Munxar Move Away from the Bottom Place

GFA BOV GFL Division II                                                                            Sannat Ground

Munxar F        :           1          (O. Curmi 51’)

1. Xuereb, M. Debrincat, P. Parnis, R. Meilak, G. Muscat, O. Curmi, F. Cini (F. Azzopardi), J. Azzopardi (O. Saliba), E. Xuereb (A. Sacco), M.M. Uzor, J. Parnis.

Qala S             :           0

1. Buttigieg, J. Rapa, M. Pace, G. Sillato, F. Mumford, M. Cefai (C. Caruana), W. Cassar, J. Buttigieg, C. Portelli (B. Meilak), D. Zamora.

Munxar Falcons registered their second consecutive win in the campaign from the match against Qala Saints.  This was the last match of the third round and also a direct clash between the two teams who are occupying the last two places on the table.  Thus, Qala needed a victory to increase their gap over the same Munxar, while the latter were aiming for the victory to move away from the bottom of the table at the expense of the same Maroons.  The match turned out into an interesting encounter where Munxar clinched the full points at stake particularly with a determined performance after the break.

Qala held territorial supremacy for most of the first period.  The Maroons could have opened the score in the second minute of play but Luke Buttigieg hit badly when he was alone in the area and goalie Lorjean Xuereb saved without difficulty.  On 17 minutes Munxar’s keeper was well placed to neutralise a low shot by Christian Portelli and Munxar replied on 23 minutes through an attempt by Michael Matias Uzor that was stopped by the crossbar.  Two minutes later Qala’s Dario Zamora headed badly from a free kick by Michael Pace and goalie Lorjean Xuereb saved without difficulty.  Munxar were again unlucky on 26 minutes when a cross-shot by Francesco Cini was also stopped by the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.  On 41 minutes Munxar’s Michael Mattias Uzor had an attempt directly from a free kick that was saved by goalie Franco Buttigieg and in the first minute of stoppage time before half time Qala’s Joseph Buttigieg operated a good move inside Munxar’s area but from his inviting pass Dario Zamora’s attempt ended just wide.

Munxar had an excellent start in the second period and scored what had to be the decisive goal on 51 minutes when a free kick from long distance by Francesco Cini was deflected on the crossbar by goalie Daniel Spiteri and form the rebound Oliver Curmi concluded in goal.  Qala were shocked and on 57 minutes goalie Franco Buttigieg saved a good attempt by Munxar’s Jordi Parnis.  Munxar controlled play for most of the rest of the encounter and went again close to scoring on 77 minutes through a shot from a good position by Oliver Curmi that was neutralised by goalie Franco Buttigieg.  On 85 minutes, two consecutive corner kicks from the opposite sides of the field by Munxar’s Jordi Parnis and Francesco Cini were turned to corner actions by Qala’s keeper Franco Buttigieg.  Qala’s opportunity to save the result arrived on 90 minutes through a curling shot by Dario Zamora from outside the area that was well saved by goalie Lorjean Xuereb.

Referee: Joseph Scerri