Gzira United returned to winning ways as they came from behind to beat Hamrun Spartans 2-1 at the National Stadium on Monday.

A win which puts the Maroons back in third place, on level points with Birkirkara while for the Spartans, this was the third consecutive defeat.

Following a goalless first half, the Spartans forged ahead when Lydon Micallef’s angled shot on the 57th minute gave Anthony Curmi no chance.

However Gzira managed to equalise on the 69th minute thanks to a penalty by top scorer Amadou Samb who scored he eighteenth goal in the BOV Premier League after Triston Caruana brought Ndubuisi Okoye down inside the area.

Ten minutes from time, the Maroons notched the winner when Haruna Garba, who had replaced Edison Bilbao Zarate a few minutes earlier, headed home to punish his former team.

HAMRUN Jake Galea, Marco Criaco, Daniel Zerafa, Cristian Zaccardo (55′ Luke Sciberras), Guilherme Felipe De Castro, Karl Micallef (89′ Bradley Schembri), Arthur Faria Machedo, Triston Caruana, Tiago Souza Da Silveira, Lydon Micallef, Dale Camilleri
Subs not used: Steve Sultana, Jeremy Busuttil, Russell Vella, Darren Borg, Daniel Debono.
Coach: Jacques Scerri

GZIRA Anthony Curmi, Roderick Briffa (78′ Juan Corbolan), Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Destin Price-Loic Mambouana, Kris Thackray, Moises Avila Perez, Edison David Bilbao Zarate (72′ Haruna Garba), Andrew Cohen (72′ Nikolai Muscat), Zack Scerri, Amadou Samb, Ndubisi Emmanuel Okoye.
Subs not used: Justin Haber, Christian Sammut, Luca Brincat, Karl Pulo.
Coach: Darren Abdilla

Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Matthew Degabriele
Yellow Cards: M. Criaco, L. Sciberras (H), D. P. Mambouana, R. Briffa, K. Thackray (G)
BOV Player of the Match: Marco Criaco
Attendance at the National Stadium 366

Meanwhile at the Centenary Stadium, Hibernians survived an early scare as they defeated Senglea Athletic 5-1.

Senglea took the lead on the 7th minute thanks to Augusto Rene Caseres who concluded a good run on the left with a shot which beat goalkeeper Rudy Briffa.

However the Paolites equalised on the 15th minute thanks to a Clayton Failla penalty after Ian Azzopardi handled the ball inside the area.

Four minutes from the end of the first half, Hibs took the lead when off a Failla corner, Joao Moreira headed home.

On the 66th minute, Jurgen Degabriele made it 3-1 after receiving a through pass by Johann Bezzina and slotted the ball past Matthew Farrugia.

Dunstan Vella scored a fourth goal for Hiberians two minutes from time thanks to Dunstan Vella.

Hibernians added another on the 90th thanks to substitute Arlindo Oliiveira Neto after beating the Senglea custodian from close range.

HIBS Rudy Briffa, Clayton Failla (80′ Jackson Lima Siqueira), Joao Moreira, Jurgen Degabriele (70′ Arlindo Rodrigues Neto), Andrei Agius, Joseph Mbong, Martin Kreuzriegler, Marcelo Dias, Johann Bezzina (70′ Rodolfo Soares), Giorgi Gorozia, Dunstan Vella.
Subs not used: Mario Muscat, Daniel Buckle, Conner Zammit, David Xuereb.
Coach: Mark Miller

SENGLEA Matthew Farrugia, Randall Vella, Jonathan Bondin (63′ Steve Bonnici), Ian Azzopardi, Augusto Rene Caseres, Ivan Edgardo Paz, Terence Vella (68′ Nicola Palmieri), Gregori de Souza braga, Sergio Uyi, Gonzalo Nicolas Virano, Josuel Spiteri (70′ Braian Volpini).
Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Jurgen Farrugia, Roderick Debattista, Jurgen Suda.
Coach: Paolo Favaretto

Referee: Alan Mario Sant
Assistant Referrees: Edward Spiteri, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Sandro Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Andrei Agius
BOV Player of the Match: Johann Bezzina