Żebbuġ Rangers 0
Gżira United 0

After a difficult start to the current season, Żebbuġ Rangers’ performances in the championship seem to be getting better and better.

On Monday evening, they did well to hold league leaders Gżira United to a goalless draw even though it must be mentioned that Rangers enjoyed numerical superiority for almost an hour following a red card to Jimmy Martin Hussey.

The encounter saw very little goalmouth action, with both sides very cautious not to concede a goal.

To their credit, Żebbuġ did venture forward occasionally, yet the strong winds that blew at the Centenary Stadium on Monday were of no assistance to both teams’ cause.

Gżira were unable to lift their game and this was a poor showing judging by their own standards, especially when compared to their recent performances where they dictated play for most of the time.

The Maroons seemed at toils to pierce their opponents’ defensive lines and only managed to construct isolated counter-attacks and they received a blow on 35 minutes when Hussey was sent off for retaliating.

The only action worthy of note in the first half came Żebbuġ’s way in the 40th minute, when D’Ago-stino’s shot from outside the area skimmed the woodwork.

As expected, Żebbuġ, who gave a debut to goalkeeper Reuben Debono, produced an even better performance in the second half.

On 65 minutes, Rangers protested for a penalty when Spiteri’s shot seemed to catch a defender’s arm inside the area, yet the referee waved play on.

The next scoring opportunity of the second half came ten minutes from time, when Pereira da Mata’s shot from the distance was saved in style by goalkeeper Simon Agius.

Gżira, who had not lost a point from their last five outings before Monday, still managed to consolidate their lead at the top of the standings and now they are five points better off than Gudja who were beaten by Għargħur 4-2 in another championship match last weekend.

Żebbuġ: R. Debono, M. Brincat, G. Mallia, D. Caruana, J. Mercieca, M. Farrugia (A. Agius), R. Spiteri, J. Alegbe, S. Pereira da Mata, M. Tirchett (J. Agius), D. D’Agostino (D. Agius).

Gżira: S. Agius, R. Deguara, S. Pace, A. White, A. Galea, R. G. Goncalves Alhinho, J. M. Hussey, K. Saliba, A. Ewurun, S. Shead (M. Cocks), Y. Tonna.

Referee: Stefan Pace.

Red card: Hussey (G) 36.

Summaries

Żurrieq 1
Mellieħa 1

Żurrieq: J. Alden, D. Bonnici, J. Lia, K. Sacco, A. Barbara, M. Gauci, Z. Vukovic, J. Briffa, N. Abdilla (S. Azzopardi), A. Portelli (C. Shumba), A. Camilleri.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, M. Vella, D. Cauchi, W. Buttigieg (B. Bartolo), W. Borg (J. Vella), K. Gauci, K. Fenech, R. Perkins, M. Calleja, W. Borg St John (G. Magri), T. Loquete.

Referee: Luke Portelli.

Scorers: Briffa 82 (Ż); Magri 90 (M).

Attard 2
San Ġwann 2

Attard: R. Ubberden, O. Tabone, D. Agius, A. Agius, D. Gauci, A. Lanzon, D. Galea, K. Zahra, M. Sanssialtlesi (J. Tashi), C. Farrugia (N. Spiteri), R. Pilipov (D. Traykov).

San Ġwann: C. Carbonaro, K. Vella, D. Cosaitis, M. Francica, M. Mercieca, P. Xuereb, C. Cuschieri (C. Pace), R. Zammit (A. Zahra), J. Borg, C. Cacciatolo, S. Vella (R. Attard).

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Scorers: Francica 33; Cuschieri 69 (SĠ); Agius 42, Zahra 62 (A).

Għargħur 4
Gudja United 2

Għargħur: D. Zarb, R. Debattista, R. Mifsud, H. Gatt Bonello, L. Stivala, K. Azzopardi, D. Mamo (C. Farrugia), S. Iliev, T. Grozev, J. Guno Dhanai (B. Perry Acton), I. Curmi (J. Debattista).

Gudja: M. Xerxen, J. Mallia (C. Galea), E. Vella, M. Milutinovic, J. Tonna, W. Camenzuli, K. Bonello (E. Gauci), D. Agius (C. Grech), E. Bugeja, P. Sammut, T. Thomas.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Scorers: Iliev 16 pen, 29 pen, 57 pen, 61 (GĦ), Camenzuli 35 pen, Milutinovic 75 (GU).

Msida St Joseph 5
Senglea Athletics 0

Senglea: B. Bartolo, B. Zerafa, R. Tanti, J. Abela, S. Calleja, T. Thomas, D. Grech, R. Micallef (R. Rababah), G. Brincat (C. Caruana), J.R. Emeka, J. Buttigieg.

Msida: J. Mallia, L. Cassar, R. Zammit (A. Rizzo Naudi), M. Clarke, O. Zammit, P. Sakchai, R. Xuereb, M. Caruana, M. Pisani (D. Attard), F. De Andrade, M. Curtis (M. Crupi).

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Scorers: De Andrade 28; Curtis 44, 62; Xuereb 80, Crupi 90.

Siġġiewi 2
Kirkop United 3

Siġġiewi: J. Vella, I. Darmanin, S. Delia, E. Vella, D. Vella, M. Camilleri, E. Ciappara (K. Buhagiar), B. Galea, R. Farrugia, J. Camilleri, J. Vassallo.

Kirkop: C. Francica, C. Farrugia (J.C. Vella), L. Cumbo, A. Busuttil, P.P. Cassar, B. Falzon, I. Stankovic, R. Spina, R. Kerekov, M. Pisani, N. Tabone.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Scorers: D. Vella 9, Farrugia 54 (S); Cumbo 28, 79; Kerekov 63 (K).

Sta Venera Lightnings 2
Luqa St Andrew’s 1

Sta Venera: W. Cuschieri, S. Farrugia, J. Onouha, M. Muscat, E. Muscat, A. Hili, M. Grech (J. Taliana), K. Cilia (D. Wingfield), R. Carbonaro, R. Borg, D. Mercieca (D. Calleja).

Luqa SA: P. Psaila, S. Costa Brazilino, A. Psaila, J. Good, A. Abdilla, C. Caruana, F. Cauchi, G. Frendo (M. Ciantar), L. Baldacchino, D. Agius, L. Vella.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Scorers: Baldacchino 22 (L); Carbonaro 27, Farrugia 71 (SV).

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Gżira United	12	9	3	0	25	3	30
Gudja United	12	7	4	1	25	8	25
Mellieħa	12	7	3	2	27	14	24
Żebbuġ	12	5	5	2	18	12	20
Għargħur	12	5	4	3	19	17	19
San Ġwann	12	4	6	2	16	13	18
Kirkop United	12	5	1	6	17	24	16
Siġġiewi	12	3	4	5	10	19	13
Żurrieq	12	4	1	7	10	18	13
Sta Venera	12	4	1	7	11	21	13
Luqa SA	12	3	3	6	17	21	12
Attard	12	3	3	6	12	22	12
Msida SJ	12	4	0	8	18	16	12
Senglea	12	2	0	10	12	29	6