Champions Nadur start the defence of the title with a large win

10 September 2023

GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD1) Gozo Stadium

Nadur Youngsters FC : 6

Ghajnsielem FC : 0

7’ (1-0) Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio

12’ (2-0) Joseph Zammit

24’ (3-0) Marcelo Jr Barbosa

25’ (4-0) penalty Marcelo Jr Barbosa

73’ (5-0) Marcelo Jr Barbosa

87’ (6-0) Joseph Zammit

Nadur Y:

S. Sultana, J.A. Ferreira Dos Santos, I. Xuereb, M. Pereira Muniz (B. Said 69), J. Zammit, M.J. Barbosa, S. Cassar (K. Xuereb 76), M. Said (J. Xerri 58), G. Hili (H. Paulin 76), G. Muscat (K. Grima 58), J.V. De Oliveira Florencio.

Ghajnsielem:

L. Buttigieg, Al. Xuereb, L.H. Santana Motta, N.I. Belhadj, B. Da Cruz, An. Xuereb, L. Silva Gomes (D. Hili 67), P. Vella (I. Belhadj 57), W. Hili, M.A. Scicluna, C.H. Da Silva Barbosa.

Nadur Youngsters registered a 6-0 win over Ghajnsielem in a match from Match-Day 1 of the championship and sent a message to all the other challengers for the title that they are aiming to be strong defenders of the main honour in Gozitan football for another season.

This was the second match between the two sides in a week as Nadur and Ghajnsielem played the final of the GFA Super Cup which opened the new football season on the island.  Nadur, who obtained a deserved 2-0 win in the Super Cup final, went one step further in this match as they converted their superiority by scoring more goals.  The reigning champions practically made sure of the three points before the half-hour mark as they scored four goals during the first part of the encounter.  Throughout the match, Nadur’s Brazilian striker Marcelo Barbosa, who was the Top scorer in Gozo for the last two seasons, lived up to his expectations and marked his contribution to this victory by scoring three personal goals.  This match gave an opportunity to Nadur’s coach Elton Vella to consolidate the encouraging start in the new season and the score allowed him to make substitutions to give more playing time to many players.

In this match, Ghajnsielem found it difficult to challenge a more experienced side and suffered play more than they did a week before in the Super Cup final.  Ghajnsielem’s coach Matthew Portelli has a number of young players who need to gain experience in the top flight, and, based on the results of the first two matches of the season, all the team needs to improve the standard to earn points which could keep them away from the lower places on the table. 

Timeline:

Nadur took command of play from the first minutes of the encounter and practically made sure of the first three points with four quick goals.

7’ (1-0) Nadur opened the score when Marcelo Barbosa released Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio who concluded easily in goal when he came face to face with Ghajnsielem’s keeper.

12’ (2-0) The Youngsters doubled the score when a free kick by Marcelo Barbosa ended on the crossbar and from the rebound, Joseph Zammit concluded in goal.

24’ (3-0) The third goal for Nadur arrived through a personal action by Marcelo Jr Barbosa who passed inside Ghajnsielem’s area and placed easily in goal from close distance.

25’ (4-0) penalty Nadur was awarded a penalty for a foul on Joao Vitor Dr Oliveira Florencio and Marcelo Jr Barbosa converted from the spot kick to add another goal from his side.

35’ Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg was well placed and blocked a good effort from a good position by Matthias Said.

HT (4-0)

Second Half

The match lost much of the interest after the break but Ghajnsielm’s reaction was sterile so Nadur continued to express their superiority.

15’ Nadur’s Brazilian striker Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio produced a personal action inside Ghajnsielem’s area but was denied from scoring when central defender Luiz Henrique Santana Motta blocked the danger in time to a corner.

21’ Ghajnsielem’s best opportunity to score a consolation goal through an initiative by Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa, but the latter had his attempt blocked to a corner by Nadur’s defender Junior Adenilson Ferreira Dos Santos.

25’ The Youngsters went again close to score another goal when Stefan Cassar passed through Ghajnsielem’s defence with a personal action but his shot was partially saved by goalie Luke Buttigieg and from the rebound substitute Joseph Xerri headed high.

28’ (5-0) Nadur’s Marcelo Jr Barbosa registered a personal hat-trick when he concluded in goal following another personal action.

29’ The same Barbosa passed through Ghajnsielem’s rear guard and from his pass Stefan Cassar saw his attempt that was saved with difficulty by goalie Luke Buttigieg.

42’ (6-0) The Youngsters sealed the win with the sixth goal that arrived through a strike from long distance by Joseph Zammit with the ball hitting the crossbar before crossing the fatal line.

44’ Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg denied Nadur from scoring another goal when he saved to a corner an effort by Marcelo Barbosa following a pass by substitute Kurt Grima.

FT (NY 6 – GHJ 0)

Referee: Alex Johnson

Asst Ref: Vasil Vasilev, Paul Apap