Pembroke Athleta 1
Gudja United 0

Pembroke defender Ousmane Sidibe scored the goal that mattered as Pembroke beat fellow promotion hunters Gudja to go second in the table behind leaders St Andrew’s.

Pembroke had Ariel Laudisi sent off late on with the score still 0-0 but moments later Sidibe scored a dramatic winner to make this year’s race for the top positions even tighter.

Gudja started strongly, operating mainly from both flanks and testing their opponents’ defence with a series of crosses.

The first threat on goal came on 10 minutes when a Ryan Cauchi delivery bounced in front of Pembroke keeper Andrea Cassar but he was quick enough to palm the ball away for a corner.

Pembroke started coming more into the picture and Ayrton Azzo-pardi dribbled past two defenders but his inviting ball was intercepted by keeper Matthew Xerxen.

On the half hour Laudisi tried his luck from the distance with the ball finishing just wide. Before the break Lucky Omeruo had a goal disallowed and at the other end Gudja were unlucky not to open the score when a Mauro Brincat scorcher crashed against the crossbar.

Gudja were the more enterprising side in the second half but Cassar was always on the right spot to avert danger.

Pembroke looked struggling at times to cope with Gudja’s pace but on the hour Samir Arab almost broke the deadlock only to see his shot stopped in style by Xerxen.

Then, Laudisi dashed inside the Gudja box and served Omeruo who lost his balance and a good chance was wasted.

A Brincat free-kick sailed over the Pembroke goal and on 87 minutes Laudisi was shown a straight red for dissent.

Many thought the scoresheet would remain blank but deep into stoppage time Sidibe rose high to head home from an Azzopardi corner.

Pembroke: A. Cassar, C. Mamo, D. Sammut, O. Sidibe, A. Azzo-pardi (R. Caruana), A. Agius, A. Laudisi, G. Spiteri, L. Omeruo (D. Toure), S. Arab (T. Fenech), L. Micallef.

Gudja: M. Xerxen, G. Chircop, R. Cauchi, C. Giordemaina, E. Micheletti Awoh, M. Brincat, S. Fall (M. Groves), A. Carabott, P.P. Sammut (C. Farrugia), U. Nwoko, A. Catania.

Referee: Glenn Tonna.

Summaries

Fgura United 1
St George’s 1

Fgura: R. Marmara, Q. Bregman, R. Previ, J. Manuel Perez, J. Bugeja, A. Razak Mendy, I. Curmi (C. Vella), D. Attard (J. Farrugia), A. Farrugia, P. Chircop (J. Dalli), R. Emeka.

St George’s: C. Carbonaro, M. Tanti (W. Ifeanyi), B. Muscat (R. Vella), A. Bonello, L. Mallia, E. Sevasta, N. Ojuola, D. Zerafa, G. Okechukwu, E. Amaira, R. Tanti.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Scorers: Okechukwu (SG) 30, Dalli (F) 87.

Best player of the match: Gabriel Okechukwu (St George’s).

Lija Athletic 0
Gzira United 3

Lija: J. Spiteri, P. Babic, J. Francica, K. Vella, C. Frendo (D. Mintoff), M. Clinch, R. Taliana, I. McCarthy (A. Caruana), B. Antignolo, N. Spiteri (E. Beu), A. Ige.

Gzira: A. Curmi, S. Marin, D. Scerri, D. Vukovic, S. Meilak, A. Ewurum, G. Aquilina, J. Mifsud, E. Ndjodo (S. Giacani), R. Dalli (P. Dandolo), Y. Tonna (G. Calabretta).

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Scorers: Dalli 15, Ndjodo 44, Ewurum 72.

Red card: Francica (L) 50.

Best player of the match: Josef Mifsud (Gżira).

St Andrew’s 1
Zurrieq 0

St Andrew’s: J. Galea, D. Zampa, M. Sehitaj, B. Said, N. Bradshaw (N. Vella Petroni), D. Camilleri, M. Guillaumier, E. Lattes, T. Grozev, K. Nwoko (M. Desira Buttigieg), L. Busuttil (J. Walker).

Żurrieq: C. Caruana, A. Agius, S. Wellman, K. Magro, M. Attard, R. Bakare, S. Azzopardi (M. Schembri), D. Darmanin, D. Zammit, J. Ogunnupe, G. Ghigo.

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Scorer: Nwoko 70.

Best player of the match: Nicholas Bradshaw (St Andrew’s).

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
St Andrew’s	11	7	1	3	24	18	22
Pembroke	11	6	2	3	21	12	20
Gudja Utd	11	5	4	2	23	11	19
Vittoriosa	11	5	4	2	20	12	19
Melita	11	6	1	4	15	14	19
Lija Athletic	11	6	0	5	20	17	18
St George’s	11	5	2	4	20	17	17
Gżira Utd	11	5	1	5	16	16	16
Fgura Utd	11	3	6	2	12	12	15
Mqabba	11	4	2	5	19	18	14
Rabat Ajax	11	4	2	5	11	16	14
Żurrieq	11	3	1	7	12	20	10
Msida SJ	11	3	1	7	8	22	10
Birżebbuġa	11	0	3	8	13	29	3