Żurrieq 0
Melita 1

A second-half penalty goal scored by George Gribbon saw Melita back to winning ways to continue with their push for promotion.

The game only came to life midway through the second half as the first hour of play was a real drab.

In fact, the opening half was bare of any opportunities with Żurrieq’s Ogunnupe creating the only chance but Melita keeper Schranz rushed out of goal to avoid danger.

As the second half got underway Ogunnupe found Agbeobina who tried his luck from an acute angle, with Schranz well placed to block.

On the hour Ogunnupe drove the ball just over the bar and a minute later a melee inside the Żurrieq box finished with Jean Attard missing a sitter from a good position.

Melita went close on 62 minutes when an Alinho free-kick hit the post with keeper Jeremy Alden beaten.

The Amateurs started to play better and pushed forward in search of a goal. Żurrieq suffered a setback on 68 minutes when defender Ema-nuel Sevasta was dismissed for a second booking.

Eighteen minutes from time Melita’s Jean Attard was brought down inside the box and up stepped Gribbon to hit home from the penalty spot.

Żurrieq were a spent force and Melita twice went close to doubling their lead but Julian Galea missed a good chance and Attard blasted his shot just wide.

Żurrieq: J. Alden, J. Ogunnupe (S. Azzopardi), O. Agbeobina, R. Bakare, E. Sevasta, M. Borda, K. Sacco, M. Attard, A. Agius (J. Okonkwo), M. Schembri (M. Mifsud), G. Ghigo.

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

Referee: Etienne Mangion.

Player of the match: Jean Attard (Melita).

Mqabba 2
Msida St Joseph 1

Msida’s fate is practically sealed as the Saints seem to have lost their battle against the drop following this upset to Mqabba, their eighth defeat on the trot.

Mqabba are going through a very good patch lately but they had to wait until the very last minutes to break Msida’s resistance and secure the victory.

Both teams had penalty claims turned down early on in this match before Msida keeper Matthew Camilleri did well to stop a Stephane Guy Tape free-kick.

Mqabba were dictating matters and had a good opportunity on 29 minutes when Guedes de Freitas tried to beat Camilleri with a lob but the veteran keeper was well placed to avoid danger.

With Riccardo Faria coming in for Steve Schembri, Msida im-proved considerably and the Saints forged ahead three minutes before the break.

From a Faria cross, Cini failed to hold and Brandon Grech, in an attempt to clear, headed the ball inside his own net.

But Mqabba drew level in added time when Guy Tape hit a superb scorcher from the edge of the Msida box.

On resumption Mqabba’s Mauro Bonnici was denied by the upright but the game was evenly balanced with very few goalmouth actions.

A Guy Tape grounder was stopped by Camilleri and Msida substitute Helder Souza saw his effort going just wide.

When the game looked set for a draw, De Freitas found space to hit in from a Claudio Calleja cross.

Mqabba: S. Cini, M. Bonnici, R. Gomes, M.A. Psaila, S. Guy Tape, G. Guedes de Freitas (M. Abdilla), K. Cutajar, D. Bonnici (C. Calleja), R. Schembri, B. Grech, A. Cassar (O. Farrugia).

Msida: M. Camilleri, S. Vella, D. Cachia, L. Cassar, S. Schembri (R. Faria), G. Vella, K. Borg, I. Chircop (F. Zammit), L.J. Agius, Z. Vukovic (H. Souza), U. Anyanwu.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Player of the match: Guedes de Freitas (Mqabba).

Standings