Tarxien R. 0
Gzira Utd. 5
Tarxien R.: R. Briffa, M. Botta, T. Veronese, P. Mambouana, B. Muscat, M. Torres Murillo (A. Azzopardi 71'), A. Andrejic, S. Shaba, N. Portelli, M. Ciantar, M. Miranda Gomez (C. Zahra 43')
Gzira Utd.: J. Haber (R. Yokokawa 77'), F. Barbosa Pereira, N. Muscat, Z.Scerri, R. Soares (L. Brincat 75'), A. Cohen, J. Corbalan, H. Kone, A. Samb (C. Gatt Baldacchino 75'), A. Oyama, M. Davis
Referee: Andrea Sciriha
Asst. Referees: Duncan Sultana, Roberto Vella
Fourth Official: Fyodor Zammit
Yellow Cards: Botta, Ciantar, Muscat
Scorers: M. Davis 17', A. Cohen 32', A. Samb 50', 66'(p), Kone 59'
TMI Top 3 : 1. A. Samb 2. A. Cohen 3. H. Kone
As expected Gzira United won their match against bottom side Tarxien Rainbows to move just one point shy off leaders Floriana though the latter have a match in hand.
For Gzira this was the fifth win on the trot after their four initial draws. On the other hand Tarxien have now gone nine games without gaining a point, nine consecutive defeats which leave them languishing at the bottom of the table and clear favourites for the drop.
The Maroons had to do without Gianmarco Conti and Jefferson de Assis, both players suspended. The latter had bagged a poker in their last match when they defeated Gudja by six goals to one.
Tarxien coach Marko Glumac called some changes from their last match against Valletta but this didn't provide the desired impact.
Gzira took a two goal lead in the first half which proved a good cushion for the second forty five minutes. The problem with Tarxien continues to be two fold; the lack of punch upfront and the weakness in their rearguard. The game resulted into a one sided affair with Gzira dominating proceedings and finding the net at regular intervals.
After eight minutes a free kick taken by Hamed Kone was turned onto a corner with some difficulty by the Rainbows goalkeeper Rudy Briffa. This was followed by a Thomas Veronese direct shot which Haber saved with ease.
On 13 minutes a low drive by Kone was blocked by Briffa but three minutes later Gzira drew first blood. Kone passed towards Martin Davis and the Maroons forward rifled a fierce shot into the corner of the net.
In the 21st minute another chance for Gzira when a Zachary Scerri shot from a distance hit the woodwork. And in the 27th minute a headed effort by Samb was flicked away by the Rainbows goalkeeper.
Just past the half hour it was Tarxien's turn to hit the woodwork through Aleksa Andrejic but from the resultant counter attack Gzira doubled their lead when veteran Andrew Cohen concluded from close range.
On the change of ends Gzira scored their third goal when off an Arthur Oyama cross from the left flank in came Amadou Samb who slotted the ball past a helpless Briffa.
Just on the hour the Maroons once again found the net this time it was Hamed Kone's turn who made his way past four opponents before placing the ball into the net. And on 65 minutes Gzira once again finding the net when Marco Botta brought down Andrew Cohen in the area and from the penalty that ensued Amadou Samb made no mistake.
Seventeen minutes from the end Gzira hit the post through an Amadou Samb close range effort. And in the final stages Tarxien tried to venture forward but substitute goalkeeper Ryoto Yokokawa who had come on instead of Justin Haber kept them at bay.