St Andrew’s 2
Gżira United 1

St Andrew’s are the sole leaders of Division One after beating fellow promotion chasers Gżira United, their winning goal coming late on through Kyrian Nwoko.

The Saints are now two points clear of second-placed Pembroke who only managed a one-all draw against Mqabba yesterday.

Gżira had John Nwoba suspended while Trayo Grozev was missing from the Saints side after he suffered an injury during training.

Player-coach Brian Said also had Nicholas Bradshaw starting the match ahead of regular Matthew Guillaumier.

After five minutes, Gżira’s Eduardo Ndjodo’s header, from Steve Meilak’s cross, was cleared off the line by Said with keeper Jake Galea beaten.

The Saints responded with a Matteo Desira Buttigieg shot that was inches wide. They nosed ahead on 12 minutes through defender Michael Johnson who slotted the ball home following a melee.

Gżira replied on 36 minutes when Moises Avila-Perez drove the ball just wide after being put through by Gabriel Aquilina.

A minute later, Emiliano Lattes and Nwoko combined perfectly but the former shot straight at keeper Anthony Curmi in the Gżira goal.

In first-half added time, the Maroons drew level when Jeremiah Ani beat the offside trap before burying the ball home.

The second half was rather dull but Gżira looked a shade better.

On 64 minutes, Avila-Perez’s header, from a corner, was saved by Galea. Two minutes later, Yanis Tonna hit the Saints crossbar with a fierce shot from outside the box.

Five minutes from time, the Saints scored the winner when Jacob Walker dribbled past two defenders before releasing Nwoko whose powerful shot beat the keeper hands down.

St Andrew’s: J. Galea, N. Vella Petroni (J. Walker), M. Sehitaj, B. Said, M. Johnson, D. Camilleri, N. Bradshaw (M. Guillaumier), J. Farrugia, M. Desira Buttigieg (G. Murakami), K. Nwoko, E. Lattes.

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

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Man of the match: Kyrian Nwoko (St Andrew’s).

Summaries

Pembroke Athleta 1
Mqabba 1

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

Mqabba: S. Cini, M. Bonnici (A. Cassar), O. Farrugia, M.A. Psaila, S. Guy Tape, C. Calleja, J. Callus (M. Abdilla), R. Caruana (Z. Micallef), B. Grech, A. Cassar, R. Schembri.

Scorers: Bello-Osagie (PA) 66; Calleja (M) 90.

Referee: Martin Borg.

Man of the match: Siraj Arab (Pembroke).

Melita 1
Gudja United 2

Melita: P. Schranz, G. Gribbon, E. Cornago, R. Alinho (A. Eby), N. Micallef, F. Mennini Righini (I. Tufegdzic), M. Valenzia, J.P. Attard, J. Galea, A. Borg Olivier, K. Coleiro (K. Micallef).

Gudja: Y. Cini, I. Galea, R. Cauchi (A. Cutajar), R. Buhagiar, C. Farrugia, E. Micheletti Awoh, U. Nwoko, N. Ghio, P.P. Sammut, J. Dos Reis Santos (W. Moodle), A. Catania (P. Oladotun).

Scorers: Sammut (GU) 22; Coleiro (M) 41; Dos Reis Santos (GU) 86.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Man of the match: Peter Paul Sammut (Gudja United).

Fgura United 2
Rabat Ajax 1

Fgura United: B. Bartolo, Q. Bregman, R. Previ, J. Ruiz Perez, A. Galea, J. Bugeja, I. Curmi (J. Dalli), J. Farrugia, A. Farrugia (D. Attard), A. Williams (A. Razak Mendy), R. Emeka.

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, N. Caruana, L. Cauchi, J. Caruana, W. Borg, B. Micallef, L. Chiedozie, E. Scicluna, A. Azzopardi (N. Ciantar), D. Azzopardi, Z. Tanti.

Scorers: Curmi (F) 17; A. Azzopardi (R) 54; Previ (F) 82.

Referee: Etienne Mangion.

Man of the match: Ryan Previ (Fgura United).

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
St Andrew’s	21	13	3	5	42	28	42
Pembroke	21	12	4	5	41	19	40
Fgura Utd	21	10	9	2	29	21	39
Gżira Utd	21	11	3	7	36	25	36
Vittoriosa	21	10	5	6	38	33	35
Melita	21	11	2	8	28	23	35
Gudja Utd	21	9	7	5	36	23	34
St George’s	21	8	7	6	35	30	31
Lija Athletic	21	9	1	11	32	37	28
Mqabba	21	7	5	9	31	33	26
Rabat Ajax	21	6	4	11	22	33	22
Żurrieq	21	5	3	13	23	37	18
Msida SJ	21	4	2	15	21	43	14
Birżebbuġa	21	3	3	15	23	50	12