Hotspurs consolidate their fourth place

7 March 2022

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I (MD 15) Gozo Stadium

Sannat Lions FC: 1

Victoria Hotspurs FC : 3

20’ (0-1) penalty Robinson Blandon Rendon

29’ (red card) Oliver Cremona (VH)

41’ (0-2) Robinson Blandon Rendon

48’ (0-3) Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes

57’ (1-3) penalty Henry Fabian Solis

90+1’ (red card) Marlon Mamo (SL)

Sannat L:

L. Xuereb, A, Sultana, L.B. Da Silva, D. bellotti (N. Grima), H.F. Solis, M.M. Uzor, M. Mamo, H. Muscat, N. Biculjevic, A. Azopardi, F.J. Xuereb.

Victoria H:

D. Spiteril, C. Cardona, ER. Serrano Valero, A. Debrincat (L. Farrugia), H. De Souza Maciel, A. Azzopardi, O.G. Fermnandes, J. Tabone, E. Xiberras (A. Xiberras), O. Cremona, R. Blandon Rendon.

Victoria Hotspurs earned three precious points from a 3-1 win over Sannat Lions and opened a decisive lead over the other four teams at the lower part of the table.  This was an important match for the two sides as they were both in relegation trouble before this encounter.  Sannat seemed more motivated and were more offensive in their play but they failed to convert their possession into good scoring opportunities.

Victoria Hotspurs made good use of their experience and were well deployed at their defence so that their goalkeeper was not called to make difficult interventions.  The Hotspurs capitalised from their best opportunities towards Sannat’s goal and managed to pave the way to the win by scoring three goals despite having a player sent off during the first part of the match.

Timeline

Sannat came out more aggressive and created some good scoring opportunities which could have put them in the lead.  Sannat were punished for the missed chances as the Hotspurs concluded with goals sporadic actions within Sannat’s territory and ended the first half with a two-goal lead despite having a player sent off before the half-hour mark.

35 sec. Sannat were dangerous through a shot from outside the area by Matthias Michael Uzor but the ball got a deflection and ended in a corner.

5’ Sannat kept insisting and went again close to scoring through a header by Lucas Baretto Da Silva that was cleared from the goalmouth to a corner by Victoria’s defence.

7’ The same Baretto Da Silva had an attempt from a long distance that ended wide.

13’ Sannat’s Lucas Baretto Da Silva had another attempt directly from a free-kick that was saved by Victoria’s goalie Daniel Spiteri.

19’ (0-1) penalty The Hotspurs opened the score against the run of play when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Lucas Baretto Da Silva on Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes and Robinson Blandon Rendon converted from the spot-kick.

24’ (protests for penalty) Sannat protested for a penalty following a challenge inside Victoria’s area by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes on Sannat’s Lucas Baretto Da Silva.

29’ (red card) The Hotspurs were reduced to ten players when Oliver Cremona was sent off for a second caution received for a foul in the midfield on Henry Fabian Solis.

31’ Sannat were again dangerous through a strike from outside the area by Aaron Azzopardi that ended wide.

33’ The Hotspurs replied through a free kick by Henrique De Souza Maciel that was well saved by Sannat’s keeper Lorjean Xuereb.

41’ (0-2) The Hotspurs doubled the score when a shot by Henrique Maciel was blocked by the defence and from the rebound, the ball arrived at an unmarked Robinson Blandon Rendon who addressed towards goa and the ball ended in the net despite the attempt of the goalkeeper to block the danger.

HT (0-2)

Second Half

After the resumption the Hotspurs seemed more aggressive and increased their lead but as time passed by Sannat took more advantage of the extra player on the field of play and staged a determined reaction in an attempt to recover the result.

3’ (0-3) The Hotspurs added another goal when Matthias Michael Uzor hit badly in an attempt to pass the ball to his goalkeeper and Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes won possession at the edge of the area, turned around the goalkeeper and placed easily on goal with a low drive.

11’ (1-3) penalty Sannat reduced the deficit when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Christian Cardona on substitute Nicholas Grima and Henry Fabian Solis fired in goal the shot from the spot-kick.

16’ (protests for penalty) Sannat protested for a penalty when Nebojsa Biculjevic tried to pass inside the area but ended on the floor following a challenge by Elkin Serrano Valero.

Sannat kept insisting but they could not find a way to create dangerous action as the Hotspurs defended their area with many players.

36’ Victoria could have scored another goal when Henrique Maciel released Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes who entered the area and passed to an unmarked Robinson Blandon Rendon but the latter incredibly lifted over the crossbar with an open goal at his mercy.

45+1’ (red card) Sannat were reduced to ten players when Marlon Mamo was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Henrique Maciel.

45+3’ Victoria’s Robinson Blandon Rendon had an attempt from a free-kick that ended wide.

FT (SL 1 – VH 3)

Referee: Emanuel Grech