Mellieħa 0
Gżira United 0

This game did not live up to expectations as front-runners Gżira United and promotion hopefuls Mellieħa took a point each after a drab 0-0 draw at the Luxol Ground.

Mellieħa had two points deducted by the MFA Control and Disciplinary Board last week but they still retained second place all by themselves following Gudja United’s upset to San Ġwann in another match on Saturday.

The Northerners showed better qualities against Gżira but were unable to find a way through.

They were also unlucky at times as the Maroons looked happy on the day to soak up the pressure and operate on the counter-break.

The first action of the match came on seven minutes when a menacing Mark Vella shot for the Yellows was turned to a corner by goalkeeper Simon Agius.

Gżira took several minutes to test James Abela in the Mellieħa goal. Their first attempt came around the half-hour mark when a loose ball fell into Anthony Ewurum’s feet but his lob finished off target.

Mellieħa appealed for a penalty soon after the restart when from a Keith Fenech centre, the ball looked to have touched Galea’s hands but referee Luke Portelli saw nothing untoward.

Agius did well to keep his net intact on a couple of occasions but he had his lucky stars to thank on one other instant when a shot from young Kyle Simiana hit the crossbar.

Late on, the woodwork again came to Gżira’s rescue, this time following an effort from Giovann Galea, as Gżira held tight to preserve their reassuring 10-point lead at the top of the league standings.

Mellieħa: J. Abela, M. Vella, L. Cauchi, D. Cauchi, P. Taylor, W. Borg, K. Fenech, R. Perkins (G. Magri), M. Vella (K. Gauci), G. Galea, K. Simiana (B. Bartolo).

Gżira: S. Agius, S. Pace, A. White, Y. Tonna (M. Cocks), K. Saliba, T. Micallef, R. Alinho, S. Shead, J. Hussey (L. Borges), A. Galea, A. Ewurum.

Referee: Luke Portelli.

Summaries

Gudja United 1
San Ġwann 2

Gudja: M. Xerxen, A. Gjepali, E. Vella, M. Milutinovic, W. Camenzuli, K. Bonello, E. Gauci, D. Agius (T.J. Thomas), E. Bugeja, P.P. Sammut, T. Thomas (A. Guazzo).

San Ġwann: D. Nagy, M. Axiaq (G. Agius), M. Mercieca, J. Xavier Lopes, M. Francica, A. Borg, P. Xuereb, R. Zammit, C. Cacciatolo, C. Cuschieri (C. Pace), S. Vella (R. Attard).

Referee: Paul Apap.

Scorers: Bonello 71 (G); Mercieca 72 (SĠ), Pace 78 (SĠ).

Kirkop 2
Attard 0

Kirkop: C. Caruana, M. Pisani, J. Attard, A. Busuttil, P.P. Cassar, S. Petrov, I. Stankovic, B. Falzon, B. Bugeja (R. Spina), R. Kerekov, J. Gerada.

Attard: W. Galea, O. Tabone, C. Lanzon, D. Gauci, C. Farrugia, A. Agius, J. Gauci (J.C. Cachia), R. Filipov, A. Lanzon (N. Spiteri), D. Traykov, S. Agius (K. Zahra).

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Scorers: Pisani 65, Attard 68.

Żurrieq 2
Luqa 1

Żurrieq: J. Alden, D. Bonnici, J. Lia, D. Stojanovic, K. Sacco, V. Micallef (C. Schumba), J. Briffa, N. Abdilla, M. Genuis (C. Schembri), S. Azzopardi (N. Zammit), Z. Vukovic.

Luqa: M. Camilleri, A. Psaila, A. Abdilla, J. Fenech (G. Frendo), L. Vella, R. Debattista, P. Psaila, S. Costa Brazilino, J. Good, G. Failla, M. Ciantar (C. Caruana).

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Scorers: Vukovic 43, Abdilla 51 (Ż); Frendo 90 (L).

Standings