25 February 2023
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II (MD 12) Kercem Arkafort Stadium
SK Victoria Wanderers: 2
Zebbug Rovers FC: 1
22’ (1-0) Emerson Zammit
75’ (1-1) penalty Carl Gauci
78’ (2-1) o.g. Carl Gauci
(After final whistle) (red card) Baskal Saliba (ZR)
SK Victoria W:
O. Xuereb, N. Camilleri, A. Refalo, A.J. Obaje, E. Zammit, S. Harland, N. Grech, S.F. Bajada, O. Fenech, N. Vella, J.G. Vella (K. Grima).
Zebbug R:
B. Saliba, P. Spiteri (M. Grech), M. Formosa (G. Debrincat), A. Abela, C. Gauci, R. Saliba, L. Atzori, D. Mesa Pineros, E. Gauci, C. Cauchi (O. Atzori), M. Gauci.
SK Victoria Wanderers recovered from the defeat conceded in their previous match against their main challengers for promotion Xaghra United and returned to winning ways by defeating Zebbug Rovers with the odd goal from three. This was an important match for the two sides as the Wanderers needed to regain their confidence in their ambition to win the title of the category, while Zebbug was looking for a win in an attempt to recover their position and also to remain in the tussle for promotion. With this result, the Citizens retained their three-point lead over the closest rivals while Zebbug mathematically lost their chances to win the second division league. Although the Wanderers saw more of the ball for most of the encounter, the match turned out to be well-contested and the outcome remained uncertain until the final whistle.
Timeline:
The Wanderers took command of play from the early stages of the encounter and throughout the first period, they created the best scoring opportunities. Zebbug tried to threaten their opponents but they did not manage to create serious dangerous actions toward Victoria’s goal.
8’ Victoria created the first scoring opportunity of the encounter when Joseph George Vella entered Zebbug’s area but his shot was saved with difficulty to a corner by goalie Baskal Saliba.
19’ (post) The Wanderers went very close to take the lead but a low shot by Joseph George Vella following a personal action was stopped by the post with the goalkeeper beaten.
22’ (1-0) SK Victoria Wanderers opened the score when Joseph George Vella released Emerson Zammit and the latter entered Zebbug’s area and fired in goal with a fine strike.
35’ Victoria’s Sam Harland could have capitalised better when he took the ball from Zebbug’s defence inside the area but his attempt from an angled position missed the target.
HT (0-1)
Second Half
After the break, the Citizens tried to maintain territorial supremacy but they struggled to create danger on Zebbug’s goal so they did not manage to add more goals to their lead. As time passed by the Rovers increased their efforts and also managed to recover the deficit. However, Victoria managed to regain their lead and during the final stages, they also went close to obtain the win with a larger margin.
19’ The first serious attempt of the second half arrived through a strike from outside the area by Ryan Saliba, following a clearance by the defence, but the ball ended away from Victoria’s goal.
22’ The Wanderers replied with a shot by Sam Harland from the edge of the area that ended wide.
24’ Zebbug’s Daniel Mesa Pineros had an attempt directly from a free kick but the ball ended high.
25’ Victoria could have concluded better when Joseph George Vella released Aud-Gustine James Obaje but the latter saw his curling shot aimed towards the far post that ended wide.
29’ (1-1) penalty Zebbug were awarded a penalty, following a long consultation by the referee with the second assistant referee, for handling by Owen Fenech and Carl Gauci levelled the score with his shot from the spot kick.
34’ (2-1) SK Victoria Wanderers regained the lead when Sam Harland tried to pass inside Zebbug’s area but central defender Carl Gauci hit badly to clear the danger and committed an own goal, with the ball hitting the post before ending in the net.
45+2’ The Wanderers could have made sure of the win when Sam Harland released Emerson Zammit inside Zebbug’s area but the latter had his low shot aimed towards the far post that ended just wide.
45+4’ Victoria went again close to score the third goal but a shot by Sam Harland after receiving from Aud-Gustine James Obaje ended wide.
(After final whistle) (red card) On the stroke of stoppage time, Victoria’s Sam Harland was stopped inside the area by Zebbug’s goalie Baskal Saliba, the referee whistled the end of the encounter among tension between the two sets of players and Zebbug’s goalie Baskal Saliba was sent off for retaliation.
FT (SKVW 2 – ZR 1)
Referee: Gerard William Zammit Young
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