The Malta FA Disciplinary Commissioner came down hard on Gżira United striker Haruna Garba and two club officials following their involvement in a brawl at the end of Saturday’s Premier League match against Floriana.
Nigerian striker Garba produced a man-of-the-match performance when he scored the all-important goal that handed the Maroons a vital 1-0 win over Floriana that kept them at the top of the Premier League standings.
However, after the final whistle Garba was shown a straight red card by referee Glen Tonna for alleging punching Floriana defender Enzo Ruiz during a brawl.
Garba was severly punished for his actions when he was handed a three-match ban. Gżira team manager Marlon Galea and secretary Ian Micallef were handed a hefty ten-match ban for passing remarks towards the match officials.
The Maroons also lost winger Juan Corbalan who received a one-match ban after picking up his fourth booking during the match against Floriana.
Corbalan will miss Gżira’s next league match against Mosta on December 9.
Garba, on the other hand, will sit out not only the match against Mosta but will also skip the matches against St Andrews on December 14 and Tarxien Rainbows on January 12.
The absence of the former Ħamrun Spartans striker takes more significance when one considers that they are already without their leading scorer Amadou Samb who is recovering from ankle surgery.
Top officials from Gżira United FC have confirmed that they are planning to appeal against the decision by the end of the week.
Jose Borg, the Tarxien coach, will have to follow his team’s next two league matches from the stands after he was handed a two-match ban following his dismissal in his team’s 3-0 win over Pietá Hotspurs.
Meanwhile, two other Premier League players were sanctioned by the MFA Disciplinary Commissioner on Wednesday.
Hibs defender Nemanja Radojevic and Senglea’s Imanol Gonzalez were both handed a one-match suspension for four bookings.
Radojevic and Gonzalez will sit out their respective team’s league meeting on December 9.