Oratory obtain the first win

06 February 2021

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I – Match Day 7 Gozo Stadium

Xaghra United FC : 0

Oratory Youths FC : 4

15’ (0-1) Diego Steven Gomez Maldonado

61’ (0-2) penalty Rafael Rodrigues Ledesma

67’ (red card) Felipe Rodrigues De Souza Santos (XU)

72’ (0-3) Daniel Atzori

76’ (red card) Savio Galea (XU)

88’ (0-4) Daniel Azzopardi

Xaghra U:

O. Attard, J. Bajada, S. Galea, T. Agius (C. Camilleri), J.K. Farrugia, M. Cordina.L. Sultana, J.C. Moreiro Ribeiro (J. Attard), F. Rodrigues De Souza Santos, S. Sultana, N. Magrin (E. Xiberras) 

Oratory Y:

A. Brignoli, P. Rapa (J.M. Portelli), D. Atzori, R.R. Ledesma (M. Zammit), D.S. Gomez Maldonado, D. Azzopardi, E. Gauci, C. Borg (J. Xerri), Ju. Attard (K. Farrugia), D. Galea (S. Curmi), J. Grima.

Oratory Youths confirmed the encouraging performances that they expressed during their previous matches in the championship and earned their first win from their match against bottom placed Xaghra United.  This was a match between the two teams who were occupying the last two places on the table before this encounter, with the Youths having a one point lead over Xaghra.   The two sides therefore needed a win from this match in an attempt to get away from the relegation zone.

Oratory, however, enjoyed supremacy over their opponents throughout the encounter and could have paved the way to the deserved win with more goals scored during the first half.  Oratory fielded for the first time Columbian striker Diego Steven Gomez Maldonado who had an effective impact in attack and as a result the Youths managed to create many more scoring opportunities than they did in previous matches.  With this win Oratory reached SK Victoria Wanderers on the table and therefore re-opened their chances to get way from the red zone.

On the other hand Xaghra not only had a disappointing performance but also ended the match on a negative note as they had two players sent off s a result of reactions due to the frustration of the current situation.  Xaghra remain without a point after seven matches in the championship and are also four points away from the two teams who are above them pon the table.

Timeline

Oratory were more aggressive than their opponents form the opening stages and created continuous danger within Xaghra’s territory.

4’ Oratory’s striker Diego Gomez Maldonado passed through Xaghra’s defence in a counter break but his shot ended wide due to some pressure from his direct opponent.

8’ the same Columbian striker had a good shot from a good position that missed the target.

14’ Oratory were again dangerous through a header by Paul Rapa following a corner kick by Rafael Rodrigues Ledesma that ended wide.

15’ (0-1) Oratory opened the score when Diego Steven Gomez Maldonado took a back pass by a defender to his goalkeeper and lobed easily into an open goal.

20’ Xaghra replied through a shot form outside the area by Felipe Rodrigues De Souza Santos that ended wide.

25’ Oratory lost a good scoring opportunity when Diego Gomez Maldonado released Chris Borg inside Xaghra’s area but the latter concluded incredibly wide with an open goal at his mercy.

26’ In another good action by Oratory an attempt by Diego Gomez Maldonado aimed towards the far post ended wide.

29’ The same striker created an identical action and on this occasion his shot was deflected to a corner with difficulty by Xaghra’s keeper Owen Attard.

34’ Xaghra had their best scoring opportunity to level the score through an attempt directly from a free kick by Felipe Rodrigues De Souza Santos was saved with difficulty to a corner by Oratory’s goalie Angelo Brignoli.

41’ Oratory lost another good scoring opportunity when Diego Gomez Maldonado entered Xaghra’s area but his effort from an angled position ended wide.

45’ Xaghra’s keeper Owen Attard managed to save with the aid of the crossbar and attempt directly from a corner by Rafael Rodrigues Ledesma

HT (0-1)

Xaghra failed yto produce a reaction after the break mainly because Oratory maintained a good momentum and continued to produce pressure in an attempt to make sure of the win with more goals.

5’ Oratory went very close to scoring when Diego Gomez Maldonado took the ball from Xaghra’s keeper but Xaghra’s defender Savio Galea recovered in time and blocked the danger.

9’ Oratory’s Eric Gauci had a strike from long distance that ended just over Xaghra’s goal.

13’ Xaghra went again close to level the score when the ball arrived to Luke Sultana following a prolonged action but goalie Angelo Brignoli was managed to turn the ball to a corner.

15’ (0-2) – penalty Oratory doubled the score from a penalty that was awarded for a foul by goalie Owen Attard on Diego Gomez Maldonado who entered the area with a personal action and Rafael Rodrigues Ledesma fired in goal with his shot from the spot kick.

22’ (red card) Xaghra were reduced to 10 players when Felipe Rodrigues De Souza Santos was shown two consecutive yellow cards for protests with the assistant referee that were followed by ironic clapping towards the officials.

27’ (0-3) Oratory scored their third goal when Diego Gomez Maldonado entered Xaghra’s area from the left flank and from his cross Daniel Atzori controlled the ball and concluded in goal from close distance.

31’ (red card) Xaghra ended with 9 players as defender Savio Galea was shown a red card for retaliation on Diego Gomez Maldonado.

43’ (0-4) Oratory made sure of the win by scoring the fourth goal that arrived through a low shot by Daniel Azzopardi who received the ball inside the area from substitute Matthew Zammit.

FT (XU 0 – OY 4)

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann