[attach id=242698 size="medium"]Fgura hit back from a goal down to beat San Ġwann 4-1.[/attach]
Fgura United 4
San Ġwann 1
With long-time leaders Żebbuġ Rangers now almost unreachable at the top of the standings after yet another victory, this time against Mellieħa, the tussle for the other three promotion slots became even more tight with four points now separating St George’s, Żurrieq, Msida, San Ġwann and sixth-placed Fgura.
Fgura were faced with a do-or-die situation last weekend as they played San Ġwann requiring all three points to stay in contention.
In the end, Fgura came from behind to win the match 4-1 to move to the 32-point mark, just one behind the Saints.
San Ġwann had an auspicious start and went close to opening the scoring when Lee Galea served James Borg whose first-time effort skimmed the crossbar.
Then, on 16 minutes, Shawn Vella released Bruno Ferraz do Amaral who placed the ball beyond the reach of the hesitant Fgura keeper.
Fgura were shocked. They shouted ‘penalty’ on 35 minutes when Gilbert Martin was grounded in the Saints’ area but to no avail.
Then, three minutes after the restart, Fgura drew level. Substitute Carlos Camenzuli took keeper Carbonaro by surprise with a powerful drive from outside the area.
It did not take long for Fgura to go 2-1 up as on 56 minutes Martin’s superb shot had the better of Carbonaro.
The Saints were second-best now and on 68 minutes the score became 3-1 as Leeroy Bonnett pounced on a loose ball before lobbing the ball over the keeper.
Fgura put their minds at rest 15 minutes from time with a fourth goal from Martin who beat Carbonaro for a second time from a calibrated free-kick.
Fgura: B. Bartolo, N. Zerafa, J. Debattista, H. Schembri, N. Curmi, P. Chircop, M. Spiteri, E. Cornagio, J. Dalli (L. Bonnett), D. Sammut (C. Camenzuli), G. Martin (K. Darmanin).
San Ġwann: C. Carbonaro, M. Asciak (R. Pisani), B. Sciberras, R. Briffa, M. Mercieca, S. Vella, A. Borg (P.P. Lacerda Ribetro), R. Zammit, B. Ferraz do Amaral, L. Galea, J. Borg.
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Summaries
St Patrick 1
Kirkop United 2
St Patrick: J. Borg, S. Dimech, M. Xerri, J.R. Vella, D. Pace, I. Scicluna (J.C. Cesare), L. Scerri (S. Diacono), G. Failla, N. Filipov, R. Cassar, K. Muscat (A. Ellul).
Kirkop: C. Caruana, J. Borg, R. Farrugia (D. Agius), A. Formosa, D. Baldachino, B. Falzon, C. Farrugia, M. Pisani (B. Bugeja), A. Barbara, M. Abdilla (R. Galea), V. Ohaka.
Referee: Jude Amin Utulu.
Scorers: Barbara (K) 9, Scicluna (SP) 34, Ohaka (K) 67.
Żurrieq 1
St George’s 1
Żurrieq: J. Alden, A. Barbara, D. Stojanovic, K. Sacco, J. Lia, C. Farrugia (D. Darmanin), M. Cocks, J. Briffa, S. Azzopardi, G. Bonello, D. Zammit (N. Abdilla).
St George’s: R. Marmara, M. Sevasta, C. Grech, J. Bugeja, G. Vella, Q. Bregman, G. Inguanez (G. Chircop), E. Amaira (R. Previ), M. Brincat, S. Agius (A. Bonello), O.L. Agbeoinna.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Scorers: Zammit (Ż) 69, Bregman (SG) 76.
Żebbuġ Rangers 4
Mellieħa 1
Żebbuġ: R. Grech, L. Camilleri, D. D’Agostino, L. Galea, W. Camenzuli (J.C. Camenzuli), L.J. Agius, M. Farrugia, R. Spiteri, A. Tabone (B. Chetcuti), J. Nwoba (O. Rababah), M.O. Britto.
Mellieħa: C. Tonna, M. Vella, D. Cauchi, P. Taylor, W. Borg, J. Zammit (M. Trapani), K. Simiana (R. Cutajar), K. Fenech, W. Borg St John, G. Galea, D. Saliba (J. Cutajar).
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Scorers: Agius 5, Rodrigues Britto 32, 44, 51 (Ż), Galea 33 (M).
Għargħur 0
Mġarr United 0
Għargħur: S. Sullivan, D. Sammut, K. Fedele, R. Debattista, A. Briffa, E. Lapira, D. Camilleri, W. Rizgalla (N. Scerri), M. Agius, I. Todorov, D. Micallef (N. Veselji).
Mġarr: K. Ellul, D. Axiaq, J. Said, C. Bugeja, A. Aquilina, L. Agius, B. Galea, R. Marmara (R. Vella), S. Licari (D. Thompson), M. Deguara (G. Vella), C. Abela.
Referee: Sebastiano Gambuzza.
Red card: Lapira (GĦ) 83.
Pembroke Athleta 1
Msida St Joseph 2
Pembroke: M. Calleja Cremona, N. Gatt Coleiro, M. Mamo (M. Borg), A. Attard (G. Spiteri), L. Cilia, C. Farrugia, K. Coleiro, J. Mifsud, C. Debattista, J.R. Emeka, A. Galea (K. Micallef).
Msida: J. Agius, A. Mifsud (D. Hili), S. Magro, S. Vella, M. Borda, M. Caruana, L. Baldacchino, F. De Andrade, D. Attard, R. Celeste, M. Grioli (K. Grech).
Referee: Roberto Vella.
Scorers: Emeka (P) 12, De Andrade (M) 19 pen, Attard (M) 88.
Standings
P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
Żebbuġ | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 52 | 18 | 47 |
St George’s | 20 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 34 | 20 | 36 |
Żurrieq | 21 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 33 | 23 | 35 |
Msida SJ | 20 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 36 | 28 | 34 |
San Ġwann | 20 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 37 | 25 | 33 |
Fgura Utd | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 33 | 32 |
Pembroke | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 33 | 26 | 28 |
Siġġiewi | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 35 | 34 | 27 |
Mellieħa | 20 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 33 | 25 |
St Patrick | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 23 | 30 | 24 |
Kirkop United | 20 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 22 |
Mġarr Utd | 21 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 43 | 16 |
Għargħur | 20 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 33 | 15 |
Sta Venera | 20 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 25 | 62 | 10 |