Second consecutive win for Kercem

13 September 2021

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I – Match Day 2 Gozo Stadium

Oratory Youths : 2

Kercem Ajax FC : 3

4’ (1-0) penalty Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira

9’ (1-1) Andrew Mizzi

47’ (red card) Luis Henrique Santana Motta (KA)

48’ (2-1) Rodrigo Ost Dos Santos

64’ (2-2) Sebastien Martinez Turizo

86’ (2-3) Andrew Mizzi

Oratory Y:

A. Brignoli, K. Farrugia (D. Galea),  H.H. Goncalves Barbosa, R. Ost Dos Santos, P. Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira, D. Azzopardi, S. Azzopardi, N.I. Belhadj, K. Formosa (D. Atzori), S. Curmi, J. Attard.

Kercem A:

G. Bugeja, D. Cassar, N. Mercieca, L.H. Santana Motta, N. Inguanez, S. Martinez Turizo, J. Buttigieg (I. Belhadj), W. Simeao Dos Santos, A. Mizzi, A. Zammit, E. Da Silva Rodrigues.

In the last match of Match-Day 2, Kercem Ajax turned a defeat into a 3-2 win over Oratory Youths and with the points obtained they became the sole leaders on the table with maximum points.  This was undoubtedly the best match so far in the championship as both Kercem and Oratory tried hard to obtain the win.  Play was balanced with scoring opportunities at the two ends of the field of play but Kercem managed to express their experience during the last quarter of the encounter so that they practically took away the win from their opponents.  The Youths seemed heading towards a positive result during the initial stages of the second period as they managed to take the lead for the second time and were also playing with an extra player.  However, Oratory became overconfident as time passed by and suffered Kercem’s reaction so that the latter recovered the deficit and scored the decisive goal with only four minutes left until the end of regular time.

Timeline

The Youths had a better start but Kercem were not demoralised and throughout the first period the two sides shared play and also some good scoring opportunities.

4’ (1-0) (penalty) Oratory had an excellent start and were awarded a penalty for a foul by goalie Gaetano Bugeja on Haraan Hajazan Goncalves Barbosa, and Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira converted from the spot kick.

9’ (1-1) Kercem had an immediate reaction and levelled the score when Luiz Henrique Santana Motta delivered a cross from the left flank and Andrew Mizzi headed in goal from close distance.

As time passed by the two sides struggled to take command of play but the two defensive departments prevailed over the respective strikers.

31’ Kercem’s goalie Gaetano Bugeja was well placed and blocked to a corner a low shot by Haraan Hajazan Goncalves Barbosa.

33’ The Ajax had an immediate reply but a shot on the run by Joshua Buttigieg, who was challenged by two defenders, following a low cross by Sebastien Martinez Turizo ended wide.

37’ The Youths operated a counter break through Haraan Hajazan Goncalves Barbosa bit the striker had his final shot that ended on the side of the net.

41’ The Youths were again dangerous on two separate consecutive actions.  In the first occasion a low shot aimed to the far post by Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira ended wide and in the following action a strike from outside the area by Haraan Hajazan Goncalves Barbosa, when he was facing the goalkeeper, ended high.

45+2’ Just before the break Kercem could have turned the result in their favour but Sebastien Martinez Turizo concluded wide when he released himself with a personal action.

HT (1-1)

For the second half Oratory took the driving seat as they regained the lead and also had an advantage of an extra player on the field of play.  Kercem, however recovered from the early shock and managed to produce a reaction despite the fact that they were playing with ten players.

2’ (red card) Kercem were reduced to ten players when Luis Henrique Santana Motta was sent off after committing a foul in an attempt to stop a goal scoring opportunity by Oratory’s Sintayehu Curmi who was entering alone in the area.

3’ (2-1) The Youths capitalised immediately from the situation and converted the resultant direct free kick through Rodrigo Ost Dos Santos.

15’ The Youths could have added another goal but a first timer by Pablo Vinicius De Moraes after receiving from Karl Formosa missed the target.

19’ (2-2) Kercem levelled the score through a direct free kick by Sebastien Martinez Turizo that surprised Oratory’s keeper.

26’ Kercem were again dangerous when Andrew Mizzi entered Oratory’s area but his strike was well blocked by goalie Angelo Brignoli.

29’ Oratory operated a good break through Pablo Vinicius De Moraes but Sintayehu Curmi failed to connect from close distance,

36’ In another good action by the Youths and effort by Karl Formosa missed the target.

41’ (2-3) Kercem turned the result in their favour when Euller Da Silva Rodrigues released Andrew Mizzi and the skipper fired in goal with a fine shot on the run.

45+3’ The Youths could have saved the result but a shot from close distance by substitute Daniel Atzori ended just over the crossbar.

FT (OY 2 – KA 3)

Referee: Jason Portelli