GFA BOV GFL Division I Gozo Stadium
Nadur Y : 3 (S. Attard 18’, B. Said 22’, M. Stojanovic 67’)
- Muscat, M. Zerafa, D. Stojanovic, Sa. Attard (C. Azzopardi), Sh. Attard, M. Stojanovic, R. Da Silva, J. Grima (D. Dos Santos), C. Antunes, B. Said.
Kercem A : 2 (T. Grozev 74’, G. Franca Amadio 83’pen.)
- Vella, L. Grima, P. Kyumyurdzhiev, M. Tabone (J. Buttigieg), M. Mifsud, P. Taylor, J.P. Mizzi, O. Spiteri, G. Franca Amadio, A. Mizzi, T. Grozev.
In the first match from the third and final round of the championship, Nadur Youngsters earned the full points at stake from a 3-2 win over Kercem Ajax. Nadur ended the second round of the championship trailing the leaders by six points and therefore they needed the victory to ensure that they remain in contention for the title. In this match Nadur held command of play for the first hour of the match and opened a comfortable three-goal lead. However, the Youngsters seemed over confident during the last part of the encounter and ended up suffering from an impressive comeback by Kercem who reduced the deficit to just one goal and cent very close to level the score in the dying moments of the match.
Nadur seemed determined to obtain the third win from the three matches against Nadur in the championship. In the second minute of play Kercem’s goalie Franklin Vella was called to make a difficult intervention to clear the ball from the goalmouth before Claudio Antunes could hit towards goal. On 15 minutes Kercem replied with a shot from long distance by Owen Spiteri that missed the target and two minutes later Nadur’s goalie Matthew Muscat was well placed to block an attempt by Gustavo Franca Amadio. Nadur opened the score on 18 minutes through Shaun Attard who entered Kercem’s area from the right flank and fired in goal from a closed angle. Kercem were shocked and on 22 minutes the Youngsters doubled the score when Claudio Antunes released Brandon Said inside the area and the latter concluded in goal with a low shot. Kercem’s Philip Taylor had a shot on 29 minutes that ended away from Nadur’s goal and on 31 minutes Nadur went again close to scoring through an attempt by Milos Stojanovic that ended wide. In the first minute of stoppage time before half time Kercem’s goalie Franklin Vella left his position in time to clear the ball from his territory before Brandon Said could conclude towards goal.
After the re-start Nadur continued to control play and on 49 minutes they went again close to scoring when Milos Stojanovic produced a personal action within Kercem’s area and from the resultant melee Nadur’s Joseph Grima had his attempt stopped by the post and the defence cleared the danger with some difficulty. Kercem were not demoralised and kept trying to recover the deficit. On 51 minutes Nadur’s goalie turned to a corner a cross-shot by Mario Mifsud and five minutes later the same goalkeeper was well placed to save to another corner a good shot by Gustavo Franca Amadio. As Kercem were increasing their efforts in an attempt to reduce the score Nadur scored their third goal on 67 minutes. Kercem’s rear guard failed to clear the ball from the area following a corner action and Brandon Said had his attempt stopped by the crossbar and from the rebound Milos Stojanovic headed easily into an open goal. Kercem reduced the deficit on 74 minutes when Trayo Grozev entered Nadur’s area with a personal action and netted with a low shot. Nadur tried to regain command of play and on 76 minutes they could have re-established the three-goal lead when Milos Stojanovic released Brandon Said with a pass from long distance but the latter concluded badly and the goalkeeper saved without difficulty. In another occasion on 80 minutes Nadur’s Shaun Attard had an attempt that ended high and two minutes later Kercem’s Gustavo Franca Amadio replied with a shot that missed the target. Kercem re-opened the issue on 83 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Michael Zerafa on Gustavo Franca Amadio and the young Brazilian striker converted from the spot kick. The match during the final minutes became more exciting. Nadur went close to scoring one minute later when Brandon Said passed around the goalkeeper just outside the area but his low shot addressed to an open goal was cleared in time by defender Lawrence Grima and from the same action Claudio Antunes had his shot from the wedge of the area that ended high. Kercem went closest to save the result on 85 minutes but Gustavo Franca Amadio entered the area but his low shot addressed to the far post ended just wide.
Referee: Darryl Agius
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