GŻIRA UNITED             4

Garba 31, 62

Cohen 49; Samb 60

SENGLEA ATHLETIC      1

Sammut 52

Two well-taken goals by Haruna Garba propelled Gżira United to a comfortable victory over Senglea Athletic.

The win lifted Gżira to third place, one point clear of Birkirkara, while on the other hand Senglea remained ninth on 23 points.

As expected it was Gżira who made the early running and they were unlucky not to take the lead after four minutes. Garba controlled the ball on the edge of the area and despite losing his footing he hit a firm drive that came off the bar.

The Maroons kept up the pressure and on 12 minutes Samb dribbled his way past Ian Azzopardi and his low shot was kept out by Matthew Farrugia.

The woodwork denied Gżira a second time on 28 minutes when Samb rose above his marker to connect with Andrew Cohen’s delivery from a corner but his header came off the bar.

But the Maroons’ persistence was rewarded three minutes later, and what a goal it was.

Garba turned past his marker and let fly a thunderous drive from 35 metres out that flew past a helpess Farrugia and into the roof of the net.

Senglea finally threatened on 42 minutes when Ivan Paz picked Sergio Uyi at the far post but his downward header just missed the target.

Four minutes into the second half, Gżira doubled their lead.

Garba nodded the ball into the path of Cohen who hit a low shot past Farrugia.

On 51 minutes, Paz almost pulled a goal back for Senglea when his inswinger was somehow pushed over by Anthony Curmi, the Gżira goalkeeper.

But from the ensuing corner, taken by Paz, the Gżira defence failed to clear the ball and in came Peter Sammut to head into the net.

The Maroons produced the right response to that goal as on the hour Cohen crossed the ball towards Samb who anticipated Farrugia to head into the net.

There were more misery for the Cottonera side as two minutes later Garba picked up a short clearance and curled the ball into the far net.

BOV Player of the match Haruna Garba (Gżira United).