BOV GFA Super Cup (Final) Gozo Stadium
Nadur Youngsters FC : 2
Ghajnsielem FC : 4
2′ (0-1) Patrick Dos Santos Cruz
25’ (1-1) Joseph Zammit
45’ (1-2) Daniel Farrugia
67’ (red card) Manwel Tabone (NY)
68’ (1-3) penalty Patrick Dos Santos Cruz
72’ (2-3) o.g. Adrian Parnis
90+4’ (2-4) Shaun Attard
Nadur Y:
S. Sultana, L.B. Da Silva, M. Tabone, J.M. Vella, J. Zammit, M.P. Camilleri (G. Farrugia), M. Jr. Barbosa, I. Nedeljkovic, J. Xerri (G. Dourado Ferreira), G. Muscat.
Ghajnsielem:
A. Parnis, A. Xuereb, D. Farrugia, M.J. Bezzina (N.I. Belhadj), J.P. Oliveira Santos (C. Camilleri), S. Attard, K. Farrugia, K. Grima (K. Borg), V. Candido Junior, C.H. Da Silva Barbosa, P. Dos Santos Cruz.
The Gozitan football season 2022/2023 started with the BOV Super Cup final which was contested by the reigning champions and winners of the BOV GFA Cup Nadur Youngsters and the finalists of the last edition of the BOV GFA Cup Ghajnsielem. In this first match of the season Ghajnsielem prevailed over Nadur and ended up winning the first honour of the season which was being held after an absence two years due to the pandemic where the competitions were either stopped or were not completed.
In this match both Nadur and Ghajnsielem confirmed that they have the potential to be the main protagonists and challengers for the main honours this season. Ghajnsielem seemed determined to make up for the disappointments of the previous years and produced more effective play than their opponents. Nadur were surprised and failed to impose the play which they expressed in the last seasons. The changes which the two sides carried out during summer seemed more effective in Ghajnsieem’s squad. Ghajnsielem’s new coach Michael Vella managed to deploy a very competitive side which is balanced in all departments but particularly dangerous in attack where the new signings of foreign players created continuous danger within Nadur’s territory. Based on the performance of Nadur in their first match of the season, their coach Mark Buttigieg would have to work hard in an attempt to regain the standards of the team during the last year as they probably did not find the right replacements for the players who left Nadur at the end of the last season.
The 4-2 win for Ghajnsielem matured with two goals scored in each half but the turning point was probably Ghajnsielem’s third goal that arrived from a penalty that also led to a player from Nadur sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity.
At the end of the encounter the President of the Gozo Football Association and other officials of the association presented the medals and the Super Cup to Ghajnsielem’s players and officials among the celebrations of the numerous supporters.
Timeline:
Ghajnsielem came out very aggressive and dominated the first part of the encounter. However, Nadur recovered from the difficult start and as time passed by they started to share more play with their opponents and also recovered a one-goal deficit.
2’ (0-1) Ghajnsielem had an excellent start and opened the sore in their first offensive action of the encounter when Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos delivered a cross inside Nadur’s area and Patrick Dos Santos Cruz headed in goal from close distance.
4’ The Blacks could have doubled the score but Nadur’s keeper Steve Sultana saved with difficulty to a corner a shot from outside the area by Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos.
7’ The same goalkeeper once again denied Ghajnsielem from scoring a second goal by turning to a corner an attempt from a free kick by Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa.
25’ (1-1) Ghajnsielem were punished for the missed chances as they allowed their opponents to score the equaliser when goalie Adrian Parnis’s clearance arrived to Nadur’s Joseph Zammit who took the opportunity and placed in goal with a low shot.
29’ Nadur were again dangerous through a shot by Igor Nedeljkovic that was well saved by Ghajnsielem’s keeper Adrian Parnis.
32’ Ghajnsielem regained territorial supremacy during the last part of the first half and were also dangerous through a low shot from outside the area by Shaun Attard, after receiving from Patrick Dos Santos Cruz, that was partially saved by Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana and the defence cleared the danger.
41’ The same goalkeeper was well placed and managed to save with some difficulty to a corner a free kick by Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa.
44’ The Blacks missed a golden scoring opportunity when Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos released Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa on the right flank. The latter delivered an inviting low cross towards Nadur’s goalmouth but Patrick Dos Santos Cruz incredibly missed the opportunity to conclude with an open goal at his mercy.
45’ (1-2) Ghajnsielem regained the lead through a fine header by Daniel Farrugia following a corner kick by Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos that surprised Nadur’s rear guard.
45+1’ Nadur could have conceded another goal but goalie Steve Sultana kept his side in contention with a fine save following a curling shot by Michael Bezzina.
HT (1-2)
Second Half
Play for the second period became much more interesting as Nadur came out very aggressive in an attempt to recover the score while Ghajnsielem continued to be quite dangerous each time that they produced offensive action inside Nadur’s territory.
3’ Nadur went very close to level the score but a strike by Joseph Zammit from inside the area, after receiving from substitute Gustavo Dourado Ferreira, was well saved by Ghajnsielem’s keeper Adrian Parnis.
18’ Nadur missed an opportunity to create more danger but an effort directly from a free kick by Marcelo Barbosa missed the target.
19’ Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana was called to make an effective intervention to avoid an own goal as a low cross by Ghajnielem’s Patrick Dos Santos Cruz took a deflection by a defender and the ball almost surprised the goalkeeper.
22’ (1-3 penalty) (red card) Ghajnsielem were awarded a penalty for a foul by central defender Manwel Tabone on Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa. Tabone was sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity and the Blacks increased their lead with the shot from the spot kick by Patrick Dos Santos Cruz.
27’ (2-3) Nadur however had an immediate reaction and managed to re-open the issue when Marcelo Barbosa passed through Ghajnsielem’s rear guard and his low shot from an angled position surprised the goalkeeper Adrian Parnis who hit badly and the ball ended inside the net.
29’ Nadur could have levelled the score but a fine header by Igor Nedeljkovic following a cross by Marcelo Barbosa ended just wide.
30’ (crossbar) Ghajnsielem once again went very close to score another goal but an effort by Shaun Attard was stopped by the crossbar.
45+4’ (2-4) Ghajnsielm sealed the win when Nadur’s defence failed to clear the ball from their area and Shaun Attard took the ball and placed in goal with a low shot from an angled position.
FT (NY 2 – GHJ 4)
Referee: Darryl Agius
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