GŻIRA UNITED              2

Jefferson 15, 90

VENTSPILS      2

Kazacoks 72

Serhiichuk 79

(Ventspils win 6-2 on aggregate)

Gżira United’s Europa League adventure came to an end on Thursday night when they could only manage a 2-2 draw against Ventspils at the Centenary Stadium to bow out of the competition 6-2 on aggregate.

Gżira were off to a fast start and they took 15 minutes to take the lead.

Brazilian striker Jefferson pounced on a poor clearance by the Ventspils defence to rifle a low shot past Ventspils goalkeeper Kostyantyn Makhnovskyy.

Ventspils response soon arrived as five minutes later they almost drew level but skipper Jevgenijs Kazacoks saw his low drive coming off the upright before Rodolfo Soares cleared.

But Gżira soon regained the initiative and Makhnovskyy was again decisive for Ventspils on 27 minutes when he pushed away Hamed Kone’s curling drive.

Eight minutes from the break, Gianmarco Conti should have doubled Gżira’s lead when he picked up a short clearance but his thumping low drive flashed past the upright. 

Amadou Samb had an even better chance on 41 minutes when he broke free inside the area and slid the ball past the Ventspils goalkeeper but Mamah was on hand to twice clear the ball off the line.

On the restart, the Maroons kept up the pressure and just shy of the hour Haruna Kone hit a thumping drive that flew just wide.

However, any hopes of a Gżira stunning comeback were all but ended on 72 minutes when Ventspils were awarded a central free-kick and Kazacoks’s inswinger flew past a stranded Haber and into the net.

The goal hit hard the Maroons as they conceded again seven minutes later.

Mykhailo Serhiichuk hit a thumping drive that flew into the net.

But it was Gżira who had the final say as deep into stoppage time Jefferson stabbed hte ball into the net following a corner action.