Gudja United 0
Sirens 3

Sirens captain Daniel Sant believes this could be their year as the Division One leaders produced an impressive first-half performance to blow away Gudja United’s resistance at the Centenary Stadium on Sunday.

The St Paul’s Bay outfit strengthened their grip on top spot as they moved three points clear of nearest challengers Sta Luċija who could only manage a draw against Swieqi United.

“We’ve got a strong squad and we all believe that by the end of the season we can make history for the club and win promotion for the very first time to the Premier League,” Sant told the Times of Malta.

“There is growing belief in the squad that we have the ability to win promotion and if we continue to stick out for each other then we can make it.”

Sant admitted that their win over Gudja United has further instilled more confidence among the players who are not only growing in stature but are following to the word the tactical instructions of coach Vince Carbonaro.

“After going 2-0 up we knew that the game was done and dusted and that we had completed our task,” Sant said.

“The championship might be heading for a short break for the Christmas Festivities but during this time we will keep training as we want to be at our best when the league campaign resumes next month.” 

On his part, Gudja defender Luca Martinelli had a different view from the Sirens skipper and said that the final scoreline doesn’t reflect the difference between the two teams.

“It was just an off-day for us,” Martinelli said.

“Sirens deserve all the credit for the win but I firmly believe that we are not too far off them and I can assure that we will come stronger after this setback.”

Sirens were in control right from the outset and they took little time to forge ahead.

The clock marked 14 minutes when John Nwoba put them ahead with a low drive after some excellent work from Mattia Del Negro.

Sirens kept pushing forward and on 21 minutes Del Negro picked Ige Adeshina and the latter set up Clive Gauci but goalkeeper Fredrick Tabone was on hand to clear the danger.

Tabone came to his side’s rescue on 28 minutes when he denied goal-bound Adeshina.

Gudja improved after the break andcould have found a way back into the game.

But it was Sirens who doubled the score when Del Negro hit a firm drive that flew into the net on 64 miniutes.

Morgon Filho sealed the issue when scoring a third from the penalty spot 15 minutes from time after a Gudja defender handled the ball inside the area. 

“I hope that in the next three week all the players in our squad show their professionalism and take care of themselves to ensure that we are prepared for when the championship resumes,” Sant said.

“The first division championship is a highly-competitive league and personally I believe that Sta Luċija will be our biggest antagonists for promotion.”

On his part, Martinelli is confident that Gudja will react in the right manner after this setback.

“Our president and coach have a lot of belief in this side. We have a healthy structure, so anyone who thinks we are some kind of pushovers, better think twice.”

Gudja: F. Tabone, L. Martinelli, J. Bondin, M. Bonnici (G. Chircop), M. Attard, F. Aboulezz, S. Diacono (E. Vella), J. Lima, J. Farrugia, A. Marshall (A. Ramos), R. Kooh Sohna.

Sirens: M. Montfort, K. Farrugia, R. Mandic, D. Sant, R. Grech, M. Del Negro, M. Morgon Filho (L. Mijic), A. Bustos, C. Gauci (L. Galea), A. Ige, J. Nwoba (M. Micallef).

Referee: Etienne Mangion.

Scorers: Nwoba 14, Del Negro 64, Morgon Filho 75 pen.

Best Player: Mattia Del Negro (Sirens).

Vittoriosa 0
Naxxar 1

Vittoriosa: C. Cassar, I. Abela, R. Previ, K. Degiorgio (A. Cilia Mumford), G. Sultana, J. Ogunnupe, J. Briffa, P. Papadakis, N. Ojuola, L. Casha (J.C. Cesare), T. Abela Wilson (J. Pace).

Naxxar: O. Borg, M. Fenech, M. Mifsud, D. Bonnici (R. Mercieca), R. Cassar, J. Ellul, C. Bugeja, A. Buhagiar, S. Nanapere (J. Debono), B. Essel, S. Meilak.

Referee: Alex Johnson.

Scorer: Duane Bonnici 21.

Red card: Buhagiar (N) 90.

Best Player: Duane Bonnici (Naxxar Lions).

Żebbug 0
Mqabba 0

Żebbuġ: J. Borg, D. Fava, S. Schembri, R. Vella, D. Pace, S. Buhagiar, T. Dos Santos Rodrigo, C. Brincat, R. Micallef, J. Farrugia (M. Camilleri), K. Camilleri (D. Caruana).

Mqabba: J. Debono, L. Farrugia, R. Da Silva Gomes, G. Micallef, B. Grech (M. Camilleri), W. Borg, C. Vella, D. Azzopardi, F. Gusman, M. Kayumba, L. Suma.

Referee: Ivan Mrkalj

Best Player: Wayne Borg (Mqabba).

Missed penalties: Da Silva Gomes (M) 64; (M), Ryan Micallef (Ż) 83.

Lija Athletic 2
Qrendi 1

Lija: L. Bonnici, C. Cassar (M. Clinch), L. Muscat, P. Borg, D. Scerri, E. Beu, A. Sammut, A. Borg, A. Bello-Osagie, A. Galea (A. Azzopardi), K. Kuroki.

Qrendi: J. Farrugia, D. Micallef, C. Caruana, D. Sammut, N. Falzon, M. Barbara (K. Abela), Z. Bowman, J. Spiteri, J. Da Silva Vargas (M. Reid), C. Quaranta, J. Silveira Da Silva.

Referee: Shaun Calleja.

Scorers: Caruana (Q) 19; Bello-Osagie (L) 41; (L); Sammut (L) 73.

Red card: Borg (L) 75.

Best Player: Aaron Sammut (Lija)

Pembroke 0
San Ġwann 1

Pembroke: K. Gerada, G. Azzopardi, M. Focsa, B. Muscat, C. Gustavo, D. Camilleri, T. Fenech, M. Wilmsen, Y. Tonna, K. Borg, J.P. Mifsud Triganza.

San Gwann: M. Mestrovic, J. Azzopardi, A. Borg, C. Gauci, R. Zammit, A. Cachia, K. Gatt, N. Ferreira, G. Henshaw, S. Hili, G. Zammit.

Referee: Paul Toledo.

Scorer: Cachia 84

Best Player: Sergio Hili (San Ġwann).

Swieqi United 2
Sta Luċija 2

Swieqi: J.C. Debattista, K. Muscat, L. Scicluna, S. Suraka (H. Hansberg), G. Bugeja, S. Bugeja, G. Calabretta (K. Ekezie), V. Olowoyo, M. Farrugia, E. Ayorinde (S. Ibrahim), D. Borg.

Sta Luċija: R. Caruana, M. Caruana, N. Spiteri, J. Usaga Mendoza (I. Martinez), J. Suda (M. Desira Buttigieg), B. Paiber, P. Teixeira Maia, I. De Rocha Souza (K. Ante Rosero), L. Galea, K. Camilleri, N. Borg.

Referee: Daniel Portelli.

Scorers: Ayorinde (S) 15; Suda (SL) 59; Calabretta  (S) 70; Teixeira Maia (SL) 72.

Best Player: P. Teixeira Maia (Sta Luċija).

Marsa 0
Żejtun C. 3

Marsa: K. Brincat, J. Bonello, N. Mocyk (L. Chiedozie), L. Friggieri, M. Gauci, A. Sreti Ali, R. De Fex Marriaga, S. Darmanin (J. Theuma), P. Anizoba (S. Briffa), N. Micallef, R. Gafa.

Żejtun: G. Zammit, C. Giordemaina, E. Vella, A. Smeir (I. Azzopardi), J. Castano, D. Albanese, J. Dias (V. Geraskins), B. Farrugia, N. Tabone, R. Spiteri, A. Farrugia.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri

Scorers: Johan Castano 19, 77, 90 pen.

Best Player: Johan Castano (Żejtun)

Red cards: Tabone (Ż) 81; Bonello (M) 90.