MATCH DETAILS
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I
Gozo Stadium – 6 March 2019
Gharb R FC : 2 (H.Santa Rosa Cruz 55‘, P. Nunez Del Castillo 80‘)
Spiteri, A. Sultana, M. Gauci, C. Attard, J.E. Batista Da Conceicao, O. Xuereb, D. Azzopardi, P. Nunez Del Castillo, N. Stojanovic, H. Santa Rosa Cruz, J. Xuereb.
SK Victoria W : 2 (A.J. Obaje 26‘, 45‘)
M.T. Towns, A.G. Attard, J. Buhagiar, E. Bugeja (J.W. Meilak), A.J. Ogaje, P. Dordevic, S. Harland (N. Vella), M. Bamba, A. Touarha (A. Adesina), R. Grech, D.U. Monday.
Photo: GFA/Anthony Cassar
MATCH REPORT
Gharb Rangers and SK Victoria Wanderers earned a point each from a draw of four goals so that the two sides remain deeply involved in the relegation zone. With this result, however, Gharb retained their two-point lead over the same Wanderers and also defended their current placing on the table. In this match, the Wanderers produced more offensive play during the first half and took a two-goal lead but the Rangers had an effective reaction after the break and saved the result. The point obtained by each side was, therefore, a just reward for the efforts produced by the two teams.
The Wanderers came out more determined and in the second minute of play, a corner kick by Anthony George Attard was saved to another corner by Gharb’s keeper with the aid of the crossbar. One minute later Victoria’s Aud-gustine James Obaje failed to conclude a personal action so that Gharb’s defence managed to clear the danger. Gharb replied on 5 minutes through a shot from outside the area by Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz that was neutralised by Victoria’s keeper Matthew Towns and on 8 minutes Gharb’s goalie Daniel Spiteri was well placed to save a shot from outside the area by Victoria’s Predrag Dordevic. On 12 minutes Gharb protested for a penalty when Nemanja Stojanovic ended on the floor inside the area when he took the ball following some hesitation by Victoria’s defence. The Wanderers went again close to scoring on 13 minutes but a shot by Ryan Grech hit the crossbar and from the resultant action the defence cleared to a corner. The same Grech produced another good scoring opportunity four minutes later when he crossed from the right flank but Sam Harland’s fine header aimed to the far post was saved with difficulty to a corner by goalie Daniel Spiteri. Gharb was also unlucky on 22 minutes when a strike by Nemanja Stojanovic after receiving from Junior Batista Da Conceicao was stopped by the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten. One minute later Victoria’s Aaron Touarha had an attempt that was well saved by Gharb’s goalie. The Wanderers opened the score on 26 minutes when Aaron Touarha entered the area from the left flank and from his cross, Aud-gustine James Obaje pushed the ball in goal from close distance. Gharb replied on 29 minutes through a shot by Christian Attard that missed the target and on 32 minutes a header by Junior Batista Da Conceicao following a cross from the right flank ended over the crossbar. Gharb had another attempt on 42 minutes that was saved in two attempts by goalie Matthew Towns. On 45 minutes the Wanderers doubled the score when Aud-gustine James Obaje received a ball at the edge of the area from Aaron Touarha following a good move by Predrag Dordevic and concluded in goal with a low drive.
Photo: GFA/Anthony Cassar
Gharb came out determined after the resumption and on 48 minutes a header by Junior Elisio Batista Da Conceicao from a good position ended wide. The wanderers replied on 54 minutes through a shot from outside the area by Predrag Dordevic that ended wide and one minute later Gharb reduced the deficit when Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz entered Victoria’s territory in a counter break and netted with a low shot. On 61 minutes Victoria’s Sam Harland had a shot from outside the area that ended high. Three minutes later a shot from long distance by Gharb’s Nemanja Stojanovic was neutralised by Victoria’s keeper Matthew Towns. On 65 minutes Gharb’s Joel Xuereb had a shot after receiving from Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz that was blocked to a corner by the defence and three minutes later the Wanderers could have regained a two-goal lead when Aud-gustine James Obaje released Sam Harland in a counter break but the latter had his shot that was well blocked by goalie Daniel Spiteri. On 73 minutes the Wanderers almost conceded a soft goal when Gharb’s Joel Xuereb entered Victoria’s area but Victoria’s defender Moussa Bamba hit badly in an attempt to clear the ball and the goalkeeper had to make an important intervention to save the danger from the goalmouth. Two minutes later an effort by the same Xuereb was saved by Victoria’s keeper and on 77 minutes another header by Gharb’s Junior Elisio Batista Da Conceicao from a cross by Daniel Azzopardi ended wide. Gharb scored the equaliser on 80 minutes when Hugo Santa Rosa Cuz headed towards the area a free kick from long distance by Nemanja Stojanovic and Pablo Nunez Del Castillo surprised Victoria’s defence and headed in goal. Gharb kept insisting and on 84 minutes they went close to scoring but a shot by Nemanja Stojanovic was well saved by goalie Matthew Towns. Four mites later Gharb’s striker failed to capitalise from a melee inside Victoria’s area and the best opportunity for the Wanderers to regain the lead arrived on 89 minutes through a shot from outside the area by Ryan Grech following clearance by the defence that missed the target.
Referee: Alex Johnson
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