Top of the table clash abandoned due to assault on match official

DETAILS

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II
MD 10 Kercem Ajax Stadium – 11 January 2020

Oratory Youths FC : 1
Sannat Lions FC : 0

– Abandoned 90’ –

8’ (1-0) Justin Azzopardi
87’ (red card) Daniel Borg
89’ (red card) Antoine Camilleri
90’ (Abandoned due to assault by Sannat player on assistant referee)

Oratory Y:

Camilleri, M. Ciangura, J. Azzopardi, E. Buttigieg, P. Rapa (K. Farrugia), P. Said (E. Xuereb), B. Perello Palou, D. Azzopardi, E. Gauci (Ju. Attard), S. Azzopardi, C. Borg.

Sannat L:

Muscat, J. Azzopardi, C. Gafa, C. Debono (J. Zammit), A. Camilleri, C. Vella, E.R. Okpokwu, F.J. Xuereb, M. Mifsud (D. Borg), J. Buttigieg, R. Grech.

SUMMARY

The main match of Match-Day 10 of the BOV Gozo Football League of the second division between the main contenders for promotion Sannat Lions and Oratory Youths was abandoned in the 90th minute when the Assistant Referee Andrea Pavia was assaulted by a Sannat player when Oratory were in the lead with a goal scored at an early stage of the encounter. After this incident the Gozo Football Association and the Malta Football Association both issued strong statements to deplore the violence in football and both associations are expected to take the disciplinary measures as stipulated by the respective statues.

Oratory needed a win from this match in an attempt to reduce their gap from the current leaders Sannat Lions who are were on maximum points prior to this encounter. The Youths were more aggressive in their play during the opening stages and took a deserved lead at an early stage of the match. Sannat struggled to produce a reaction and to produce danger towards goal but minutes away from the end of regular time they scored from a corner action but the goal was disallowed for an offside infringement. Sannat lost concentration and minutes later they had a player sent off for a rough foul on an opponent and on 89 minutes Sannat had Antoine Camilleri who was sent off following a second yellow card received for protests. The Sannat player lost his temper in the reaction and assaulted the Assistant Referee Andrea Pavia who was close to the action. As soon as the referee of the encounter Massimo Axisa noted that the Assistant Referee was on the floor he abandoned the match and the calm was restored after some moments of tension with the intervention of the persons who were on the field of play and also with the assistance of the police.

TIMELINE

Oratory took territorial supremacy from the early stages and their efforts were also rewarded as they took they took the driving seat through a goal scored in the opening minutes of the encounter.

8’ (1-0) Oratory opened the score through a header by Justin Azzopardi who took advantage of a mishap by Sannat’s goalkeeper who left his position but failed to take the ball.

Sannat’s reaction was sterile as the Youths were well organised at their defence and were also effective in their deployment in the midfield.

24’ Sannat could have levelled the score when Ebube Ralph Okpokwu entered Oratory’s area, turned around Oratory’s goalie Nathan Camilleri but his attempt towards goal was cleared off the line to a corner by Oratory’s defender Samwel Azzopardi. From the same corner action Sannat’s striker failed to capitalise as Oratory’s central defender Emanuel Buttigieg managed to clear the danger from the goalmouth.

27’ Sannat should have created more danger but a shot from outside the area by Ryan Grech missed the target.

During the remaining minutes of the first half Oratory gained more confidence and neutralised Sannat’s initiative so that Oratory’s goalie was not called to make any difficult interventions.

HT (1-0)

Sannat increased their efforts after the break but Oratory retained their composure and continued to protect their area with authority.

16’ Oratory could have doubled the score but a shot from a good position by substitute Elijah Xuereb following a cross by Bartomeu Perello Palou ended high.

18’ Sannat replied through a header by Fabian Xuereb following a corner kick by Mario Mifsud but the ball ended away from Oratory’s goal.

The match seemed heading towards a close win for Oratory but during the final stages of the encounter Sannat lost their concentration after having a goal that was disallowed for an offside.

39’ A shot by Sannat’s Ebube Ralph Okpokwu, after receiving form Antoine Camilleri, was blocked to a corner by Oratory’s central defender. From the same corner action Oratory’s defence failed to clear the danger from the goalmouth and substitute Daniel Borg concluded in goal from the resultant melee. However, the goal was disallowed for an offside waived by the assistant referee and play resumed after some moments of protests by Sannat with the match officials.

42’ Sannat were reduced to ten players when Daniel Borg was sent off for a foul on Daniel Azzopardi.

44’ Sannat ended up with nine players when Antoine Camilleri was sent off following a second yellow card received for protests.

45’ (match abandoned) Sannat’s Antoine Camilleri had a reaction to the red card and assaulted the assistant referee Andrea Pavia, who was in the vicinity of the action, so that the referee abandoned the match when he noted that the assistant referee was hurt on the floor.

(abandoned 90’ – 1-0)

Referee: Massimo Axisa