Melita 1
Gżira United 4

Gżira returned to winning ways as a Raphael Kooh Sohna hat-trick inspired them to a convincing victory over Melita at the Centenary Stadium, yesterday.

Despite conceding an early goal, the league leaders soon regrouped and managed to score four goals without reply to open a four-point lead over nearest rivals Ħamrun Spartans, who face Vittoriosa tomorrow.

Melita profited from some poor defending from Gżira to take the lead.

Jean Pierre Attard pounced on a short back pass but he was brought down in the area by goalkeeper Anthony Curmi.

From the resultant penalty, Nicky Vella Petroni drilled the ball into the net.

But as the minutes passed, Gżira came more into the picture and on 32 minutes Kooh Sohna’s shot finished just wide.

Six minutes later Ian Zammit’s effort was parried away by goalkeeper Jean Claude Debattista.

The Maroons were level three minutes before the break when Debattista’s poor headed clearance fell onto the feet of Kooh Sohna who lobbed the ball home.

The Cameroon striker struck again on 54 minutes.

Kooh Sohna stormed into the area and his shot was somehow kept out by Debattista but from the rebound the Gżira forward made no mistake.

Kooh Sohna completed his hat-trick on 72 minutes when he dribbled past two defenders to slot home.

Zammit wrapped up the points for Gżira when he planted the ball past Debattista.

Gżira: A. Curmi, D. Scerri, M. Avila Perez (G. Muscat), R. Zome (B. Farrugia), A. White, J. Bondin, G. Aquilina, I. Zammit, L. Martinelli, Y. Tonna, R. Kooh Sohna (C. Montes Zuniga).

Melita: J.C. Debattista; A. Borg Olivier (I. Curmi), L. Bianco, L. Douglas, J.P. Attard, D. Cachia (G. Guihard), M. Fenech, J. Abela, G. Schranz, N. Vella Petroni, M. Cachia.

Referee: Matthew Degabriele.

Man of the match: Raphael Kooh Sohna (Gżira).