Comeback win for Gżira United to halt negative start

GUDJA UNITED                1

Mensah 16

GŻIRA UNITED                6

Macula 35

Sane 36, 46

Bohrer 72

B. Borg 87

GUDJA UNITED

Y. Sozer; Brenner, J. Arthur, G. Mensah, C. Borg (70 L. Grech, R. Fernandes, N. Tabone (45 S. Attard), M. Cassini (38 W. Serrano), K. Micallef, A. Toure (70 G. Lorenzoni), M. Esposito (70 M. Perea).

GŻIRA UNITED

D. Zarkov; C. Filho, G. Bohrer, A. Borg (86 H. Kabar), Thaylor, Z. Scerri, M. Dias, L. Macula (77 W. Teixeira), A. Sane (64 B. Borg), F. Zuniga (64 T. Espindola), Ewertton (64 B. Azizi).

Referee Ezekiel Barbara.

Yellow cards Bohrer, Borg, Brenner Ewertton, Micallef, Fernandes.

Gżira United halted their negative start to this season’s Premier League campaign after securing a comeback victory over Gudja on Sunday.

Despite having to cancel a one-goal lead, the Maroons were the better team on the field with Darren Abdilla’s side managing to score twice in a span of a minute, propelling them towards the win.

Following this victory, Gżira have moved to ninth place with four points after one draw and two defeats prior to this game, improving drastically their goal difference in the process.

On the other hand, Gudja remain in the red zone with two points to show for their efforts so far.

Jesmond Zammit’s side have conceded 10 goals in four outings, scoring just twice including Gabriel Mensah’s goal in this game.

Gudja United’s Abou Toure, with an ambitious overhead kick, threatened first but failed to beat Gżira’s Darijan Zarkov.

The Croatian goalkeeper, though, was beaten past the quarter mark when Gabriel Mensah executed a well-weighted freekick from outside the penalty area to open his account for this campaign.

Gżira came agonisingly close to level terms when Lucas Macula was teed up by an Ewertton cross just to miss from inside the small area.

Nonetheless, Macula was not to be denied when he connected with a Gabriel Bohrer’s cross to strike home from point-blank range.

The Maroons turned the score to their favour just a minute later when Adam Sane beat his opponent and lobbed over Gudja’s goalkeeper.

This goal prompted Gudja’s coach Zammit to replace defender Mateo Cassini with experienced defender Walter Serrano.

Gżira almost scored a third but Macula squandered a brilliant chance when he saw his towering header sail over the bar after receiving from Marcelo Dias.

Ewertton hit a freekick over the bar as Gżira were looking to take advantage of their momentum in the game.

Macula forced Yaren Sozer into action with a low drive just before the half-time whistle as the Maroons maintained their one-goal lead heading into the dressing room.

At the restart, Gżira could not have wished for a better start when Sane extended the lead with an early strike.

Twenty minutes from time, Gżira were awarded a penalty when Brooklyn Borg was floored by substitute Marvin Penea.

From the penalty, Gabriel Bohrer made no mistake before youngster Brooklyn Borg found Gżira’s fifth from close range.

Gżira made it six in the dying minutes when Thaylor Aldama scored the first goal for his new club after slotting into the empty net from close range.