The Malta Independent on Sunday
Naxxar Lions with three-point lead at the top
Football - BOV First Division
Zebbug R Naxxar L 2 4
Naxxar scored three second half goals to beat a highly motivated Zebbug side and open a threepoint gap at the top of the standings. The match was keenly contested with Zebbug giving the league leaders a good run for their money.
In fact Zebbug were the better team in the first half and their lead by the end of the first half was a deserved one. However Naxxar were a transformed lot on the resumption with Zebbug losing all their attacking flair.
After only eight minutes play Naxxar goalkeeper Omar Borg made a stunning save blocking a point blank header from Demba Toure. Two minutes later at the other end Naxxar forged ahead when Zebbug goalkeepr Azzopardi could only partially block a Duane Bonnici shot and from the rebound Yuri Messias slotted home.
On 18 minutes a Messias deflected shot finished against the crossbar, and sixty seconds later Trebovac tested Omar Borg with a central drive. On 21 minutes Trebovac was again on target but again Borg deflected with the ball smashing against the crossbar.
But on 23 minutes Trebovac could not be denied when he fired home a beauty from the edge of the area. Two minutes later Messias almost put the Lions back in front, but his close range shot was blocked by Azzopardi. Eight minutes from the break Zebbug took the lead when Trebovac passed towards Demba Toure who rounded off Ademec before beating Borg with a precise grounder.
Four minutes into the second half Naxxar were back on level terms when Jurgen Debono beat Azzopardi with a great shot that hit the upright before finishing at the back of the net. On 52 minutes Azzopardi fumbled a Jurgen Debono shot but the ball finished against the base of the upright.
Naxxar were now playing better and on 65 minutes were back in front Andriuoli scored from close range following a corner action. Zebbug failed to react but had to wait till the 90 th minute to put the game to bed when Joel Ellul was floored by Clive Pisani who was also sent off for a second bookable offence, and from the penalty spot messias made no mistake with a grounder.
Zebbug R: J. Azzopardi, D. Tabone, J.P. Formosa (R. Bajada), A. Micallef, C. Gauci, T. Trebovac, R. Da Silva Gomes, C. Psaila, S. Schembri, D. Toure (M. Rodrigues Britto), M. Borda.
Naxxar L: O. Borg, A. Buhagiar, L.J. Agius (M. Fenech), D. Bonnici, R. Cassar, N. Spiteri (J. Ellul), R. Grech, L. Andriuoli (John Debono), Jurgen Debono, L. Ademec, Y. Messias.
Referee: Matthew Degabriele