Gzira, Hamrun share spoils in goalless draw

After both registered fine wins in their first outings, Gzira United and Hamrun Spartans shared the spoils in a goalless draw at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Hamrun created the better chances throughout the ninety minutes but Gzira were unlucky to hit the posts late in the first half.

Gzira coach Darren Abdilla made no changes to the team which had defeated Tarxien while Hamrun coach Giovanni Tedesco introduced Italian striker Massimo Ganci.

Following a quiet start, Hamrun went close with attempts by Ganci, Priso and Nayar but Gzira hit back with a Destin Mambouana header and a Nikolai Muscat effort which hit the upright on the 41st minute.

On the hour, Nikolai Muscat went close for Gzira but an attempt by Caetano Calil was neutralised by Haber and a Sebastian Nayar freekick was deflected into a corner. Late in the game, Caetano Calil had an attempt blocked by Rodolfo Soares and finally Haber performed good saves on Priso and Ganci.

Photo: Copyright © Andrew Grima

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GZIRA Justin Haber, Destin Prince-Loic Mambouana, Nikolai Muscat, Zach Scerri (75’ Luca Brincat), Rodolfo Soares, Andrew Cohen, Juan Carlos Corbalan, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Edison Bilbao Zarate, Thomas Veronese, Amadou Samb.
Subs not used: Anthony Curmi, Moad Lamlum, Didier Muscat, Neil Borg, Sacha Borg, Jaron Schembri.
Coach: Darren Abdilla

HAMRUN Matthew Bartolo, Antonio Monticelli, Enrico Pepe, Triston Caruana, Sebastian Nayar, Massimo Ganci, Matthew Gauci, Njongo Priso, Karl Micallef, Caetano Calil, Kevin Tulimieri.
Subs not used: Lydon Moore, Russell Vella, Cain Cutajar, Darren Borg, Ryan Darmanin, Jeremy Busuttil, Bradley Schembri.
Coach: Giovanni Tedesco

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Luke Portelli, Dusan Petrovic
Fourth Official: Darryl Agius
Yellow Cards: Zarate, Monticelli, Gatt Baldacchino, Samb
BOV Player of the Match: Massimo Ganci

Meanwhile at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Birkirkara registered their second win as they came from behind to beat newly-promoted Pietà Hotspurs 2-1.

Jan Busuttil put the Hotspurs ahead on the 23rd minute when he received a good cross by Gabriel Mensah from the left and controlled the ball before hitting lost past Naumovski.

Birkirkara levelled matters on the 69th minute thanks to Michael Mifsud who received a cross by Marcelinho from the left, hitting past Chircop St John.

Two minutes late, Cain Attard notched the winner, placing the ball at the back of the net off a corner by Marcelinho.

Four minutes from time, Cain Attard was sent off for Birkirkara after receiving a second yellow card for time wasting.

PIETÀ Jacob Chircop St John, Ose Takaki, Dylan Agius, Paul Chimezie, Jan Busuttil (83′ Clyde Bouvet), Gabriel Mensah (83′ Nicholas Pisani), Juan Manuel Artiaga Roa, Christian Grech, Ayrton Mizzi, Shunsuke Nakamura, Antonio Orlando de Queiroz Macedo Neto.
Subs not used: Miguel Chetcuti, Svein Bartolo, Christian Degabriele, Travis Bartolo, Neil Pace Cocks.
Coach: Ramon Zammit

B’KARA Kristijan Naumovski, Danilo Chapoval Azevedo, Mislav Andjelkovic, Paul Fenech, Jake Grech (61′ Milan Basrak), Kurt Zammit, Eduardo Mancha, Michael Mifsud (79′ Terence Agius), Cain Attard, Marcelo de Siqueira (88′ Edward Herrera), Thiago Brito de Souza.
Subs not used: David Cassar, Neil Micallef, Matthew Guillaumier, Gianluca Zammit.
Coach: Paul Zammit

Referee: Emanuel Grech
Assistant Referees: Thomas Debono, Darko Stankovic
Fourth Official: Matthew Degabriele
Yellow Cards: Fenech, Nakamura, Attard, Marcelinho, Busuttil, Andjelkovic, Ose, Tony
Red Cards: 87′ Cain Attard
BOV Player of the Match: Marcelinho