Sannat win direct clash from the red zone

3 October 2021

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I – Match Day 5 Gozo Stadium

SK Victoria Wanderers : 0

Sannat Lions FC : 1

52’ (0-1) Lucas Silva Gomes

58’ (red card) Asante Agyeman (SKVW)

SK Victoria W:

G. Ratto, A. Agyeman, A.J. Obaje, N. Camilleri, E. Zammit,  O. Curmi, S. Harland (O. Fenech), K. Grima (G. Cardona), D.U. Monday, A. Adesina, N. Vella (F. Rozkiewicz).

Sannat L:

L. Xuereb, A. Sutana, L.B. Da Silva, D. Bellotti, H.F. Solis, L. Silva Gomes (N. Grima), M. Mamo, M. Mifsud, N. Biculjevic, A. Azzopardi, F.J. Xuereb.

Sannat Lions registered their first win and the third positive result in the championship in their match against SK Victoria Wanderers.  With the points obtained Sannat moved to the fifth place on the table and left the three teams from Victoria behind them.

This match was a direct clash between the two sides who were at the last two places on the table before this match and they were both aiming to obtain the first win.  The Wanderers could have earned the first point with a draw.  As a result the two sides seemed determined to achieve the objective but at the end Sannat prevailed with a close win as they capitalised from a free kick at an early stage of the second period and managed to neutralise Victoria’s reaction who ended with a player less on the field minutes after conceding the decisive goal of the encounter.

In this match Victoria once again exposed lack of experience as this was the fourth time form five matches that they were in contention with the opponents until the end of the first half but conceded goals after the resumption so that it became difficult to run after the result.  In this particular match, the Wanderers held more territorial supremacy but they missed their best scoring opportunities, so that Sannat took the driving seat and managed to defend their area with authority.

Timeline

During the opening stages of the first half the Wanderers saw more of the ball but they failed to convert the manoeuvre into serious scoring opportunities, so that Sannat were forced to defend for long stretches and operated attacks with sporadic breaks.

7’ SK Victoria Wanderers had the first opportunity to open the score but an attempt directly from a free-kick by Aud-Gustine James Obaje ended just over the crossbar.

19’ Sannat replied through a shot from an angled position by Henry Fabian Solis, following a long-ranged cross from the left flank, that missed the target.

22’ The Wanderers had an attempt from outside the area by Kersten Grima that ended wide.

26’ Sannat’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb was well placed and saved to a corner a cross shot by Kersten Grima after receiving from Aud-Gustine James Obaje.

29’ The same goalkeeper left his position in time to take the ball before Sam Harland could meet an inviting through pass by Emerson Zammit.

37’ Victoria’s Emerson Zammit had a good strike from outside the area that ended just over the crossbar.

44’ The Wanderers failed to capitalise from a mistake by Sannat’s defence as they failed to clear a cross by Emerson Zammit but Sam Harland prolonged his control and the goalkeeper saved the danger.

HT (0-0)

After the break the Wanderers tried to maintain their momentum but they compromised their efforts at an early stage when they conceded a goal from a free-kick and ended up playing with a player less before the hour mark.

40sec. Victoria had another good scoring opportunity when Aud-Gustine James Obaje delivered a cross inside Sannat’s area but Emerson Zammit’s shot from an ideal position ended away from goal.

3’ Sannat replied through a shot by Dylan Bellotti that ended high.

6’ (0-1) Sannat opened the score when Nebojsa Biculjevic won a free kick at an angled position and from the same set-piece, Lucas Silva Gomes surprised Victoria’s rear guard and netted with a shot towards the far post.

10’ Sannat gained confidence and were again dangerous through a strike by Marlon Mamo that ended just high.

13’ (red card) The Wanderers were reduced to ten players when Asante Agyeman was shown two consecutive yellow cards for a foul on Nebojsa Buciljevic and retaliation on Lucas Silva Gomes.

22’ The Wanderers, however, tried to increase their efforts in an attempt to recover the score but Aud-Gustine James Obaje’s shot from a good position missed the target.

41’ Victoria had two very good scoring opportunities in the space of one minute.  In the first occasion Aud-Gjustine James Obaje won the ball from Sannat’s keeper but from his pass, substitute Gabriel Cardona failed to conclude form close distance as the defence blocked the danger.  In the following action Victoria’s Emerson Zammit delivered the ball towards the far post but substitute Fabricio Roziewicz header was stopped by the post.

45+7’ Sannat should have scored a second goal on the stroke of additional time when Dylan Bellotti and Nebojsa Biculjevic entered alone inside Victoria’s territory following a counter break but the former incredibly passed badly to Biculjevic so that the defence recovered and Sannat missed the opportunity to push the ball into an open goal.

FT (SKVW 0 – SL 1)

Referee: Slawomir Olucha