8 May 2022
BOV GFA Cup (Final) Gozo Stadium
Nadur Youngsters FC : 3
Ghajnsielem FC: 2
32’ (1-0) Marcelo Jr Barbosa
49’ (red card) Gennaro Hii (NY)
50’ (1-1) penalty Igor Nedeljkovic
68’ (2-1) Ederson Bruno Domingos
79’ (2-2) Igor Nedeljkovic
90’ (red card) Lawrence Grima (GHJ)
90+1’ (3-2) penalty Marcelo Jr. Barbosa
Nadur Y:
S. Sultana, M. Tabone, L. Moreira, J.M. Vella, I. Xuereb, J. Zammit, M.Jr. Barbosa, S. Cassar, E. Bruno Domingos, G. Hili, J. Parnis (G. Farrugia).
Ghajnsielem:
A. Parnis, K. Borg, Al. Xuereb, D. Farrugia, S.F. Bajada, K Merceica (J. Camilleri), S. Attard, K. Farrugia (R. Watanabe), K. Grima, L. Grima, I. Nedeljkovic.
Nadur Youngsters obtained a dramatic 3-2 win over Ghajnsielem in the final of the BOV GFA Cup so that the champions won the second most important honour in Gozitan football for the ninth time in the club’s history and ended the season by winning all the three major competitions in local football, i.e. the BOV Gozo Football League of the first division, the BOV GFA Cup and the BOV Knock Out competition for the first division.
This last competitive match of the Gozitan football season 2021/2022 lived up to the expectations as the two contenders were the main protagonists in the other competitions. The final was also followed by a large crowd as the two sides had strong motivation to win this honour. Nadur not only aimed for the treble but also to win the cup after a long time since their last success in this competition was at the end of 2013/1014. Ghajnsielem had their strong reasons to do their utmost to win this final. The Blacks were aiming to make up for a disappointing season by lifting the last honour of the season and taking the trophy back to their premises for the first time since the season 2016/2017.
The final of the BOV GFA Cup, therefore, turned into a typical cup tie with the two sides trying to prevail and with the outcome that remained uncertain until the dying moments. It was not a surprise that the winner of the competition was established with the decisive goal that arrived seconds away from the end of the regular time and when e everyone was expecting that the match is extended to extra time.
After the end of the match Nadur Youngsters’ players, staff and officials were presented with medals and with the BOV GFA Cup from Ms Charmaine Borg, the Manager of the Bank of Valletta for the Region of Gozo, and the President of the Gozo Football Association Dr Samuel Azzopardi in the presence of other GFA officials and among the celebrations by the numerous Nadur supporters.
Timeline
Ghajnsielem seemed more motivated during the opening stages ad managed to hold the initiative. However, as time passed by Nadur recovered and started to share more play in the midfield and took the driving seat as soon as they opened the sore just after the half-hour mark.
11’ (post) Ghajnsielem could have opened the score when Kurt Grima passed to Igor Nedeljkovic within Nadur’s area but the latter had his close-range shot that was stopped by the post with the goalkeeper beaten.
21’ Ghajnsielem’s Kurt Grima had a shot from outside the area that ended wide.
22’ Nadur replied with an initiative by Marcelo Barbosa who entered Ghajnsielem’s area from the left flank but from his cross the ball passed in front of an open goal as Nadur’s strikers arrived late to connect.
24’ Nadur’s keeper Steve Sultana made a difficult save to deny Ghajnsielem from scoring as he blocked a shot by Kevin Farrugia following a cross by Kurt Grima.
26’ Nadur could have created more danger but a shot from a good position by Jordi Parnis missed the target.
28’ The same Nadur striker had a curling shot from the edge of the area that ended just over the crossbar.
32’ (1-0) Nadur managed to open the score when Jordi Parnis released Marcelo Jr Barbosa and the latter placed in goal with a low drive as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.
34’ Ghajnsielem were shocked and their goalkeeper Adrian Parnis made two difficult saves to block two shots from the same prolonged action by Stefan Cassar and Marcelo Barbosa.
HT (1-0)
Second Half
Ghajnsielem surprised their opponents from the early stages of the second half and took advantage of an extra player on the field of play so that the match became more contested and with an uncertain outcome.
2’ Nadur’s Marcelo Barbosa passed through Ghajnsielem’s defence with a personal action but he insisted for too long and in the end the defence manage dot clear the danger.
4’ (red card – penalty) Ghajnsielem operated a breakthrough Igor Nedeljkovic who entered the area but was pulled to the floor by defender Gennaro Hili so the referee awarded a penalty and showed the red card to Hili for stopping a goal-scoring opportunity.
5’ (1-1) penalty Ghajnsielem capitalise from the opportunity and levelled the score with the shot from the spot-kick by Igor Nedeljkovic.
Play became much more interesting as Nadur tried to re-organise themselves, with striker Joseph Zammit deployed at a defensive role, while Ghajnsielem tried to increase their offensive play.
21’ Ghajnsielem went very close to turning the result in their favour but a header by Igor Nedeljkovic following a corner kick by Alberto Xuereb ended just high.
23’ (2-1) Nadur regained the lead when Lucas Moreira passed centrally to Marcelo Barbosa and the latter released Ederson Bruno Domingos who placed in goal with a low shot towards the far post.
Ghajnsielem struggled to produce an immediate reaction while Nadur grew in confidence and tried to administer play despite being with a player less on the field of play.
34’ (2-2) Ghajnsielem managed to recover the deficit and scored the second equaliser when Igor Nedeljkovic passed through Nadur’s defence and fired towards the corner of the net as soon as he entered the area.
45’ (red card- penalty) Nadur’s Marcelo Barbosa took the ball and passed Ghajnsielem’s defence, entered the area and was denied from concluding towards an open goal by defence Lawrence Grima so the referee awarded a penalty and showed the red card to Ghajnsielem’s defender.
45+1’ (3-2) Nadur’s Marcelo Jr Barbosa made no mistake from the spot-kick and scored the goal that decided the match.
FT (NY 3 – GHJ 2)
Referee: Ishmael Barbara
Asst. Referees: Roberto Vella, Duncan Sultana
4th Official Daniel Portelli
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