Hard-earned Win for Ghajnsielem

GFA BOV GFL Division I                                                                             Gozo Stadium

Ghajnsielem  :           2          (E.P. Lattes 49’, J. Camilleri 72’)

1. Buttigieg, F. Apap, D. Hili, R.P. Telles, K. Hili, C. Camilleri (J.J. Sandoval Guarin), Al. Xuereb (J. Attard), E.P. Lattes, S. Cassar, A. Tramboo (An. Xuereb), J. Camilleri.

Victoria H       :           1          (H. Maciel 40’)

1. Parnis, M. Bamba, J. Tabone, K. Farrugia, J. Pace, O.I. Guobadia, A. Bezzina (J. Grech), D. Sytnik, H. Maciel, M. Camilleri, J. Bajada.

Ghajnsielem managed to turn a defeat into a close win in their match against Victoria Hotspurs and with the points obtained they remained with the top teams on the table and with a possibility to challenge for the title.  Ghajnsielem had some regular players missing for different reasons for this match.  Edison Bilboa Zarate was suspended for this match while Kenneth Mercieca was not included in the players list due to an injury.  Central defender Jhon Jairo Sandoval Guarin was also missing from Ghajnsielem’s typical defensive deployment in the starting line up as he is recovering from an injury and was only introduced on the field as a substitute during the final stages of the encounter.  The match between Ghajnsielem and Victoria Hotspurs was well contested.  The Hotspurs produced the better play during the first half but failed to convert their superiority into a lead of more than one goal.  Ghajnsielem improved their play after the break and the two sides produced scoring opportunities so that the final score remained uncertain and victory could have gone to either side.

The Hotspurs seemed more offensive in their play from the early stages and in the eighth minute of play a good shot by Mark Camilleri ended just wide.  On 16 minutes the Hotspurs once again threatened Ghajnsielem’s rear guard but Denis Sytnik’s strike was stopped by the crossbar.  Two minutes later Ghajnsielem replied through a good effort by Renan Telles following a personal action that was blocked by goalie Adrian Parnis.  On 20 minutes the Hotspurs protested for a penalty when a cross by Henrique Maciel was deflected by a defender and at the end the goalkeeper saved the danger to a corner.  From the resultant corner kick by Henrique Maciel, Mark Camilleri’s header was blocked by goalie Luke Buttigieg and defender Alex Tramboo cleared the danger to another corner.  On 22 minutes Ghajnsielem’s John Camilleri had a good shot that was well saved by goalie Adrian Parnis.  The Hotspurs went again close to scoring on 30 minutes but Henrique Maciel’s shot missed the target.  One minute later the Blacks replied through a personal initiative by John Camilleri but his shot ended wide and on 36 minutes a strike by Emiliano Lattes also ended just wide form Victoria’s goal.  The Hotspurs took the deserved lead on 40 minutes when Aleandro Bezzina entered Ghajnsielem’s territory in a fast break as the defence stopped due to an offside position of Mark Camilleri, and from Bezzina’s low cross Henrique Maciel netted with a low shot from close distance.  One minute later the Blacks also protested for a penalty when John Camilleri ended on the floor inside Victoria’s area following a challenge with an opponent.  In the first minute of stoppage time before half time the Hotspurs could have easily doubled the score when Henrique Maciel entered Ghajnsielem’s area with a personal action, turned around the goalkeeper but had his attempt cleared off the fatal line by central defender Ferdinando Apap.

The Blacks had an excellent start to the second period and levelled the score on 49 minutes when John Camilleri controlled a long ranged cross by Chris Camilleri on the edge of the area and form his pass Emiliano Lattes fired in goal with a low shot that was out of the reach of Victoria’s keeper.  Victoria replied four minutes later through an effort by Henrique Maciel that was blocked to a corner by Stefan Cassar.  Two minutes later Victoria’s Henrique Maciel produced a personal action and came face to face with Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg but the latter managed to block the danger to a corner.  On 59 minutes Ghajnsielem once again protested for a penalty when Chris Camilleri ended on the floor inside Victoria’s area when he tried to turn around James Tabone.  One minute alter a shot by Victoria’s Aleandro Bezzina ended just wide from Ghajnsielem’s goal.  On 62 minutes Ghajnsielem almost turned the result in their favour when Renan Telles entered Victoria’s area and avoid the attempt to block the danger by goalie Adrian Parnis but his shot towards goal was cleared off the line by Kevin Farrugia and from the same action Chris Camilleri’s strike was deflected to a corner by goalie Adrian Parnis.  On 71 minutes Ghajsnielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg saved another attempt by Henrique Maciel.  Ghajnsielem scored the goal that decided the issue on 72 minutes when John Camilleri controlled well a long ranged cross at the edge of Victoria’s area and netted with a low shot.  The two sides continued to be offensive in their play during the remaining minutes.  Ghajnsielem could have made sure of the victory on at least two occasions.  On 75 minutes a lob by John Camilleri when the goalkeeper was out of his position ended wide and on 84 minutes Renan tells saw his shot following a cross by John Camilleri that ended wide.  The Hotspurs could have saved the result on 89 minutes but a shot by Henrique Maciel was well blocked by goalie Luke Buttigieg and from the rebound Mark Camilleri’s shot ended away from goal.

Referee: Etienne Mangion