Corbalan’s late striker hands Marsaxlokk win over Gżira United

GŻIRA UNITED                    0

MARSAXLOKK        1         

Corbalan 80

GŻIRA U.

G. Mangano, G. Bohrer, J. Minala, A. Borg (81’ B. Borg), T. Aldama, F. Chouaib, L. Riascos (49’ N. Disic), S. Sno (89’ M. De Filippis), D. Barbosa, S. Denic, K. Zammit.

MARSAXLOKK

M. Calleja Cremona, K. Micallef, Dodo (90+3’ D. Torres), N. Micallef, Y. Messias (86’ D. Bonnici), J. Corbalan, U. Arias, M. Adamec (55’ J. Ghio), L. Lopez, A. De Aguiar, L. Aguirre.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit

Yellow cards: A. Borg, Dodo, L. Lopez, J. Ghio, D. Barbosa, S. Sno

Red cards: D. Torres (M) 90.

After suffering back-to-back defeats, Marsaxlokk returned to winning ways as they notched a late winner against Gżira United in a rather dull encounter.

Enzo Potenza’s side were eager to bounce back after the recent disappointment in the losses to Floriana and Mosta and thanks to the win they move top, at least temporarily, one point ahead of Ħamrun Spartans and Floriana.

Gżira, on the other hand, were hoping for another positive result following the narrow victory over Sliema Wanderers but their hopes were dashed late in the game when Marsaxlokk scored the all-important goal.

The Maroons lacked Thiago Espindola but welcomed back goalkeeper Giulio Mangano and Gabriel Mentz in the starting line-up.

Marsaxlokk, on the other hand, had an unchanged side despite the defeat to Mosta.

The first half was quite disappointing with hardly any shot at goal.

Mentz had a freekick saved by Marsaxlokk custodian Matthew Calleja Cremona on 19 minutes and six minutes later, Marsaxlokk had a Yuri effort from outside the area ending just wide.

But for the rest of the opening half, the two goalkeepers were never called into action.

Six minutes in the second half, a powerful shot from outside the area was partially saved with Ulises Arias’s attempt from close-range blocked into a corner.

At the other end, Thaylor Aldama went close with an angled shot from the right on 63 minutes.

With ten minutes to go, Marsaxlokk finally managed to break the deadlock. Dodo delivered a cross from the right and Juan Carlos Corbalan headed home from close range.

The Southseasiders went close to doubling the score on 90 minutes with a Leandro Aguirre freekick from the right but goalkeeper Mangano blocked his attempt.

Gżira replied with a Stefan Dinic corner from which Mentz headed just over the bar and following a swift counter-break for Marsaxlokk, Mentz cleared into a corner an inviting pass from the right by Dodo.

Marsaxlokk were reduced to ten men five minutes in added time as referee Fyodor Zammit gave marching orders to substitute Duval Torres, who had just replaced Dodo.