Watch: Gżira United edge Melita in five-goal thriller

MELITA                    2

Pena 44

Xuereb 78

GŻIRA UNITED     3

Bohrer 20 pen.

Thaylor 61, 72

MELITA
G. Mizzi; A. Pena, J. P. Attard, K. Mohnani, A. Costa, M. Debattista (53 D. Xuereb), A. Borg Olivier (81 B. Cassar), M. Bovenkamp, J. Morlets (77 J. Romero), K. Bondin, H. Mota.

GŻIRA UNITED

D. Zarkov; G. Bohrer, J. Minala (64 A. Borg), Thaylor (90 K. Tulimieri), Z. Scerri, M. Dias, F. Hassany (46 F. Zuniga), L. Riascos, J, Pisani (46 B. Borg), A. Alves, T. Espindola.

Referee Emanuel Grech.

Yellow cards Motta, Xuereb, Zarkov, Costa.

Gżira United won by the odd goal in five after edging newly-promoted Melita in an intriguing contest.

The Maroons have moved into second place with nine points after securing their third win of the season.

On the other hand, Melita have now suffered their second straight defeat in four outings as they remain on six points.

Melita forced Darijan Zarkov into action early in the game when Jesus Morlets fired a volley towards goal with the Gżira United goalkeeper keeping him at bay.

Moments later, Gżira United were awarded a penalty with Gabriel Bohrer converting from the spot, netting his 12th goal in his career.

Gżira continued to dominated proceedings in the first half, with Melita adopting a mid-block pressing approach while looking to exploit a Maroons’ mistake.

Just before the break, Melita levelled terms when Aldair Pena capitalised on a Jean Paul Attard’s crossing effort to beat Zarkov with a close-range header.

On the hour mark, the Maroons restored their lead with a delightful solo effort by Thaylor who beat two markers before slotting the ball into the near post.

The former Hibernians wingback extended Gżira’s lead, scoring his second goal of the game, after beating Gosef Mizzi from close-range, with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Melita, though, managed to pull one back through a David Xuereb’s header as Clive Mizzi were looking to rescue at least point from this game.

Thiago Espindola tried to restore Gżira United’s two-goal lead with a long-range effort but could not find the target.