Nadur earn their first championship points

GFA Gozo Football League Division I

MATCH DETAILS

Gozo Stadium – 20 September 2018

Gharb R FC: 1 (H. Santa Rosa Cruz 6’ pen)

Spiteri, A. Sultana, J.P. Grima, C. Attard, P. Djorovic, O. Xuereb (P.P. Camilleri), P.Nunez Del Castillo, N. Stojanovic, H. Santa Rosa Cruz, A. Micallef, M. Grech.

Nadur Y FC: 3 (Y.DJ. Messias 9’, 34’pen, T.S. Da Silveira 29’)

Vella, T. Souza Da Silveira, D. Farrugia, L. Tabone (Sa. Attard), I. Xuereb, K. Farrugia, M.J. Barbosa, D.M. Bustos (M.P. Camilleri), Sh. Attard, J. Buttigieg, Y.DJ. Messias.

MATCH REPORT

Nadur Youngsters recovered from the defeat conceded in their first match of the championship and obtained their first points with a deserved win over Gharb Rangers.  Nadur were surprised during he opening minutes of the match by Gharb but they had a strong reaction and practically paved the way to the victory with three goals scored before the end of the first half.  Nadur administered play after the break although they ended up conceding some opportunities where their opponents could have re-opened the issue.

In the second minute of play Gharb’s keeper Daniel Spiteri was called to make a good save following a direct free kick from an angled position by Daniel Mateo Bustos.  Nadur were shocked on 6 minutes when Gharb were awarded a penalty for a foul by Luke Tabone on Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz and the same Gharb striker converted from the spot kick to put his side in the lead.  Nadur however produced an immediate reaction and leveled the score on 9 minutes when Daniel Mateo Bustos released Yuri De Jesus Messias and the latter fired in goal with a fine shot from the edge of Gharb’s area.  On 18 minutes Nadur could have turned the result in their favour when a cross from the right flank was not cleared by Gharb’s rearguard and the ball arrived to Yuri De Jesus Messias who concluded wide from an ideal position.  Nadur however took the lead on 29 minutes through a header from close distance by central defender Tiago Souza Da Silveira following a corner kick by Daniel Mateo Bustos.  On 34 minutes Nadur added another goal when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul y Predrag Djorovic on Yuri De Jesus Messias and the latter converted from the spot kick.  Nadur could have increased their lead on 42 minutes but Gharb’s goalie Daniel Spiteri made a good save to turn to a corner a strike from outside the area by Kevin Farrugia.

Nadur tried to control their two-goal lead after the break but as time passed by they conceded the initiative to their opponents who became more dangerous in their play.  On 58 minutes a good shot by Gharb’s Anthony Micallef was blocked by Nadur’s keeper Franklin Vella and in the following action a shot from outside the area by Gharb’s Christian Attard ended just wide.  Gharb once again threatened Nadur’s defense on 66 minutes but a shot in the run by Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz ended just wide. Less than a minute later Nadur replied through an initiative by Marcelo Barbosa, who entered the area but from his pass Yuri Messias’s shot was well saved by goalie Daniel Spiteri.  On 68 minutes Gharb’s Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz had an effort that was neutralized by Nadur’s keeper and the same striker had a good attempt on 74 minutes that ended over the crossbar. On 83 minutes Gharb’s Pablo Nunez Del Castillo had a good strike that ended away from Nadur’s goal and five minutes later Nadur could have sealed the victory but a shot from outside the area by Daniel Mateo Bustos was saved in two attempts by Gharb’s keeper Daniel Spiteri.  Gharb’s last opportunity to reduce the deficit arrived in the second minute of stoppage time but a volley form outside the area by Christian Attard was turned to a corner by goalie Franklin Vella.

Referee: Andrea Sciriha