Gharb Rangers Take Sole Leadership

GFA BOV GFL Division II
Kercem Ajax Stadium

Munxar F  :        1       (E. Xuereb 25’)
Spiteri, P. Parnis, G. Muscat, R. Meilak, J. Azzopardi, F. Cini, A. Sacco, M. Mattias Uzor, R. Sammut, E. Xuereb, J. Parnis.

Gharb R     :        3       (P.A. Attard 36’, 84’; S. Fidelis 58’)

Spiteri, A. Sultana (R. Vella), Ch. Attard), J. Azzopardi, Cr. Attard, R. Zammit (R. Grech), D. Bellotti, P.A. Attard, S. Fidelis, J. Camenzuli (J. Muscat).

Gharb Rangers turned a defeat into a 3-1 win over bottom placed Munxar Falcons and with the points obtained they took command of the category.  This was the first match from the second round of the campaign for the two sides and both teams were aiming to win this match for different reasons.  Gharb needed to take advantage of the defeat conceded by challengers Sannat, while Munxar were aiming to register the second positive result in an attempt to move away from the bottom of the table.  Gharb managed to win the encounter with goals that arrived after the break and therefore they remain the only undefeated side in the category.

Play was rather balanced during the opening stages.  Gharb could have opened the score in the first action after the kick off but Ivan Camenzuli had his shot following a pass by Paul Anthony Attard that ended inches wide.  Munxar started to produce more effective play and in the seventh minute Gharb’s goalie Daniel Spiteri blocked in two attempts a close ranged shot by Elijah Xuereb.  Two minutes later the same goalkeeper saved with difficulty in a corner a strike by Jordi Parnis.  Gharb replied on 11 minutes through a shot by Saviour Fidelis that ended high and on 14 minutes the same striker had a lob towards an open goal that ended wide.  On 19 minutes Munxaràs Michael Mattias Uzor had a shot that hit the crossbar and in the following action Jordi Parnis had his attempt saved to a corner with difficulty by goalie Daniel Spiteri.  Munxar opened the score on 25 minutes when Elijah Xuereb entered the area, turned around the goalkeeper and deposited the ball into an open goal.  Munxar could have doubled the score on the half hour mark but Roberto Sammut had a good shot after receiving from Jordi Parnis that was stopped by the post.  Gharb levelled the score on 36 minutes when Saviour Fidelis released Paul Anthony Attard in a counter break and the latter fired in goal as he came face to face with the goalkeeper.

Munxar almost regained the lead on 57 minutes but Elijah Xuereb had his shot from close distance that hit the crossbar and from the rebound Michael Mattias Uzor had his attempt blocked to a corner.  Munxar were punished for the missed chances and one minute later Gharb turned the result in their favour through Saviour Fidelis who took advantage of some hesitation by Munxar’s defence at the edge of the area, lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper and placed easily into an open goal.  Before the restart Munxar were reduced to ten players when Elijah Xuereb was sent off for remarks towards the referee.  The Falcons seemed demoralised and Gharb dictated matters for the rest of the encounter.  On 76 minutes Gharb entered the area with a personal action but instead of concluding towards goal he passed the ball to an unmarked Paul Anthony Attard.  The latter guided the ball into an open goal but it was disallowed for an offside infringement.  Gharb however sealed the victory with the third goal that arrived on 84 minutes through a low shot by Paul Anthony Attard following a personal action.

Referee: George Portelli