MATCH REPORT
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I
Gozo Stadium – 16 March 2019
SK Victoria W : 2 (A. J. Obaje 72’, M. Bamba 90+5’)
M.T. Towns, A.G. Attard, E. Bugeja, A.J. Obaje, P. Dordevic, S. Harland, M. Bamba, N. Vella (A. Touarha), R. Grech, D.U. Monday, A. Adesina.
Gharb R FC : 2 (H.Santa Rosa Cruz 65’, M. Gauci 83’)
Spiteri, A. Sultana, P.P. Camilleri, M. Gauci, C. Attard, J.E. Batista Da Conceicao, H. santa Rosa Cruz, P. Nunez Del Castillo, N. Stojanovic, R. Zammit (J. Portelli), J. Xuereb).
MATCH REPORT
SK Victoria Wanderers and Gharb Rangers repeated the same score of the match between the two sides of the second round so that they earned a deserved point each. With this result, the Wanderers defended their one point lead over the Rangers but the two sides remain deeply involved in the red zone. The match was quite balanced but Gharb seemed heading towards a win as they were leading by one goal until the fifth minute of stoppage time. The Wanderers saved the result seconds from the final whistle when they capitalised from a free kick earned through the determination of their strikers.
The Wanderers seemed more aggressive during the opening stages but efforts by Audgustine James Obaje were neutralised by Gharb’s defence. Gharb almost surprised their opponents on 13 minutes when a strike from long distance by Pierre Paul Camilleri hit the crossbar and three minutes later Gharb’s Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz had an attempt that was well saved by Victoria’s keeper Matthew Towns. On 24 minutes the Wanderers replied through a long ranged attempt by Nicholas Vella that ended high and five minutes later Gharb’s Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz won a ball inside Victoria’s area and from his cross, a header by Junior Elisio Batista Da Conceicao was well saved by Victoria’s keeper. The Wanderers once again threatened Gharb’s rear guard on 35 minutes but a strike by Anthony George Attard missed the target so that the first half ended in a goalless draw.
The match became much more interesting after the break as the two sides increased their efforts to break the deadlock. On 52 minutes Batista Da Conceicao produced a personal action within Victoria’s area but his low drive aimed to the far post ended just wide. One minute later the Wanderers replied through an effort by Ryan Grech, who was released inside Gharb’s area by Audgustine James Obaje but the defence recovered in time and blocked the danger to a corner and from the resultant corner kick by Anthony George Attard a header by Predrag Dordevic from a good position ended wide. On 54 minutes Gharb’s Joel Xuereb had a shot that was saved by Victoria’s keeper and on 63 minutes Victoria’s Audgustine James Obaje entered Gharb’s area but his low cross aimed to an unmarked Sam Harland was cleared from the goalmouth by defender Manuel Gauci. Gharb opened the score on 65 minutes when Junior Elisio Batista Da Conceicao defended a ball inside Victoria’s small are and unmarked Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz with a back heel so that the latter placed easily in goal with a low shot. The Wanderers managed to level the score on 72 minutes when Gharb’s keeper lost the ball inside his area following pressure by Victoria’s Audgustine James Obaje and the presence of a central defender so that Victoria’s striker placed easily into an open goal. On 81 minutes Gharb’s keeper Daniel Spiteri made up for the previous mistake and deflected in time a cross-shot by Anthony George Attard while defender Manuel Gauci followed the action and cleared the danger to a corner. Gharb regained the lead on 83 minutes through a close ranged header by Manuel Gauci following a free kick by Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz. The Wanderers tried to produce an immediate reaction and on 86 minutes a free kick by Predrag Dordevic ended high. Three minutes later Victoria were reduced to ten players when Anthony George Attard was sent off for hitting Junior Elisio Batista Da Conceicao in a challenge between the two players. Victoria’s efforts were rewarded in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Sam Harland won a free kick just outside Gharb’s area and from the kick by Eman Bugeja, Moussa Bamba surmised the defence and headed in goal.
Referee: Matthew Degabriele
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