’ long-distance drive hit home from an acute angle.

Msida: J. Mallia, R. Zammit, O. Zammit, M. Caruana, R. Tanti, L. Cassar (G. Attard), G. Refalo, M. Clarke, P. Sakchai, J. Paiva, F. D. De Andrade

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

Referee: Marco Borg

Senglea 3

Attard 4

Attard gained three important points from their encounter against Senglea in a very exciting match, where in the last instances of the match, Senglea were close to saving the match.

Attard now have a total of 22 points, but are still not out of the relegation zone, whilst Senglea remain at the bottom of the standings with just 12 points.

Attard opened the scoring just one minute into the match with a splendid shot by NIGEL SPITERI, and three minutes later Senglea equalised with a powerful drive by JOHN RONALD EMEKA on a pass by Camilleri.

Attard took the lead again one minute into the second half, when after a good run by Zahra who crossed central, DARREN GALEA’s header took goalkeeper Bartolo by surprise.

They increased their lead on 59 minutes, when from a splendid personal action, CHRIS FARRUGIA went past three defenders, including the goalkeeper, and tapped the ball at the back of the entenanted net. Attard believed to have sealed the match five minutes later, when from a cross by Farrugia, KURT ZAHRA’s first timer hit home.

Yet Senglea had other plans and pulled one back four minutes from time, when amidst confusion and uncertainty in Attard’s defence, JAMIE ABDILLA hit home.

The side from Cottonera was back into the match three minutes later, when from a good combination between Galea and Zammit who crossed central, JOHN RONALD EMEKA beat Galea with a looping header. Senglea had more opportunities in the last instances of the match, yet their revival came too late for them to save a point.

Senglea: B. Bartolo, C. Borg, J. P. Abdilla, J. Abela, C. Dimech (G. Buttigieg), K. Galea, P. Camilleri, T. Thomas, G. Brincat (K. Zammit), D. Xuereb (J. Abdilla), J. R. Emeka

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

Referee: Glenn Tonna

Zurrieq 1

San Gwann 0

Zurrieq triumphed over San Gwann with the narrow score of 1-0, in a very quiet ad highly uneventful match. Zurrieq have now gone up to a total of 27 points and crawled further away from relegation zone, whilst San Gwann kept their tally of 35 points further up in the standings.

Zurrieq had a good chance fifteen minutes into the match, when Genuis chipped towards Camilleri who was unmarked in front of goalkeeper Carbonaro, but his weak shot was too central to cause any trouble.

The only goal of the match was scored on 25 minutes, when after recieving from Sacco, JOHAN BRIFFA beat the opposing defence with a powerful low shot.

In the last 10 minutes of play, both sides were down to ten men, when Johan Briffa and Shawn Vella were sent off for Zurrieq and San Gwann respectively for bad conduct.

Zurrieq: J. Alden, D. Bonnici, J. Lia (V. Micallef), D. Stojanovic, K. Sacco, N. Abdilla, J. Briffa, M. Genuis, Z. Vukovic, A. Camilleri (C. Schembri), S. Azzopardi

San Gwann: C. Carbonaro, R. Sell, C. Pace, C. Cacciatolo, S. Vella, G. Agius (D. Cosaitis), M. Mercieca, A. Borg, J. Cutajar, J. L. Xavier Lopes, M. Francica

Referee: Sandro Spiteri

Gudja U 1

St Venera L 1

Gudja United lost two important points as they were held in a 1-1 draw by Santa Venera and were levelled by Mellieha with 45 points with only three games till the end.

Surely Gudja have to increase their performance if they need to get the much awaited promotion.

In this game Gudja dissapointed against a team that on paper looked favourite to clinch the three points.

On the other hand St Venera continued to impress as they continued with positive results when after their fine win against Mellieha last week, they took a warranted point to move one step closer to retain their status.

The first half was very quiet where the best action came on the first real action came on the 22nd minute when Cuschieri turned into a corner a header from Trevor Thomas. St Venera took the lead on the 56th minute from Emmanuel Muscat.

Gudja reacted and drew level when referee Mario Apap ordered a penalty and substitute Elvin Gauci converted from the spot. Although Gudja tried to score the winning goal, St Venera kept their composure and defended bravely to continue moving closer to another season in the second division.

Gudja: M. Xerxen, J. Mallia, E. Vella, J. Tonna, M. Milutinovic, W. Camenzuli (A.Guazzo), E. Bugeja, A. Gjepali (E. Gauci), T. Thomas, T.J. Thomas (K. Bonello), P.P. Sammut

St Venera: W. Cuschieri, R. Carbonaro (L. Ferreira Guglielmetti), M. Muscat, R. Borg, E. Muscat, G. Micallef, D. Calleja (J. Taliana), D. Mercieca, J. Onouha, K. Cilia, A. Hili

Referee: Mario Apap

Luqa SA 0

Siggiewi 3

Siggiewi clinched an important match when they won Luqa St Andrews 3-0 to respond to Attard’s win and stay four points in-front of Attard in their fight against relegation. On the other hand this defeat Luqa were mathematically condemned to the third division league next season.

Mario Mifsud’s team took the lead on the 26th minute thanks to Stephen Delia. Siggiewi had numerical advantage on the 40th minute when goalkeeper Paul Psaila was sent-off after retaliation and Luqa’s game now was more difficult.

With a numerical advantage Siggiewi scored the second goal from Josef Vassallo who scored the fourth seasonal goal. Siggiewi secured the win on the 70th minute with the third goal coming from Kim Buhagiar.

Luqa: P. Psaila, C. Caruana, G. Failla, C. Gatt (J. Gatt), G. Frendo, S. Costa Brazilino (L. Vella), J. Fenech, M. Camilleri, M. Ciantar, L. Baldacchino, J. Good (M. Coleiro)

Siggiewi: J. Vella, S. Delia, N. Galea, B. Galea (D. Vella), M. Bajada, E. Vella, K. Buhagiar, M. Camilleri, J. Shead, J. Camilleri (E. Ciappara), J. Vassallo (L. Attard)

Referee: Fyodor Zammit