Sk Victoria Wanderers Reach the Quarter Final Stage

The Malta FA Trophy Round 4
Gozo Stadium

SK Victoria Wanderers         :           1          (P. Dordevic 85’)

1. Vrndic, D. Mercieca, A.G. Attard, S.F. Bajada, S. Draskovic, P. Dordevic, I. Xuereb, N. Vella (C. Sciortino 63’), A. Komljenovic, I. Grkajac, M. Raskovic.

St Andrews                            :           0

1. Galea, E. Pena Beltae, A. Bakmaz, I. Paz, K. Nwoko (J. Walker 70’), B. Won Che, K. Kesinovic, J. Farrugia (N. Belacevic 70’), D. Camilleri, Z. Kastrevec, M. Johnson (J. Magri Overend 86’).

Gozitan club SK Victoria Wanderers registered the biggest surprise of the fourth round of the MFA The Malta FA Trophy when they earned qualification for the next round at the expense of Premier league side St Andrews.  SK Victoria Wanderers therefore became the first Gozitan football to reach the quarter final stage of the second most important competition in Maltese football.

In this match the Wanderers were well deployed at their defense and managed to resist to St Andrews’ territorial supremacy so that they managed to keep the danger away from their area for most of the time.  SK Victoria Wanderers started to share more play during the second and capitalized from their scoring opportunity that arrived five minutes from the end of regular time.  With this qualification the Wanderers also registered wins in four rounds against teams from the four categories of Maltese football.

Victoria’s success is a reward for the collective effort of all the players, their coaching staff led by Mark Buttigieg and the administration led by the President Brian Azzopardi.  SK Victoria Wanderers will play again at the Gozo Stadium their quarter final match against another side from the Premier League Pembroke.

St Andrews tried to take command of play from the early stages and could have scored an early goal but in the second minute of play Ante Bakmaz failed to connect to a cross from the left flank that passed through the area in front of Victoria’s goal.  On 9 minutes a shot from outside the area by Joseph Farrugia ended away from goal and two minutes later Emny Pena Beltre concluded wide a cross by Michael Johnson.  St Andrews kept insisting but they continued to find it difficult to convert their territorial supremacy into good scoring opportunities.  On 25 minutes a shot by Joseph Farrugia missed the target and for the rest of the first half St Andrews’s best scoring opportunities were mainly created from a series of free kicks from long distance by Ivan Paz.  On 30 minutes Victoria’s keeper Branko Vrndic was almost surprised following a long ranged free kick by Paz but the keeper managed to save in two attempts.  The same goalkeeper saved with some difficulty another free kick by Paz and the best scoring opportunity for St Andrews of the first half arrived on 35 minutes when Victoria’s goalie Branko Vrndic partially saved a free kick by Ivan Paz and from the resultant melee Kyrian Nwoko’s shot hit the post.  On 45 minutes St Andrews went again close to scoring but Michael Johnson headed over the crossbar a free kick by Ivan Paz so that the first half ended in a goalless draw.

After the break St Andrews continued to enjoy command of play but Victoria’s defense retained their composure.  St Andrews lost a golden scoring opportunity on 58 minutes when Ante Bakmaz took the ball from the defense inside Victoria’s area but from his inviting cross Michael Johnson incredibly headed wide from close distance.  The Wanderers gained confidence as time passed by and replied on 66 minutes with a direct free kick by Igor Grkajac that was neutralized by goalie Jake Galea.  St Andrews threatened Victoria’s defense on 77 minutes when Karlo Kesinovic fired the ball towards goal from the edge of the area following a clearance form a corner kick by Ivan Paz but Victoria’s goalie Branko Vrndic blocked the danger.  On 81 minutes St Andrews protested for a penalty when Ivan Paz ended on the floor in the area following a challenge with his direct opponents but the referee did not notice any infringement. The Wanderers surprised their more quoted opponents on 85 minutes when Ian Xuereb produced some pressure on St Andrews’ defender and won a corner action.  From the resultant corner kick by Igor Grkajac, St Andrews’s defender headed inside the area and Predrag Dordevic arrived on the ball before his direct opponent and netted from close.  In the remaining minutes St Andrews tried to recover the deficit but the Wanderers defended well their one goal until the final whistle which also led to celebration by all Victoria’s players and officials.

Referee: Philip Farrugia

Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Sammy Attard

Fourth Official: Darko Stankovic