GZIRA, Malta (Interstat) — Gzira and Birzebbuga played to a 2-2 draw in a league football match on Sunday, with Gzira as the home team and Birzebbuga as the visiting side. Saldanha gave Gzira the lead in the 42nd minute with the game’s first listed goal. Gabriel Mentz also scored for Gzira, while Gabriel Costa scored both of Birzebbuga’s goals. The teams produced four goals in the match and remained level after the final whistle. The draw added to a contest that featured six yellow cards and five substitutions.

Mentz played 90 minutes and scored once for Gzira. Saldanha also played 90 minutes and scored once. Costa played 85 minutes for Birzebbuga, scored twice and was shown a yellow card. Their contributions accounted for all four goals in the match, with Mentz and Saldanha supplying Gzira’s two goals and Costa supplying Birzebbuga’s two goals.

Costa Goncalves G. was booked for Birzebbuga in the 57th minute, and Azzopardi M. followed in the 63rd. Abela D. of Gzira was cautioned in the 68th, Cassar Z. of Birzebbuga in the 87th, Van de Bovenkamp M. of Gzira in the 90th and Farias J. of Gzira in the 90+4th. The match produced six yellow cards, with three going to each side. Birzebbuga’s cautions went to Costa Goncalves G., Azzopardi M. and Cassar Z. Gzira’s cautions went to Abela D., Van de Bovenkamp M. and Farias J.

Birzebbuga made substitutions at the 46th minute with Bondin K. and Yuri entering, then used Thellufsen R. in the 80th and replaced Costa Goncalves G. in the 85th. Gzira brought on Luisinho in the 87th. Both teams used the bench as the second half progressed, with Birzebbuga making four changes and Gzira making one.

The draw leaves Birzebbuga with one win, seven losses and two draws in the competition, the same record it holds across all competitions. Gzira’s competition record is five losses and five draws, also matching its overall mark. The result extended Gzira’s winless run in the competition and added a second draw to Birzebbuga’s competition record. Birzebbuga next visits Birkirkara, while Gzira hosts Marsaxlokk FC.

Birzebbuga entered the match after a 2-0 home win over Marsaxlokk FC. Before that, it lost 1-0 at Hibernians, drew 2-2 at Mosta, lost 3-0 at home to Valletta, lost 2-0 at home to Hamrun, lost 3-0 at Balzan, lost 2-1 at home to Sliema, lost 1-0 at Zabbar and lost 3-0 at home to Floriana. The Marsaxlokk result was its only win in the listed previous matches.

Gzira entered after a 2-1 loss at Hibernians. Before that, it drew 2-2 at home with Hamrun, drew 1-1 at home with Mosta, drew 1-1 at Sliema, drew 0-0 at home with Zabbar, lost 4-1 at Floriana, lost 2-1 at Balzan, lost 3-0 at home to Valletta and lost 4-0 at Birkirkara. The Hibernians result was its most recent match before the draw.

Gzira’s previous results included four draws and five losses in the listed matches. Birzebbuga’s previous results included one win, one draw and seven losses. Gzira remained without a win in the competition, while Birzebbuga’s competition tally moved to two draws. The home side’s record is five losses and five draws in the competition. The match ended in a draw.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Gzira 1, Birzebbuga 1 before kickoff. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Gzira with a 67 percent probability to win. Gzira had been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of minus 0.5. The total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 2.5. Those projections were part of the pregame betting information provided for the match.