Fgura United 4
Gżira United 3

John Roland Emeka scored a hat-trick as Fgura United edged Gżira United in a seven-goal thriller.

With this win, Fgura have moved out of the bottom part of the standings, just a point behind the Maroons who suffered their second consecutive defeat.

It was Fgura who forged ahead in the 18th minute and what a goal it was. Jonathan Bugeja’s dipping shot from around 30 metres out flew above goalkeeper Anthony Curmi and into the net.

The Maroons did stage a reaction and on 27 minutes, a Ryan Dalli effort ended just wide.

Five minutes later, Fgura had an opportunity of their own as Abdul Mendy Razak’s free-kick just missed the target.

Gżira were unlucky when Jean Paul Scerri’s header from Dalli’s cross was cleared off the line.

A minute before the break, Fgura doubled their lead. Running on to Iro Curmi’s through-pass, Emeka sped through the Gżira defence before slotting the ball home.

On the stroke of half-time, Fgura again punished the Maroons on the counter. This time it was Philip Chircop who sent Emeke clear and he scored from close distance.

Three goals down, Gżira started the second half strongly and narrowed the deficit when the unmarked Yanis Tonna headed home from Dejan Vukovic’s cross.

But five minutes later, Fgura restored their three-goal lead thanks to Emeka who again left the Gżira defenders in his wake before shooting past the goalkeeper.

The game looked as good as over but on 62 minutes, Gżira were awarded a penalty after Anthony Ewurum was floored by Bugeja.

Tonna made no mistake from the spot.

Gżira pushed more men forward and Steve Meilak’s close-range effort was saved by Ryan Marmara. It was all Gżira now but Fgura almost scored their fifth goal 15 minutes from time.

The speedy Emeka again beat the offside trap to reach Andre Farrugia’s through-ball but his lob finished over the bar.

Two minutes from time, Marmara misjudged a cross and Ewurum was on hand to fire home and revive Gżira’s hopes.

Deep into stoppage time Fgura launched another counter-attack as Abeeb Williams, who had come on for Emeka, appeared to have been pushed by stand-in keeper Leighton Mifsud.

No foul was given as the referee booked Williams instead.

Fgura: R. Marmara, Q. Bregman, R. Previ, J. Ruiz Perez, A. Galea, J. Bu-geja, A. Mendi, I. Curmi (D. Attard), A. Farrugia, P. Chircop, J. Emeka (A. Williams).

Gżira: A. Curmi (L. Mifsud), D. Scerri, D. Vukovic, S. Meilak, A. Ewurum, J.P. Scerri (S. Marin), M. Avila Perez, G. Aquilina (G. Calabretta), J. Mifsud, R. Dalli, Y. Tonna.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Man of the match: John Emeka (Fgura United).

St George’s 3
Gudja United 2

Gudja United suffered their first defeat of the season as St George’s beat them 3-2 to stop them from leapfrogging Melita at the top of the standings.

Gabriel Okechukwu’s hat-trick and two substitutions late on tipped the balance in favour of the Saints.

St George’s opened the scoring on 19 minutes when Rennie Tanti’s effort was half-parried by keeper Matthew Xerxen and Okechukwu was on hand to tap the loose ball home.

Gudja hit back and equalised on 27 minutes through a Mauro Brincat shot that gave Thomas Galea no chance.

Not much happened until the break but on resumption Saints substitute Ita Francis saw his effort from the distance finish wide.

George Chircop was close to putting Gudja ahead at the other end but his shot flew out of range.

On 57 minutes, Udo Nwoko’s header hit the post, the ball again rolled into his path and he fired home from close in to put Gudja 2-1 in front.

Controversy overshadowed the Saints’ equaliser, scored by Okechukwu 10 minutes later.

The assistant referee flagged for offside but referee Mario Apap deemed that the goal was valid, triggering harsh protests from the Gudja players.

When play resumed, Anthony Bonello drove wide from a good position as the Saints grew in stature.

Francis hit badly with only the goalkeeper to beat but four minutes from time Patrick Curmi’s side scored the winner thanks to Okechukwu who was put through by substitute Thomas Caruana.

St George’s: T. Galea, G. Oke-chukwu, D. Camilleri, B. Muscat, Larson Mallia (T. Caruana), M. Tanti (Liam Mallia), W. Ifeunyi (I. Francis), R. Tanti, A. Bonello, N. Ojuola, E. Amaira.

Gudja: M. Xerxen, G. Sammut (M. Pepe), R. Cauchi (C. Farrugia), R. Buhagiar, C. Giordimaina, E. Micheletti Awoh, M. Brincat, A. Carabott, G. Chircop, U. Nwoko, A. Catania.

Referee: Mario Apap.

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

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Melita	7	5	0	2	12	8	15
Gudja Utd	7	4	2	1	19	7	14
St Andrew’s	7	4	1	2	17	15	13
Lija Athletic	7	4	0	3	13	7	12
Mqabba	7	4	0	3	14	11	12
Pembroke	7	3	2	2	15	7	11
Vittoriosa	7	3	2	2	11	7	11
Gżira Utd	7	3	1	3	12	13	10
Fgura Utd	7	2	3	2	8	9	9
Żurrieq	7	3	0	4	10	12	9
St George’s	7	3	0	4	10	13	9
Rabat Ajax	7	2	2	3	5	10	8
Msida SJ	7	2	0	5	6	19	6
Birżebbuġa	7	0	1	6	7	21	1