Zebbug win direct bottom-of-table clash

7 March 2020
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II – Match Day 16 Kercem Ajax Stadium

Zebbug Rovers FC: 4
Qala Saints FC: 1

1’ (1-0) penalty Tiago Barbosa
9’ (1-1) Peter Muscat
11’ (2-1) Tiago Barbosa
24’ (3-1) Tiago Barbosa
59’ (4-1) Marvic Grima

Zebbug R:
L. Gatt, R. Saliba, M. Formosa, O. Calleja, L. Farrugia, S. Sultana (J. Azzopardi), M. Grima, F. Cini (F. Attard), E. Galea, J. Muscat, T. Barbosa (R. Grima).

Qala S:
F. Buttigieg, P. Muscat, M. Buttigieg, C. Caruana (C. Xerri), A. Attard, J. Portelli, M. Portelli, M. Cefai, R. Meilak, F.A. De Oliviera, M. Vella (A.A. Xerri).

In the last match of the third round of the campaign, Zebbug Rovers obtained a 4-1 win over Qala Saints and with this outcome Zebbug are again joining Munxar Falcons on the table while the Maroons ended at the bottom place on the table. The two teams were aiming for a win as they are both struggling to avoid the bottom place in the table so that during the first half play was rather balanced. However, Zebbug managed to end the first half with a two-goal lead and continued to administer play for the rest of the encounter. The main protagonist of this match was undoubtedly Zebbug’s striker Tiago Barbosa, known as Philco, who scored the three goals for his side.

Timeline:
Zebbug had a better start.
1’ (50sec.) (1-0) penalty – Zebbug were awarded a penalty for handling by Malcolm Cefai and Tiago Barbosa converted from the spot-kick.
9’ (1-1) Qala had a good reaction and levelled the score when Felipe Augusto De Oliviera delivered a low cross from the right flank and Peter Muscat placed behind Zebbug’s goalie Liam Gatt from close distance.
10’ Zebbug’s goalie Liam Gatt made a good save following a shot by Martin Buttigieg.
11’ (2-1) Zebbug regained the lead when Francesco Cini passed to Tiago Barbosa who passed through Qala’s defence and concluded in goal with a low shot.
24’ (3-1) Zebbug added another goal when Qala’s keeper Franco Buttigieg partially saved a shot by Zebbug’s Joseph Muscat and from the rebound, Tiago Barbosa concluded in goal with a low shot with the ball hitting the base of the post before crossing the fatal line.
29’ Qala’s goalie Franco Buttigieg saved with some difficulty to a corner a shot by Lucas Farrugia following a personal action.
38’ Qala had an opportunity to reduce the deficit but a free kick by Felipe Augusto De Oliviera ended wide.
HT (3-1)

Zebbug continued to be the better side after the break.
6’ Qala’s keeper Franco Buttigieg saved in two attempts a low shot by Omar Calleja after receiving from Lucas Farrugia.
14’ (4-1) Zebbug scored their fourth goal through a shot from an angled position by Marvic Grima following a personal action.
23’ Qala could have reduced the score when Felipe Augusto De Oliviera headed inside the area from a corner kick by Matthew Portelli but the following header by substitute Armando Antonio Xerri was stopped by the crossbar.
38’ Qala had another opportunity to score a second goal but a shot by Felipe Augusto De Oliviera was saved to a corner by goalie Liam Gatt.
45’ Qala’s Felipe Augusto De Oliviera once again had another attempt that was also saved to a corner by goalie Liam Gatt.
FT (4-1)

Referee: Andrew James Sammut