5 December 2021
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I (MD 8) Gozo Stadium
Kercem Ajax FC : 1
SK Victoria Wanderers : 1
20’ (0-1) Neil Camilleri
74’ (1-1) Nathaniel Mercieca
Kercem A:
G. Bugeja, D. Cassar, N. Mercieca, N. Inguanez, J. Theuma, S. Martinez Turizo, J. Buttigieg, W. Simeao Dos Santos, I. Belhadj (E. Vella), A. Zammit (J. Grech), E. Da Silva Rodrigues.
SK Victoria W:
M. Kukrika, A. Agyeman, J.W. Meilak (A. Refalo), N. Camilleri, E. Zammit, O. Curmi, N. Grech, K. Grima, F. Rozkiewicz, D.U. Monday, G. Cardona (A. Adesina).
Lercem Ajax and SK Victoria wanderers earned a point each form a draw of two goals so tat Kercem reached Ghajnsielem at the second place on the standings while the Wanderers retained the other teams in the relegation zone within a reasonable reach, despite remaining at the bottom of the table. This was also Victoria’s second consecutive positive result after six defeats from the first six matches of the championship.
The match turned out into a well contested issue. Both sides had some important players who were missing. Kercem had central defender Luiz Henrique Santana Motta suspended, while Andrew Mizzi and Jean Paul Mizzi were unavailable for the match due to an injury. Victoria also had striker Aud-Gustine James Obaje and skipper Nicholas Vella who were not included in the payers list due to an injury. Kercem however expressed the difference between the two sides from the respective placing on the table, but the Wanderers were determined to obtain a positive result and made it extremely difficult for their opponents to score. Kercem were trailing by one goal for almost an hour but clinched the equaliser with twenty minutes left for the end of the encounter. During the final stages the two sides had good scoring opportunities so that the outcome of the match remained uncertain until the final whistle. The final result rewards the efforts of the two sets of players and although neither side was fully satisfied with the point, it was a just result.
Timeline:
Kercem saw more of the ball for most of the first half but during the first half hour of play they conceded some space for the Wanderers to operate offensive actions. The Ajax had a strong reaction after Victoria’s goal but they were often erratic in their finishing so that they took the break trailing by one goal.
9’ The Wanderers went very close to scoring but a header from an ideal position by Gabriel Cardona following a cross from the right by Fabricio Rozkiewicz hit the post and the goalkeeper saved the danger.
20’ (0-1) The Wanderers opened the score when Neil Camilleri headed inside the area from a free kick by Fabricio Rozkiewicz, the defence cleared badly and the same Camilleri took the loose ball and fired in goal from close distance.
Kercem produced an immediate reaction and as time passed by they started to dominate on Victoria’s defence.
26’ Kercem replied through a header by Euller Da Silva Rodrigues following a corner kick by Nathaniel Mercieca that ended high.
28’ The Ajax were again dangerous but a strike from outside the area by Sebastien Martinez Turizo ended just over the crossbar.
35’ A shot from outside the area by Jason Theuma following a clearance by Victoria’s defence missed the target.
40’ Kercem should have capitalised better when Wesley Simeao Dos Santos tried to pass through Victoria’s defence but missed the opportunity to conclude towards goal and the rear guard blocked the danger.
42’ The Ajax were again dangerous when Nathaniel Mercieca crossed from the left flank but an acrobatic attempt by Wesley Simeao Dos Santos was saved with difficulty by Victoria’s keeper Mladen Kukrika.
44’ Kercem protested for a penalty when Euller Da Silva Rodrigues tried to pass inside Victoria’s area and ended on the floor but he ball arrived to Joshua Buttigieg who had his shot aimed towards the far post that ended just wide.
45+3’ Victoria’s keeper Mladen Kukrika made the best save of the afternoon when he blocked a close ranged header by Euller Da Silva Rodrigues from a free kick by Nathaniel Mercieca.
45+5’ Kercem were again dangerous through a low shot by Wesley Simeao Dos Santos that was cleared with some difficulty by Victoria’s defence.
HT (KA 0 – SKVW 1)
Second Half
For the second period Kercem continued to produce pressure on Victoria’s defence in an attempt to recover the score.
2’ Victoria’s goalie Mladen Kukrika was at the right place ad saved a shot from outside the area by Wesley Simeao Dos Santos.
5’ In another action by Kercem, Euller Da Silva Rodrigues produced a personal initiative outside Victoria’s area but his low shot missed the target.
8’ The Wanderers replied with a personal action by Emerson Zammit who entered the area from the left flank but his shot was blocked to a corner by goalie Gaetano Bugeja. From the resultant corner kick by the same Zammit, Kercem’s keeper turned to a corner with some difficulty.
14’ Kercem’s Sebastien Martinez Turizo had a header from a corner kick by Nathaniel Mercieca that was neutralised by Victoria’s goalie.
18’ Victoria’s Emerson Zammit tried to surprise Kercem’s defence when the goalkeeper was out of his position but his lob from long distance missed the target.
24’ Kercem went very close to scoring but two consecutive shots by Wesley Simeao Dos Santos and player-coach Elton Vella, who came in as a substitute, were blocked by the defence.
26’ The Ajax kept insisting and a shot by Joshua Buttigieg following a prolonged action was neutralised by Victoria’s keeper.
29’ (1-1) Kercem were rewarded for their efforts as they scored the equaliser when Anthony Zammit passed from the right flank and from his low cross Nathaniel Mercieca arrived from behind the defence and netted with a tap-in.
33’ Kercem’s Nathaniel Mercieca was unmarked inside Victoria’s area but his shot was well blocked by central defender Nicholas Grech.
36’ In another dangerous action by Kercem Joshua Buttigieg passed inside the area to Wesley Simeao Dos Santos but the latter concluded high from an ideal position.
40’ The Wanderers missed a golden scoring opportunity to regain the lead but Gabriel Cardona concluded incredibly wide from close distanced and inviting cross from the right flank by Kersten Grima.
41’ Kercem were again dangerous through a cross shot by Nathaniel Mercieca that was blocked with some difficulty by goalie Mladen Kukrika.
44’ A free kick by Kercem’s Sebastien Martinez Tjurizo ended high.
45+2’ The Wanderers could have capitalised better when a direct corner kick by Fabricio Rozkiewicz hit the crossbar, the defence failed to clear the ball from the danger area but Asante Agyeman concluded wide from close distance.
FT (KA 1 – SKVW 1)
Referee: Etienne Mangion
| 05/12/2021 | P | W | D | L | F | A | PTS |
| NADUR Y | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 22 |
| GHAJNSIELEM | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 16 |
| KERCEM A | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 18 | 16 |
| XEWKIJA T | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 10 |
| VICTORIA H | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 8 |
| SANNAT L | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 8 |
| ORATORY Y | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 7 |
| SK VICTORIA W | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 4 |
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