GFA BOV GFL Division I Gozo Stadium
SK Victoria W : 1 (I. Xuereb 45+3’)
- Towns, S. Draskovic, M. Azzopardi, S.F. Bajada, C. Sciortino, N. Vella, P. Dordevic, I. Xuereb, A. Attard, M. Raskovic, J. Attard.
Nadur Y : 3 (D. Dos Santos 50’, 51’, 85’)
- Muscat, S. Attard, D. Farrugia, D. Stojanovic, R. Da Silva, M. Zerafa (J. Buttigieg), M. Stojanovic, D. Dos Santos, C. Antunes, S. Attard (C. Hili), B. Said (J. Grima).
Nadur Youngsters obtained the full points at stake form their match against SK Victoria wanderers despite the fact that they ended the first half trailing by one goal. With this result Nadur managed to defend their second place on the table and remain serious challengers for the title. In this match Nadur held territorial supremacy for long stretches. They found it extremely difficult to convert their play into goals during the first half but they dominated play after the break and turned the result in their favour through a hat-trick by Dewide Dos Santos. Nadur’s Brazilian striker has been going through a difficult period due to an injury but in this match Dos Santos confirmed that he has regained his good form at a crucial phase in the championship. On the other hand the Wanderers showed improvement in their play and commitment from their previous matches but their efforts were not good enough to earn them at least a point. The Wanderers were surprised by Nadur’s pressure after the break and were demoralised after conceding two goals in the space of one minute during the opening stages of the second half.
During the opening stages Nadur tried to score an early goal. In the fifth minute of play a shot by Dewide Dos Santos following an action outside Victoria’s area ended wide and two minutes later Claudio Antunes released Brandon Said inside Victoria’s area but the latter had his low shot blocked by goalie Matthew Towns. The Wanderers replied on 17 minutes through an initiative by Milanko Raskovic but goalie Matthew Muscat neutralised the cross from the left flank before Johan Attard could connect. The Youngsters were unlucky on 20 minutes when Milos Stojanovic headed inside the area a long ranged cross from the left flank but Dewide Dos Santos had his half volley stopped by the crossbar. As time passed by the Wanderers shared more play with their opponents in the midfield but the two defensive department were well deployed and controlled the respective strikers. Nadur were again dangerous near the end of the first half. On 44 minutes a lob by Shaun Attard, following some hesitation by Victoria’s defence, was neutralised by goalie Matthew Towns and in the second minute of stoppage time before half time Nadur’s Milos Stojanovic produced a good move inside Victoria’s area but his inviting low cross passed in front of Victoria’s goal without finding anyone from his side to connect. The Wanderers surprised their more quoted opponents one minute later through a spectacular volley by Ian Xuereb following a cross by Anthony Attard that ended in the net and beyond the reach of goalie Matthew Muscat.
After the resumption Nadur were more aggressive and turned the result in their favour with two goals scored in the space of one minute. The Youngsters levelled the score on 50 minutes through a low shot from an angled position by Dewide Dos Santos after receiving from Claudio Antunes. The same Dewide Dos Santos made it 2-1 for his side one minute later with a fine lob over Victoria’s keeper who left his position in an attempt to block the danger. Nadur continued to dictate matters and on 69 minutes they were again dangerous when Dewide Dos Santos crossed from the left flank and Claudio Antunes headed inside the area but Shaun Attard’s shot from a good position ended high. Two minutes later Claudio Antunes initiate an interesting counter break and from his pass Shaun Attard released Brandon Said at the edge of Victoria’s area but the latter had his low shot saved to a corner by goalie Matthew Towns. From the resultant corner action Nadur’s Ronaldo Da Silva’s header ended over the crossbar. The Wanderers continued to suffer Nadur’s play during the final stages and on 75 minutes Claudio Antunes entered Victoria’s area with a personal action but his lob address towards an open goal was cleared from the goalmouth by Chris Sciortino. Eight minutes later Shaun Attard had a low shot following a personal action that ended away from Victoria’s goal and on 85 minutes Nadur sealed the victory by scoring the third goal that arrived through a low shot by Dewide Dos Santos after receiving from Claudio Antunes.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant
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