Matchday 07: Valletta 1 Gzira U 1
04/11/2023
Valletta scored a penalty four minutes before time to save a point from the match against Gżira United and keep them a point behind. The Maroons scored in the first quarter and it seemed that they were going to return to winning after the loss last week against the neighbors Sliema, but they did not manage to close the game and for this they made up for it bitterly because they were overtaken by Valletta in the last minutes.
Gzira had the first conclusion in the seventh minute when from a pass by Jackson Mendoza, Lucas Macula concluded from close range, but Jake Galea saved.
Gzira went ahead in the 13th minute when, from a cross from the left by Thiago Esapindola, former Hibernians Thaylor Aldama scored with a header.
Valletta responded in the quarter with a free kick by Brandon Paiber that was saved by Darijian Zarkov on two occasions.
In the 17th minute, a shot by Lucas Macula from outside the box was saved by Jake Galea who was thrown to his left and turned the ball into a corner.
In the extra time of the first half, a shot from outside the box by David Garba for Valletta was saved in a corner by Darijian Zarkov.
Four minutes before the ninety minute Valletta won a penalty when a shot from outside the box by Santiago Ferraris was deflected by the hand of Farid Zuniga. The referee Alex Johnson whistled for a penalty from which Federico Falcone scored the fourth seasonal goal and gave Valletta a point.
Valletta threw everything on the attack to aim for the three points and in the 87th minute a shot by Luka Susnjara was saved in a corner by Darijian Zarkov. In the first minute of extra time, Brandon Paiber’s free-kick went wide.
VALLETTA: J. Galea, E. Ruiz, S. Ferraris, C. Gauci (69 L. Susnjara), F. Falcone, B. Paiber, V. Filho, F. Vega, N. Micallef, A. Silas (55 D. Nogueira), D. Garba (89 J. Azzopardi).
GZIRA U: D. Zarkov, G. Bohrer, Thaylor, Z. Scerri, M. Dias, L. Macula, L. Riascos, F. Zuniga, B. Borg (88 G. Essaka), T. Espindola, J. Mendoza (46 A. Borg).
Referee: Alex Johnson
Scorers: 13′ Thaylor (G), 86′ F. Falcone (V)
Yellow cards: Vega, Paiber, (V), Macula, Thaylor, Nogueira (G)
BOV Player of the match: Thaylor (G)
