Gżira United 3
San Ġwann 1

League leaders Gżira United continued their impressive march at the top of the standings after easily disposing of San Ġwann’s feeble resistance.

Without setting any houses on fire, Gżira were good enough to clinch all points with striker Simon Shead scoring a brace in the first half. Valdo Alinho and Anthony Ewurun were not at their best but captain Jimmy Hussey and Ryan Deguara had a very good performance for the Maroons.

The Saints disappointed as they rarely tested Simon Agius in the Gżira goal. Michael Molzahn’s boys lacked vision and were practically non-existent in attack.

Their goal came late in the match to worry the Maroons.

Gżira set the pace in the opening minutes and could have taken the lead when Shead beat goalkeeper Carbonaro but the ball hit the upright. From the rebound, Ewurun blasted wide with an open goal at his mercy.

San Ġwann were caught napping on 20 minutes. A long pass from the Gżira defence saw Shead nipping in to slot the ball past the Saints keeper for his side’s opener.

The Saints’ reaction was rather weak with their only attempt coming from a Cacciatolo free-kick that went well off range. Cacciatolo had another effort at the Gżira goal on 38 minutes but found Agius on the right spot to save.

This was San Ġwann’s best patch but Gżira doubled their lead five minutes from the break.

A Hussey grounder hit the base of the upright and from the rebound, Shead was again on hand to fire home from close in.

The scenario did not change much in the second half with the Maroons administering their two-goal lead with relative ease.

Gżira had efforts from Shead and Deguara going off target as the Saints relied on speculative shots from the distance.

Midway through the second half, Gżira put the issue beyond doubt when Deguara scored a great goal after leaving the entire Saints’ defence in his wake.

In stoppage time, San Ġwann substitute Richard Attard hit the side-netting and James Borg, another substitute, scored a consolation goal, beating Agius from close range.

Gżira: S. Agius, T. Micallef, S. Shead (N. Zahra), R. Alinho, J. Hussey, A. White, R. Deguara, A. Ewurun (J. Azopardi), K. Cassar, S. Pace, K. Saliba (Y. Tonna).

San Ġwann: C. Carbonaro, K. Vella, D. Cosaitis, M. Francica, G. Agius (M. Asciaq), C. Cuschieri (R. Attard), A. Borg, R. Zammit, R. Sell, C. Pace, C. Cacciatolo (J. Borg).

Referee: Mario Apap.

Summaries

Gudja United 1
Senglea Athletic 2

Gudja: M. Xerxen, E. Bugeja, E. Vella (C. Grech), M. Milutinovic, G. Cutajar, A. Gjepali,W. Camenzuli, K. Bonello (E. Gauci), A. Guazzo (C. Galea), P.P. Sammut, T.J. Thomas.

Senglea: B. Bartolo, C. Borg (M. Ciappara), R. Tanti, T. Thomas, D. Xuereb, A. Sciortino, D. Grech, G. Brincat (C. Dimech), R. Degorgio (K. Zammit), R. Emeka, P. Camilleri.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Scorers: Grech 25 (S), Thomas 64 (G), Emeka 76 (S).

Mellieħa 1
Msida St Joseph 0

Mellieħa: J. Abela, M. Vella, P. Taylor, L. Cauchi, R. Perkins, W. Borg, K. Fenech, M. Vella (G. Magri), W. Borg St John (D. Cauchi), G. Galea, T. Loquete.

Msida: J. Mallia, M. Borda, R. Zammit (J. Paiva), L. Cassar, M. Clarke, D. Attard, M. Crupi , R. Xuereb, M. Caruana, P. Sakchai (M. Pisani), F. De Andrade.

Referee: Luke Portelli

Scorer: Galea 37.

Red card: Clarke 89 (MSD).

Kirkop 1
Żurrieq 1

Kirkop: C. Francica, B. Falzon, A. Busuttil, M. Pisani, S. Petrov, I. Stankovic, N. Tabone, B. Bugeja (J. Gerada), R. Kerekov, M. Aquilina, B. Farrugia.

Żurrieq: J. Alden, K. Sacco, V. Micallef, A. Barbara, J. Lia (C. Schembri), M. Genius, Z. Vukovic, D. Stojanovic (S. Azzopardi), A. Portelli (D. Bonnici), J. Briffa, A. Camilleri.

Referee: Jude Amin Utulu.

Scorers: Kerekov 54 (K), Sacco 70 (Ż).

Sta Venera 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 3

Sta Venera: W. Cuschieri, S. Farrugia, M. Muscat, J. Onohua, E. Muscat, G. Micallef, D. Calleja, R. Carbonaro (M. Grech), A. Hili (C. Harris), R. Borg, D. Wingfield (D. Mercieca).

Żebbuġ: J. Mercieca, D. Caruana, D. Agius, M. Brincat, J. Alegbe, M. Farrugia, R. Spiteri, A. Agius (C. Sammut), S. Pereira da Mata, U. Anyanwu, M. Tirchett (D. D’Agostino).

Referee: Ken Trastiv Farrugia.

Scorers: Spiteri 8, Farrugia 65, Sammut 90 (Ż); E. Muscat 49 (SV).

Red card: Cuschieri 90+4 (SV).

Div. Two standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Gżira United	16	13	3	0	35	4	42
Mellieħa	15	9	4	2	38	19	31
Gudja United	15	9	4	2	29	10	31
Għargħur	15	7	4	4	32	22	25
San Ġwann	16	6	7	3	26	18	25
Żebbuġ	15	6	6	3	25	18	24
Kirkop United	15	6	1	8	22	32	19
Siġġiewi	15	5	4	6	16	26	19
Sta Venera	15	5	2	8	14	28	17
Msida SJ	15	5	1	9	22	18	16
Attard	15	4	3	8	14	29	15
Żurrieq	15	4	2	9	13	23	14
Luqa SA	15	3	3	9	19	32	12
Senglea	15	2	0	13	13	39	6