BIRKIRKARA 4
GZIRA UNITED 0
Birkirkara: K. Naumowski, E. Herrera, L. Maia, F. Barbosa, R. Camenzuli, M. Andelkovic, J. Grech (L. Cremona), C. Concalves (G. Zammit), S. Dimitrov (B. De Brito), R. Scicluna, L. Montebello
Gzira U: J. Haber, G. Muir, A. Cohen (L. Brincat), N. Okoye, A. Macedo Neto, S. Diamoutene, Z. Scerri, S. Borg, M. Avila Perez, J. Corbolan (N. Muscat), H. Garba
Referee: S. Pace
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, T. Debono
Additional asst.refs: M. Spiteri, M. Degabriele
4th official: L. Portelli
Scorers: L. Montebello 5, 40, J. Grech 63, 68
Yellow cards: R. Camenzuli, R. Scicluna, Z. Scerri, N. Okoye, S. Diamoutene, L. Maia
Player of the match: J. Grech (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Grech 2. L. Montebello 3. C. Concalves
Attendance: 477
Premier League action resumed at the Centenary Stadium yesterday evening after the festive break.
Birkirkara, played with ambition and confidence to demolish a sloppy Gzira side and start the new year on a high. Their win was earned by a brace from Luke Montebello, who had the pace and alertness to punish a languid Gzira performance in the first half, and another from Jake Grech, equally deadly and impressive in the second half, to complete the rout and add further woes to Gzira's miserable evening.
Birkirkara may have been frustrated such dominance did not yield more goals.
Gzira had been in good form, winning their previous two outings before the end of year to move only one point behind leaders Balzan.
Birkirkara are actually on a decent run run of their own, having won all four league games since they lost to Balzan in early November. They now move into the top half of the table.
Suspensions deprived Gzira of Roderick Briffa and Amadou Samb but they welcomed back captain and midfielder Mosies Avila Perez as well as Juan Corbolan. Coach Darren Abdilla gave a debut start to former Hamrun striker Haruna Garba.
Birkirkara introduced three new faces - Macedonian keeperKristjan Naumovski, Portuguese centre back Fernando Barbosa and the returning forward Srdan Dimitrov, in his second spell with the Stripes. Two notable absentees were Cain Attard and Nikola Vukanac, both suspended.
The game started so promisingly for Paul Zammit's side. Their organsiation and tactical discipline frustrated Gzira and they took the lead when Luke Montebello took Scicluna's pass in his stride, evaded Diamoutene and beat keeper Haber with a curling shot after five minutes.
Gzira were facing an uphill task against a Birkirkara rearguard which had kept clean sheets in the previous three outings.
The only way they got ever close in the first period was on the stroke of halftime when a Garba shot was blocked by keeper Naumovski and Corbolan hit the rebound too tamely as Maia cleared off the line.
By that time, they had conceded again though as galvanised Birkirkara pushed forward relentlessly, with pace and vigour, for the last 15 minutes of the half. Grech and Montebello twice brought smart saves from keeper Haber, before, on 40 minutes, Luke Montebello ran clear to meet Grech's cross from the right and hit past the helpless Gzira keeper.
The Stripes looked in control. Dimitrov spurned two good chances soon after halftime. He advanced down the left and, with the flag staying down, Haber was called to block at his feet. Then, with the Gzira defence wide open, and with a gaping goal at his mercy, he blazed Montebello's pass incredibly over.
Gzira were really fearing a goal deluge and the game was put beyond them with two goals within five minutes soona fter the hour.
On 63 minutes, Andelkovic played a splitting pass to the unmarked Jake Grech, who hit the innerside of the post with a low drive to beat keeper Haber.
Five minutes later, Grech again picked the rebound, after a Dimitrov effort had hit the post, to make it 4-0.
Poor Gzira were left licking their wounds.