Gżira United 1
Fgura United 1

Gżira United and Fgura United took a point each in an entertaining encounter to keep alive their promotion hopes this season.

Despite having a man sent off with 25 minutes to go, Gżira United still managed to grab a point with a goal from veteran Jamie Pace to remain third in the standings on 36 points, level with Fgura who stretched their unbeaten run to 14 matches.

It was Fgura who drew first blood after nine minutes when Joseph Farrugia found Andre Farrugia whose effort from the edge of the area was partially saved by Anthony Curmi, the ball fell to Abdul Razak Mendy who blasted home.

Gżira reponded immediately and on 16 minutes Eduardo Njodo looked odds on to score following a Steve Meilak cross but his effort was cleared by Andreas Galea.

Three minutes later a Gabriel Aquilina effort from outside the area finished inches wide.

On the half hour Njodo beat the offside trap but the Cameroon striker shot weakly into the hands of Ryan Marmara. The Fgura keeper was again alert three minutes later to push away an Avila Perez drive.

On resumption Fgura held the initiative and on the hour a Ryan Previ shot from well outside the area finished wide.

On 65 minutes the Maroons suffered a severe setback when John Nwoba was shown a straight red card for retaliation.

On 77 minutes, Fgura almost made it 2-0 when John Emeka was put clear but was denied by Curmi. From the rebound, Josef Dalli hit the upright.

That turned out to be costly for Fgura as three minutes later Josef Mifsud released Pace who turned past his marker and hit the ball past Marmara.

Gżira: A. Curmi, N. Milovanovic, D. Scerri, S. Meilak, M. Avila Perez, J. Pace, G. Aquilina (J. Ani), J. Mifsud, J. Nwoba, E. Njodo, Y. Tonna (D. Vukovic).

Fgura: R. Marmara, R. Previ, J. M. Ruiz Perez, A. Galea, J. Bugeja, A. Mendy, J. Farrugia, A. Farrugia, P. Chircop, J. Dalli (Q. Bregman), J. Emeka (A. Williams).

Referee: Stefan Pace.

Man of the match: Ryan Previ (Fgura).

Summaries

Lija Athletic 3
Msida SJ 1

Lija: L. Bonnici, P. Babic, P. Borg, E. Beu, M. Clinch, R. Taliana (L. Casha), I. McCarthy (D. Mintoff), B. Antignolo, N. Spiteri, A. Ige, M. Borg (C. Frendo).

Msida: K. Rizzo, L. Cassar, G. Vella, S. Vella, K. Borg, D. Cachia, I. Chircop, R. Faria (U. Anyanwu), L. Agius, H. Souza, Z. Vukovic (N. Perreira Carvalho).

Referee: Matthew Degabriele.

Scorers: Beu (L) 16 pen; Vella (M) 30; Frendo (L) 69; Mintoff (L) 90.

Red card: G. Vella (M) 77.

Man of the match: Erjon Beu (Lija).

Birżebbuġa St Peter’s 1
Pembroke Athleta 4

Birżebbuġa SP: A. Boatto, S. Eboh, D. Grech, R. Micallef (A. Tabone), D. Cucciardi, K. Muscat (J. C. Cassar), L. Micallef, E. Luiz Bonati (L. Santoeimma), J. Briffa, J. Xerri, A. Ewurum.

Pembroke: A. Cassar, C. Mamo, O. Sidibe, G. Azzopardi (D. Sammut), A. Azzopardi, S. Chircop, A. Agius, L. Omerou, S. Arab (S. Magro), A. Bello-Osagie, R. Bajada.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Scorers: Bonati (B) 20; Azzopardi (P) 31; Bello-Osagie (P) 70, 73; Eboh (P) 86og.

Man of the match: A. Bello-Osagie (Pembroke).

Żurrieq 1
Vittoriosa Stars 2

Żurrieq: J. Alden, M. Attard, K. Magro, E. Sevasta, G. Ghigo, R. Bakare, D. Darmanin, M. Mifsud, D. Zammit (S. Azzopardi), J.J. Ogonuppe, O. Lucky Agboebina.

Vittoriosa: K. Magri, K. Scicluna, C. Compagnoli, L. Gauci, G. Calabretta (G. Sultana), M. Barbara, S. Grech, N. Lamire (F. Canavan), C. Spiteri, M. Camilleri, E. Henrique Guedes (F. Arriagada Mella).

Referee: Glenn Tonna.

Scorers: Ogonuppe (Ż) 19; Canavan (V) 81; Sultana (V) 88.

Red card: S. Grech (V) 82.

Man of the match: K. Scicluna (Vittoriosa Stars).

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Pembroke	20	12	3	5	40	18	39
St Andrew’s	20	12	3	5	40	27	39
Gżira Utd	20	11	3	6	35	23	36
Fgura Utd	20	9	9	2	27	20	36
Melita	20	11	2	7	27	21	35
Vittoriosa	20	9	5	6	34	32	32
Gudja Utd	20	8	7	5	34	22	31
St George’s	20	8	6	6	34	29	30
Lija Athletic	20	9	1	10	31	33	28
Mqabba	20	7	4	9	30	32	25
Rabat Ajax	20	6	4	10	21	31	22
Żurrieq	20	5	2	13	22	36	17
Msida SJ	20	4	2	14	20	42	14
Birżebbuġa	20	2	3	15	20	49	9