Oratory Youths Retain First Division Status

GFA BOV GFL Division I                                                                             Gozo Stadium

Oratory Y       :           1          (E.F. Da Silva Santos 50’)

1. Camilleri, K. Borg, A. Azzopardi, B. Polo Longarela, K. Farrugia, B. Perello Palou, A. Debrincat (J. Bonnici), J. Attard, S. Gwar, E.F. Da Silva Santos (P. Said), M. Buttigieg.

Xaghra U        :           0

1. Galea, J. Buhagiar, St. Sultana (D. Bajada), V.J. Saliba, D. Sowatey, S. Sultana, O. Pogukay, M. Portelli, J. Bajada (A. Xiberras), A. Laskov, J. Xerri (G. Farrugia).

Oratory Youths obtained the points they needed form their match against bottom placed Xaghra United with a close win.  With this result the Youths made sure to avoid the second place from the bottom and the play-off against relegation at the end of the championship.  Oratory’s win was deserved as they dictated matters for long stretches.  Oratory’s win matured with a goal scored during the opening stages of the second period but lost other good scoring opportunities where they could have made sure of the points at an earlier stage of the encounter.

During the first period play took place mainly in the midfield as the Youths held more possession but found it extremely difficult to convert their paly into good scoring opportunities.  Xaghra on the other hand were well organised at their defence and seemed in a position to aim for a third positive result in the championship despite the fact that they are already mathematically relegated to the second division.  Oratory’s first serious attempt at goal arrived on 43 minutes through a shot by Borja Polo Longarela that missed the target.  One minute later Oratory’s Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos produced a fine move inside Xaghra’s area but the Brazilian striker has his shot from close distance that was well saved by goalie Daniel Galea.

After the break the Youths increased their pressure and on 47 minutes Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos had a header from a good position following a cross by Jurgen Attard that ended just wide.  The Youths scored the goal that decided the issue three minutes later when a corner kick by Bartomeu Perello Palou arrived to an unmarked Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos who controlled the ball and fired in goal from close distance.  Oratory continued to put pressure on their opponents and on 58 minutes Bartomeu Perello Palou unmarked Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos inside Xaghra’s area but the latter failed to conclude from a good position so that goalie Daniel Galea recovered in time and saved the danger.  One minute later Oratory had a good shot by Manuel Buttigieg that ended just high.  Xaghra’s best opportunity to save the result arrived on 80 minutes through a free kick by Antonio Laskov that was turned to a corner with difficulty by goalie Leonard Camilleri.  During the final minutes of the match Oratory went very close to score a second goal.  On 81 minutes a strike by Sibi Gwar hit the post and the same striker had a good shot on 85 minutes that was saved to a corner with difficulty by goalie Daniel Galea.

Referee: Thomas Debono