Qala Saints champions of the second division

12 March 2022

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II (MD 12) Kercem Arkafort Stadium

St Lawrence Spurs FC : 0

Qala Saints FC : 3

67’’ (0-1) Ebube Ralph Okpokwu

71’ (0-2) penalty Emanuel Buttigieg

72’ (0-3) Charlon Farrugia

** Qala Saints champions

St Lawrence S:

Co. Mercieca, F. Grima, L. Attard, G. Portelli, A. Haska (A. Portelli), L. Cilia, V.J. Saliba, J. Xuereb, C. Azzopardi, D. Micallef, J.M. Portelli.

Qala S:

M. Muscat, J. Portelli, Jsp. Buttigieg, M. Buttigieg (S. Muscat), S. Farrugia (Jsf. Buttigieg), C. Farrugia (M. Zerafa), E. Buttigieg, P. Muscat, B. Said, E.R. Okpokwu (R. Meilak), M. Xerri (S. Sillato).

Qala Saints scored three goals midway through the second half in their match against St Lawrence Spurs and earned the three points that they needed to become mathematically champions of the lower category and also a return in the top flight of Gozitan football next season after a long period,

In this match, Qala was not only motivated to make sure of winning the title of the lower category but was also aiming to take revenge for the only two points dropped during the campaign that happened in the match between the two sides of the first round that ended in a draw of four goals.

Qala’s win was well deserved as they dictated matters throughout the encounter.  The Maroons confirmed their superiority in the category which they expressed along the season.  However, Qala found it more difficult than expected to convert their play into good scoring opportunities during the first half but they increased their efforts after the break and managed to put their minds at rest from the win by scoring three goals in the space of five minutes.  On the other hand, St Lawrence found it very difficult to share play with their opponents particularly when they lost the service of their prolific striker Alen Haska who was injured at an early stage of the encounter.  With this defeat, the Spurs dropped to fourth place on the table but remain in contention to improve their position in the last three matches of the campaign,

Timeline

Qala tried to take command of play from the beginning of the encounter but the Spurs were well deployed at their defence and made it difficult for the Maroons to conclude towards goal. 

11’ St Lawrence had the first serious scoring opportunities of the encounter but a direct free-kick from a good position by Alen Haska was easily saved by Qala’s goalie Matthew Muscat.

41’ Qala’s best opportunity to open the score arrived through a shot from an ideal position by Ebube Ralph Okpokwu that was blocked to a corner with difficulty by goalie Courtney Mercieca.  From the same corner action, Okpokwu’s header was saved to another corner by the goalkeeper.

43’ The Maroons went again close to scoring from another corner kick, taken by Charlon Farrugia, but the header by Brandon Said was blocked with difficulty by goalie Courtney Mercieca and the defence cleared the danger from the area with difficulty.

45+2’ Qala’s Stefan Farrugia had a shot from outside the area that missed the target.

45+3’ St Lawrence replied through a shot by Christian Azzopardi that was neutralised by Qala’s goalie Matthew Muscat

HT (0-0)

Second Half

Qala continued to administer play after the break but the Spurs continued to defend well and the actions towards goal during the second period continued to be quite rare.

12’ St Lawrence’s goalie Courtney Mercieca was well-paced and punched away in time a cross-shot by Qala’s Ebube Ralph Okpokwu.

22’ (0-1) Qala opened the score through a tap-in by Ebube Ralph Okpokwu following an inviting low cross from the right flank by Brandon Said.

23’ Qala could have doubled the score but a header by Ebube Ralph Okpokwu from a corner kick by Martin Buttigieg ended just high.

25’ (0-2) penalty Qala were awarded a penalty for a foul by Daniel Micallef on Ebube Ralph Okpokwu and skipper Emanuel Buttigieg converted from the spot-kick to put Qala’s minds at rest from the win.

27’ (0-3) St Lawrence were demoralised and the Maroons added another goal when substitute Samuel Sillato entered the area from the left flank.  St Lawrence’s defence failed to clear Sillato’s low cross from the goalmouth and Charlon Farrugia pushed the ball in the goal from the resultant melee on the fatal line.

36’ St Lawrence’s goalie Courtney Mercieca made a good save following a header by substitute Ryan Meilak from a cross by Samuel Sillato but the action was stopped for an offside.

42’ The same goalkeeper made another good intervention to block an effort by Qala’s Brandon Said who was in an unmarked position inside the area.

FT (SLS 0 – QS 3)

Referee: Anthony Paul Vella