Gudja United 2
Pietà Hotspurs 1
Peter Paul Sammut, who came on as a substitute for Ryan Sell with 15 minutes to go, was Gudja’s prota-gonist yesterday when he scored a late winner to stun promotion favourites Pietà Hotspurs.
Despite being without the suspended midfielder Ivan Kurtusic and defender Francis Owusu, Gudja were an organised team against a Pietà side that had most of the possession but were not effective up-front with Raphael Kooh Sohna under tight scrutiny.
Gudja’s win means they are now at a par with Pietà on 11 points.
The Hotspurs produced the first opening and this came after three minutes when Karl Cutajar’s drive was deflected by a defender from a Kooh Sohna corner.
Gudja hit back with a Sell grounder and Miguel Montfort saving well for a corner. From the flag-kick, taken by George Chircop, Keith Bonello headed just wide.
Now Leslie Burke’s team were enjoying the upperhand and midway through the half Bonello saw his effort taking a deflection off a defender with the keeper beaten.
But Gudja forged ahead on 35 minutes when Kiril Aleksandrov rose high to head home from a Chircop free-kick.
Pietà tried to regroup but had to wait until the 60th minute to draw close to an equaliser when they were awarded a penalty after Ranier Buhagiar committed a handling infringement inside the box.
However, Cleaven Frendo, who had been on the field for a mere five minutes, shot badly from the spot.
Still it was all square on 70 minutes. From a corner, Jonathan Zarate chested the ball down before firing an unstoppable shot past Matthew Xerxen.
Edmund Lufi’s Hotspurs insisted in attack and a Cleaven Cassar cross-shot was tipped away for a corner by Xerxen.
However, when the game looked destined for a draw, Sammut beat the offside trap and despite being chased by a couple of Pietà men, he drove the ball beyond Montfort’s reach for Gudja to bag three unexpected points.
Gudja: M. Xerxen, R. Buhagiar (K. Polidano), E. Vella (D. Bonnici), A. Abela, J. Tonna, R. Kovachev, K. Bonello, K. Azzopardi, G. Chircop, R. Sell (P. P. Sammut), K. Aleksandrov.
Pietà: M. Montfort, H. Madsen, Q. Refalo, R. Kooh Sohna L. Mallia (C. Frendo), C. Cassar, J. Zarate, I. Grech A. Spiteri, K. Cutajar, J. Pisani (S. Micallef).
Referee: Philip Farrugia.
Man of the match: Kiril Aleksandrov (Gudja United).
Lija Athletic 1
Gżira United 1
Lija failed to go top of the standings yesterday as they were held by a fighting Gżira side who are in need of points to ease their relegation worries.
Lija were the better side in the first 45 minutes but the Maroons’ display in the second half improved to deservedly win a point.
Early on, Gżira keeper Simon Agius failed to hold on to a corner and from the loose ball Antoine Sacco hit his shot over the crossbar from close range.
Lija opened the score on 13 minutes with a cracking goal.
Erjon Beu picked up a ball from the left flank and from a very acute angle he curled his shot into the roof of the net leaving Agius helpless. This was the Albanian’s sixth goal of the season.
Lija continued to dictate matters without, however, setting houses on fire.
Then, midway through the first half, Gżira threatened twice in the space of a minute, first courtesy of Alfred Effiong whose drive crossed the Lija goaline without any player to conclude. Soon after, Caio Suguino Garcia tried his luck from outside the area with the ball finishing just wide.
At the other end, Sacco brought the best out of Agius when his shot was saved by the keeper.
Gzira drew level early in the second half. Nico Corito was fed by Karl Saliba in the opponents’ box and shot home despite the tight marking of the Lija defence.
Lija had an opportunity to regain the lead a few minutes later but Beu’s header hit the crossbar.
Gżira responded on 61 minutes when Pierre Grima won a loose ball after Luke Bonnici punched away a corner, and the Gzira substitute hit a grounder which finished wide.
The Maroons again went close when following some neat touches Dino Cachia and Corito had their efforts blocked by the Lija rearguard.
With both sides now trying to win the game, it was Lija on 73 minutes who could have scored but Agius effected a fine save off Ricardo Severino Goncalves after a good one-two with Abdullahi Adeshina Ige.
The Gżira keeper saved the day for his side late on when he stretched fully to tip away for a corner an Ige drive destined to reach the back of the net.
Lija: L. Bonnici, C. Giordmaina, M. Fleri Soler, D. Scerri, E. Beu, E. Briffa (T. Fleri Soler), B. Fenech, A. Scicluna, B. Antignolo, A. Ige, A. Sacco (R. Goncalves).
Gżira: S. Agius, K. Saliba, H. Gatt Bonello (P. Grima), A. White, J. Chetcuti, J. Hussej, C. Suguino Garcia, D. Cachia, N. Corito (S. Shead), A. Effiong, S. Meilaq (Y. Tonna).
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Man of the match: Simon Agius (Gżira United).
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| St Andrew’s | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 15 |
| Lija Athletic | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 14 |
| Naxxar Lions | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 14 |
| Marsaxlokk | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 13 |
| Pietà | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 11 |
| Gudja United | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Vittoriosa Stars | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 10 |
| Żejtun Cor. | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Gżira United | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 6 |
| Birzebbuga | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 3 |
| Dingli | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 3 |
| Mqabba | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 2 |