Ghajnsielem consolidate their lead over the red zone

5 March 2023

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I:  P/O (MD 16) Gozo Stadium

Victoria Hotspurs FC : 1

Ghajnsielem FC : 2

25’ (0-1) Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos

43’ (0-2) Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos

89’ (1-2) Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes

90+6’ (red card) Keith Borg (GHJ)

Victoria H:

K. Barbara, D.C. Kassekar, O. Cremona, O.G. Fernandes, J. Azzopardi (L. Farrugia), B. Said, N. Inguanez, L. Mancuso Lemos Santos Ferreira, S. Sillato, A. Debrincat, R. Silva Faria.

Ghajnsielem:

A. Parnis, K. Borg, A. Xuereb (J. Vella), D. Farrugia, J.P. Oliveira Santos, K. Farrugia K. Bajada (J. Xuereb), M.A. Scicluna, J.V. Candido, P.A. Mota De Lima, P. Dos Santos Cruz (T. Sciberras).

Ghajnsielem registered their second consecutive win in the Play-Out of the BOV Gozo Football League of the first division in their match against Victoria Hotspurs and with the points obtained, they are very close to become mathematically sure of retaining their status in the top flight for the next season.

Ghajnsielem paved the way to the win with two goals scored during the first period so that they were in a position to control Victoria’s reaction after the break.  The Blacks had a very positive performance as they were well deployed at their defence and were also well organised in the midfield.  Ghajnsielem took full advantage of two episodes during the first half by scoring the goals that compromised the possibility for their opponents to win at least a point.

In this match, the Hotspurs suffered from consistency which characterised most of their matches this season.  The Citizens shared play for most of the first half but they committed mistakes in their defence and were also erratic in their finishing.  Victoria tried hard to re-open the issue after the break but they found it very difficult to create serious danger so they only managed to reduce the deficit when there was not much time left to save the result.

Timeline:

Play was quite interesting for most of the time of the first period as the two sides tried to produce offensive play and the two sides created some good actions on the respective goals.

5’ Victoria’s goalie Kyle Barbara was well placed and saved a header by Junior Valdeci Candido following a free kick by Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos. 

15’ The Hotspurs replied with a shot from a good position by Brandon Said but goalie Adrian Parnis managed to neutralise in two attempts.

16’ Victoria were again dangerous but a header by Andrea Debrincat from a corner kick by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes ended over the crossbar.

21’ (goal disallowed)  Ghajnsielem’s Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos released Patrick Dos Santos Cruz within Victoria’s territory and the latter netted with a low shot but the goal was disallowed for an offside infringement.

25’ (0-1) The Blacks took the lead through a free kick from a long distance by Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos that ended at the upper corner of Victoria’s goal and out of the reach of the goalkeeper.

28’ The Hotspurs went very close to level the score but a header by Andrea Debrincat from a corner kick by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes ended just high.

40’ (post) The Blacks could have scored a second goal when Pedro Augusto Mota De Lima entered Victoria’s territory without any pressure from the opponents but his low drive was stopped by the post with the goalkeeper beaten and the defence cleared the danger.

43’ (0-2)  Ghajnsielem however doubled the score when Victoria’s defence failed to clear a through pass by Kurt Bajada and the ball arrived to Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos who entered the area, turned around the goalkeeper and placed easily into an open goal.

HT (0-2)

Second Half

After the resumption, the Hotspurs came out more aggressive as expected in an attempt to re-open the issue but Ghajnsielem’s defence retained their composure and they rarely allowed space for the Citizens to create danger.  The Blacks on the other hand tried to put their minds at rest by scoring another goal through sporadic counter breaks but overall the actions on goal were rare.

2’ Ghajnsielem’s goalie Adrian Parnis was well placed and neutralised a strike from outside the area by Lucas Mancuso.

19’ The same goalkeeper was called to make a difficult save to turn to a corner an attempt directly from a free kick by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes.

26’ The Hotspurs could have created more danger when Ricardo Silva Faria entered Ghajnsielem’s area but his curling shot from a good position ended away from goal.

35’ Victoria’s Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes had another good attempt directly from a free kick but Ghajnsielem’s goalie Adrian Parnis was at the right place and saved the danger to a corner.

42’ Victoria missed an open scoring opportunity when substitute Lucas Farrugia delivered an inviting low cross from the right-hand side of the area but Brandon Said’s attempt was blocked by goalie Adrian Parnis and the defence cleared the danger with some difficulty.

44’ (1-2) The Hotspurs managed to reduce the deficit with a goal that arrived through a direct free kick by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes that ended in the upper corner of Ghajnsielem’s goal.

45+6’ (red card) The Hotspurs were denied scoring a dramatic equaliser when Ricardo Silva Faria won the ball from Ghajnsielem’s defence but ended on the floor as he was entering alone inside the area by defender Keith Borg.  The same Borg was shown a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity and from the resultant free kick, the attempt by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes was blocked by the wall.

FT (VH 1 – GHJ 2)

Referee: Etienne Mangion