GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II
Kercem Ajax Stadium
Zebbug R : 2 (C. Borg 36’, G.B. Mfulwane 85’)
B. Saliba, G. Portelli, M. Formosa (O. Calleja), F. Cini, C. Borg, C. Vella, A. Buttigieg, M. Ciangura, R. Grech (J. Azzopardi), G.B. Mfulwane, P. Camilleri.
Munxar F : 1 (J. Parnis 38’)
L. Gatt, P. Parnis, K. Borg, C. Gafa, B. Meilak, J. Parnis, F. Attard (M. Azzopardi), S. Muscat, O. Curmi, M. Matthias Uzor, P. Said (K. Mizzi).
Current leader of the second division Munxar Falcons suffered an unexpected defeat from the match against Zebbug Rovers so that they saw their comfortable gap over their closest rivals reduced to just one point. This was the last encounter of Match-Day 6 of the campaign where Munxar were aiming to return to winning ways after dropping their first points in the campaign in their previous match. On the other hand Zebbug were determined to obtain the full points at stake form this match as they needed to consolidate their third stop on the table and also they were aiming to defend their status among the protagonists of the category. The match turned out into a well contested encounter where Munxar, who were the favourites to win the full points at stake, never managed to impose total superiority on their less quoted opponents and also lost a golden scoring opportunity to save the result in the last action of the encounter when they missed the target from a penalty kick. Zebbug’s win arrived through a collective effort, and gains more credit as they scored the decisive goal during the final minutes of the encounter when they had to play with a player less on the field of play.
Munxar tried to take command of play from the early stages but they found it difficult to create good scoring opportunities. Zebbug on the other hand started to share play as time passed by and created more danger in their attempts towards Munxar’s area. On 16 minutes a header by Francesco Cini following a cross by Marco Ciangura ended just over Munxar’s goal and one minute later a header by Gibson Mfulwane following a free kick by Francesco Cini ended away from Munxar’s goal. Zebbug’s striker Mfulwane went again close to scoring on 24 minutes when he took the ball following a challenge with Munxar’s goalie but defender Keith Borg recovered his position and blocked denied the striker from concluding towards an open goal. Munxar replied on 33 minutes through a strike by Olive Curmi that ended high and two minutes later Zebbug’s Christian Vella had an attempt that ended wide. On 36 minutes Zebbug opened the score when Ryan Grech released Chris Borg within Munxar’s territory and as Munxar’s defence hesitated to intervene for an alleged offside, the striker entered the area and netted with a low drive. Munxar had an immediate reaction and two minutes later they levelled the score through a direct free kick by Jordi Parnis.
Play continued to be quite balanced after the break but Munxar created the best scoring opportunities. On 59 minutes Munxar threatened Zebug’s defence through a strike by Paul Parnis that ended high and on 66 minutes Munxar’s Frank Aattard received a ball inside Zebbug’s area in an unmarked position but he took long to conclude and Zebbug’s defence recovered in time to clear the danger from the area. On 72 minutes Zebbug’s defence failed to clear a corner kick by Jordi Parnis but from the resultant melee in front of the goal mouth goalie Baskal Saliba recovered in time and saved the danger. Two minutes later Munxar’s keeper Liam Gatt was called to make a difficult intervention to turn to a corner an attempt by Chris Borg and on 78 minutes Zebbug were reduced to ten player when Francesco Cini was sent off for a second bookable offence following a foul on Jordi Parnis. Despite playing with a player less on the field Zebbug continue to believe in their chances to win the match. On 83 minutes Munxar’s defender Keith Borg made a good recovery and cleared off the fatal line before Gibson Mfulwane could push the ball in goal following a deflection by the goalkeeper from a cross by Marco Giangura. Two minutes later Zebbug scored the goal that decided the issue when Gibson Botshelo Mfulwane controlled the ball inside the area following an initiative by Marco Giangura and the former fired in goal from close distance. Munxar tried hard to level the score in the remaining minutes of the encounter. On 86 minutes a shot by Jordi Parnis ended wide and in the first minute of stoppage time a corner kick by Munxar’s Brian Meilak got a deflection, the ball hit the crossbar and from the resultant melee the defence managed to clear the danger. Less than a minute later Zebbug’s goalie Baskal Saliba was well placed to block a direct free kick by Jordi Parnis and in the fifth minute of stoppage time Munxar could have scored the second equaliser when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Aaron Buttigieg on Michael Matthias Uzor, but the latter had his shot form the spot kick that hit the base of the post and from the rebound Samuel Muscat’s low shot was neutralised by Zebbug’s goalie Baskal Saliba.
Referee: Massimo Axisa
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