Xewkija secure a place with the Top 4

12 February 2022

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I Gozo Stadium

Qala Saints FC : 1

Xewkija Tigers FC : 3

5’ (1-0) Lawrence Grima

8’ (1-1) Lucas Vinicius Viana Prati

54’ (1-2) Damir Andelovic

90+2’ (1-3) Matthias Mercieca

Qala S:

O. Attard, L. Grima, Jsph. Buttigieg, M. Buttigieg (N.C. Njoku), J.Y. Suzuki Bicudo, Jsh. Buttigieg, A. Carvalho, S. Attard, J. Parnis, R.C. Prudente, M. Xerri.

Xewkija T:

N. Kosanin, J. Vella, M. Mercieca, J. Buttigieg, L.V. Viana Prati, R. Buttigieg, D. Bogdanovic, A. Bozovic, D. Mercieca, C. Camilleri, D. Andelovic.

Xewkija Tigers earned three very important points when they turned a defeat into a 3-1 win over Qala saints and made sure to play the second phase of the championship with the Top 4 teams.  This was also Qala’s third consecutive match without a win and as a result, they missed the opportunity to keep close to the leaders.

The two sides had ambitions for the full points at stake to reach their respective objective. Qala had an encouraging start despite playing once again without their influential central defender Vitor Ferrari Silva due to an injury, but they conceded an immediate reaction by Xewkija and for the rest of the encounter they struggled to impose their superiority.  The Maroons were punished for some missed chances and also for lack of concentration in their defence so they compromised also the possibility to save the result.

Xewkija on the other hand capitalised on their best chances and paved the way to the win by turning the result in their favour during the early stage of the second period.  The Tigers confirmed the strength of their defensive department as they made it very difficult for their opponents to create serious scoring opportunities so the win was well deserved.

Timeline:

The play was well contested during the first half as Qala came out more aggressive and scored an early goal but Xewkija had a good reaction and levelled the score.  As time passed by the two sides tried to produce dangerous actions as the two defensive departments controlled the respective strikers.

3’ (post) Qala went very close to open the score when Shaun Attard passed towards Rafael Conrado Prudente inside Xewkija’s area but the latter saw his attempt that was stopped by the post and the same striker hit badly from the rebound so that the ball ended wide.

4’ (post) The same Conrado Prudente was again unlucky as his strike took a deflection by Xewkija’s keeper and the ball hit the base of the post.

5’ (1-0) Qala took the lead when Joshua Buttigieg prolonged towards the goalmouth a cross from the left by Ayesller Carvalho and Lawrence Grima was at the right place to push the ball into the net.

8’ (1-1) Xewkija levelled the score when Qala’s goalie Owen Attard hesitated to arrive on the ball following a kick by the goalkeeper from the other end of the field so that Brazilian striker Lucas Vinicius Viana Prati took advantage of the situation won possession and placed easily into an open goal.

31’ Xewkija threatened Qala’s rear guard through a header by Lucas Vinicius Viana Prati following a free kick by Matthias Mercieca but Qala’s goalie Owen Attard was well placed and saved the danger.

33’ Qala replied with a lob by Ayesller Carvalho from outside the area that was neutralised by Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin.

HT (1-1)

Second Half

Xewkija seemed in better shape after the break while Qala continued to find it difficult to produce the offensive play.  Xewkija managed to take the lead after a few minutes of play in the second period but during the final stages, they were forced to defend their lead as Qala increased their efforts to save the result.

9’ (1-2) Xewkija gained the lead when Lucas Vinicius Viana Prati headed forward within Xewkija’s territory and Damir Andelovic surprised Qala’s keeper with a fine lob from a long distance.

19’ Xewkija could have created more danger but a shot from a good position by Lucas Vinicius Viana Prati was saved by goalie Owen Attard.

22’ Qala’s first serious attempt of the second period arrived through a header by Nathan Chukwudi Njoku following a cross by Jordi Parnis that was saved to a corner by goalie Nikola Kosanin.

26’ The Maroons were again dangerous through a cross by Ayesller Carvalho but the header from a good position by Suzuki Bicudo ended over the crossbar.

31’ Qala kept insisting and went very close to level the score when Suzuki Bicudo entered Xewkija’s area but his low shot was cleared off the goalmouth by Josiah Buttigieg so that Qala’s Jordi Parnis also missed the possibility for the tap-in.

42’ Qala’s Jordi Parnis had a shot from outside the area following a personal initiative that ended away from the goal.

45+1’ The Maroons had their last opportunity to save the result when Rafael Conrado Prudente’s header, following a prolonged action at the edge of Xewkija’s area, was weak and the goalie saved the danger.

45+2’ (1-3) Xewkija made sure of the win by scoring the third goal when Damir Andelovic delivered a cross from the left flank, Qala’s goalie and the central defender failed to clear the danger so that Viana Prati passed to an unmarked Matthias Mercieca who netted easily from close distance. 

FT (QS 1 – XT 3)

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri