GŻIRA UNITED       4

Samb 66, 70 pen., 78 pen.

Okoye 90

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS        0

Gżira United produced a strong second half performance to ease past Ħamrun Spartans at the Centenary Stadium.

Amadou Samb was the architect behind the Maroons victory as the Senegales forward dismantled the Spartans defence, which had Cristian Zaccardo making his debut, with a quick-fire hat-trick to lift his team three points clear at the top of the Premier League standings.

Cristian Zaccardo made his debut for the Spartans. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The first half was bereft of scoring opportunities.

It was Ħamrun who created the first chance after four minutes when Terrence Agius controlled the ball on the edge of the area and in came Lydon Micallef who saw his rising shot finish over.

Gżira almost broke the stalemate on 22 minutes when from an Andrew Cohen corner-kick, Ħamrun goalkeeper Steve Sultana palmed the ball into the feet of Roderick Briffa whose low shot was cleared off the line by Lydon Micallef.

The match finally came to life on 66 minutes when Gżira took the lead. 

They were awarded a central free-kick and Cohen’s low delivery completely caught by surprise the Spartans defence by surprise and in came Samb who stabbed the ball home.

Things got worse for the Spartans when the referee judged that Samb was fouled in the area by Thiago Espindola.

From the spot, the Senegalese striker drilled the ball past Sultana.

The Spartans looked a demoralised lot and eight minutes later, Okoye stole possession on the edge of the area and fed Samb who was upended in the area by goalkeeper Sultana.

The former Floriana striker again stepped up for the spot-kick and this time he sent the Ħamrun keeper the wrong way to seal the points for the Premier League leaders.

Gżira sealed the points in stoppage time when Samuel Timmy Ogundare picked Okoye on the edge of the area and the Nigerian headed the ball past Vella.

Gżira striker Amadou Samb was voted as the BOV Player of the match.