Gżira United’s firepower downs Sta Lucia

GŻIRA UNITED  3

Maxuell 14; Jefferson 24, 38

SANTA LUCIA   1

Alba 31

GŻIRA UNITED

D. Zarkov-6, G. Bohrer-6, N. Muscat-7, Z. Scerri-6 (90 A. Borg), M. Dias-5.5, L. Riascos-7, C. Gauci-6 (66 S. Pisani), R. Duarte Correa-7, M. Cosic-6, M. Maxuell-6.5, Jefferson-6 (90 B. Borg).

SANTA LUCIA

M. Calleja Cremona-4, L. Fonseca-5 (60 F. Rodrigues), S. Rier-5, N. Pulis (36 E. Camilleri-4) (60 B. Agius), R. Bairam-5, D. Valpoort-5, L. Bah-5, D. Xuereb-6, J. Pisani-6, E. Serna-4 (54 R. Saito), M. Alba-6.

Referee: Matthew DeGabriele

Yellow cards: Alba, Valpoort, Rodrigues.

BOV player of the match: Jefferson da Assis (Gzira United)The Maroons took just 38 minutes to brush aside the feeble challenge of Santa Lucia and chalk up the first win of the season.

Gżira, in great physical shape after their European endeavours, dominated the match from the outset, surging into a two-goal lead inside the first 25 minutes before Santa Lucia goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona gifted the Maroons the third goal to leave coach Pablo Cortes Sanchez reflecting on the size of the task he faces.

The Yellows had spent most of the summer preparing for life in the second tier of the Maltese game before they leapt at...