Zebbug Rovers held to a draw by Munxar

4 December 2021

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II (MD 4) Kercem Arkafort Stadium

Munxar Falcons FC : 0

Zebbug Rovers FC : 0 

Munxar F:

D. Galea, J.P. Grima, A. Buttigieg (M. Tabone), P. Rapa, M. Azzopardi, L. Meilak, N. Haber, J. Grima (K. Mizzi), A. Carvalho, R. Grima (P. Parnis), M. Farrugia.

Zebbug R:

Om. Xuereb, I. Buttigieg (M. Tabone), E. Bugeja, D. Mesa Pineros, E. Gauci, M. Camilleri Psaila (G. Grech), M. Camilleri, N.J. Cini, M. Grech (P. Spiteri), R. Saliba.

Zebbug Rovers and Munxar Falcons shared the spoils from a goalless draw in the first match from match Day 4 of the Gozo Football League of the second division.  With this result current leaders Zebbug Rovers dropped the first points in the campaign while Munxar recovered from the defeat conceded in the previous match and retained their chances to be among the contenders for promotion.

The match turned out into a well contested issue where the two sides had supremacy for some phases throughout the 90 minutes.  Although the point gained by each side is just, throughout the match Munxar seemed more dangerous and were closer to win the full points at stake so that they must have left the field of play more disappointed than their opponents.

Timeline:

Zebbug saw more of the ball during most of the first period but they found it difficult to create danger towards Munxar’s goal so that the latter came into the match as time passed by and went also close to scoring.

24’ Munxar created the first dangerous action through a shot cross by Ayesller Carvalho that was saved 

34’ Munxar went very close to open the score when a shot by Robert Grima was partially saved by Zebbug’s keeper Omar Xuereb and the ball seemed heading towards an open goal but defender Manuel Camilleri recovered in time and cleared the ball from the fatal line to avoid a certain goal.

36’ A free kick from long distance by Mario Farrugia was saved to a corner with difficulty by goalie Omar Xuereb.

45’ Zebbug’s best opportunity to take the lead arrived when Matias Camilleri Psaila took the ball from Munxar’s defence but his strike ended just high.

HT (0-0)

Second Half

Munxar came out for the second period in a better shape while 

10’ Munxar’s Aron Buttigieg had a curling shot from a good position that missed the target.

15’ In another good action by the Falcons, a header by Ayesller Carvalho following a cross from the right flank by Luke Meilak.

18’  Munxar kept insisting and were again dangerous when Zebbug’s defence failed to clear the ball from their area and at the end the shot from an ideal position by Joseph Grima was blocked from the goalmouth.

25’ A free kick by Munxar’s Joseph Grima arrived to an unmarked John Paul Grima but the latter hit badly from close distance and the goalkeeper blocked the danger.

40’ Zebbug missed a good scoring opportunity when substitute Paul Spiteri passed to an unmarked Glenn Grech, also came in as a substitute during the second period, but the latter hit badly from close distance and the ball ended wide.

45’  The Rovers had the last scoring opportunity of the encounter but an attempt directly from a corner kick by Manuel Camilleri passed in front of goal and ended wide.

FT (MF 0 – ZR 0)

Referee: Daniel Casha