Watch: Gżira United ask for a review of ref Degabriele’s performance after ‘goal’ controversy

Gżira United have requested a formal review of referee Matthew Degabriele’s performance in Tuesday’s YoHealth Maltra Premier League clash against Naxxar Lions.

The Lions bagged three priceless when they overcame the Maroons 4-2 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

However, the match was not short of controversy as with ten minutes to go, and with Naxxar Lions leading 3-2, Gżira United thought they had levelled the match when Stasa Bastic fired the ball home.

However, referee Degabriele decided to annul the ‘goal’ as he felt that Maxuell Maia committed a foul as the ball was drifting into the net.

The decision turned out to be crucial as Naxxar Lions went on to grab a fourth goal and grab a crucial win that put them in the fight for a Top 6 berth.

On the other hand, this was a third successive defeat for Gżira United and which severely hampers their bid for a  Top 6 berth.

This was not the first time that the Maroons were not happy with Degabriele’s performance.

In the corresponding first-round fixture, Degabriele adjudged that Clayton Failla had handled the ball on the goalline and dismissed the veteran wingback while ordering a penalty for Naxxar.

TV replays showed that the ball did not make contact with Failla’s arm but hit the bar.

“We wish to formally raise serious concerns regarding the officiating decisions taken by the same referee during our first- and second-round matches against Naxxar,” Gżira United said in a statement.

“In the first-round match, the referee issued a red card to our player, Clayton Failla, awarded a penalty, and imposed a suspension for the subsequent important fixture.

“As clearly evidenced by the attached video footage, the alleged incident does not appear to have occurred. Moreover, following the decision, the referee reportedly stated to the player, ‘Sorry, I thought it was handball’.

“This admission raises significant concern, particularly given the severity and consequences of the decision, which directly impacted both that match and the following fixture.

“In the second-round match against the same opponents, the same referee disallowed a crucial goal for an alleged foul that is not supported by the available video evidence. That goal would have brought the score to 3-3 with approximately 10 minutes remaining, a moment that could have substantially altered the outcome of the match.”

Gżira United said that these incidents are not isolated concerns but form part of a broader pattern of decisions during the match that, in their view, materially affected the integrity and outcome of the game.

“While we fully acknowledge the challenging nature of refereeing and accept that human error can occur, decisions of this magnitude –particularly when unsupported by evidence – require serious scrutiny,” Gżira’s statement said.

“Given the repeated and consequential nature of these incidents, we respectfully but firmly request a formal review of the referee’s performance in these fixtures and appropriate action to ensure accountability, transparency, and the protection of sporting fairness.”