Gudja 1
Naxxar 4

Naxxar Lions were back to winning ways after hitting four goals past Gudja United to maintain their promotion charge.

Winston Muscat’s side dominated the match from start to finish and fully deserved the three points that lift them to third in the standings on 35 points, four adrift of leaders Pietà and one behind second-placed Vittoriosa Stars and Lija Athletic.

Naxxar almost scored after three minutes but Angus Buhagiar’s shot was cleared off the line by Ranier Buhagiar.

The Lions took the lead on 15 minutes when Anderson Ribeiro headed home from a Pablo Doffo free-kick.

Gudja pulled level against the run of play on 27 minutes when Julian Azzopardi failed to hold onto the ball and in came George Chircop who hit into an empty net.

But the Lions soon regrouped and three minutes later, in a swift break, Andre Rocha Da Silva was put through and beat Matthew Xerxen with a low drive.

Naxxar added a third goal on 52 minutes. Ribeiro was at the right place and at the right time to slot home after a Buhagiar delivery.

On 57 minutes a Doffo cross-shot decieved Xerxen with the ball hitting the crossbar.

Here, Naxxar seemed to ease off but they still managed to add a fourth goal.

The clock marked 76 minutes when substitute Anthony Ewurun found Darren Falzon unmarked in the Gudja area and the latter rifled the ball home with a low drive.

Gudja: M. Xerxen, R. Buhagiar, A. Abela, J. Tonna, E. Vella, N. Alnoudji (G. Buttigieg), G. Chircop, K. Bonello (C. Anton), E. Bugeja, J.L. Ekoho (P.P. Sammut), J.S. Mbita.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, L. Micallef, J. Vella, K. Drago (G. Camilleri), S. Eboh, P. Doffo, V. Bellia, A. Buhagiar (M. Briffa), A. Rocha Da Silva, D. Falzon, A. Ribeiro (A. Ewurun).

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.

Man of the match: Angus Buhagiar (Naxxar Lions).

Lija 3
Żejtun 0

Lija Athletic kept up their promotion push after easily disposing off Żejtun Corinthians in a one side game.

No doubt, the first-half dismissal of Żejtun’s Diego Cucciardi was a decisive factor as with a player more Lija cantered to a comfortable win that lifts them level with Vittoriosa Stars, just one point adrift of leaders Pietà Hotspurs.

Lija soon threatened with Amadeo Mercieca seeing his first effort finishing just over and Leontiev Konda was denied by Jurgen Borg.

The game changed its course on 28 minutes when Cucciardi was shown a red card.

Lija quickly profited from their numerical advantage as four minutes later Erjon Beun dribbled past a defender and from an acute angle fired a shot into the roof of the net.

On resumption Lija tried to put the game to bed and on 65 minutes Beu moved past two defenders but his fierce drive was saved by Borg.

This was the prelude of the second goal that came two minutes later when Konda headed home an Evano Briffa cross.

Ten minutes from time, the woodwork denied Lija a third goal when substitute Beppe Antignolo saw his low drive come off the post.

Lija sealed the points three minutes from time when in a quick break Beu drove the ball home from close in.

Lija: L. Bonnici, C. Giordemaina, M. Fleri Soler, D. Scerri, E. Beu (E. Borg), D. Vukovic, L. Konda, E. Briffa, A. Scicluna, A. Mercieca (A. Sacco), A. Ige (B. Antignolo).

Żejtun: J. Borg, E. Azzopardi, C. Magro, A. Farrugia, M. Pisani, Z. Vukovic, J. Spiteri (K. Zahra), K. Abela, D. Cucciardi, K. Vassallo, O. Majtara (M. Scicluna).

Referee: Stefan Pace.

Man of the match: Erjon Beu (Lija).

  P W D L F A Pts
Pietà Hotspurs 19 12 3 4 40 18 39
Vittoriosa 19 11 5 3 31 23 38
Lija Athletic 19 12 2 5 36 26 38
Naxxar Lions 19 11 4 4 40 20 37
St Andrew’s 18 9 3 6 34 27 30
Marsaxlokk 18 8 5 5 31 28 29
Gudja United 19 7 5 7 30 28 26
Żejtun Cor. 19 5 6 8 17 26 21
Gżira United 19 4 7 8 22 26 19
Birżebbuġa 18 3 4 11 23 40 13
Dingli 18 3 3 12 14 39 12
Mqabba 19 1 5 13 22 39 8

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