25 November 2023
GFA KO 1st Division (S/finals) Kercem Stadium
Nadur Youngsters FC : 1
Xewkija Tigers FC : 0
76’ (1-0) Marcelo Pereira Muniz
Nadur Y:
S. Sultana, J.A. Ferreira Dos Santos, I. Xuereb, M. Pereira Muniz, J.M. Vella, J. Zammit, M.J. Barbosa (M. Said 12), S. Cassar, G. Hili (M. Tabone 90), G. Muscat (K. Grima 82), J.V. De Oliveira Florencio.
Xewkija T:
N. Kosanin, J. Axiak (J. Buttigieg 87), J. Vella, D. Bogdanovic, M. Mercieca (A. Debrincat 87), R. Buttigieg, A. Bozovic, D. Bugeja (K. Farrugia 87), D. Andelovic, C. Abela, S. Tesic.
Nadur Youngsters obtained a close win over Xewkija Tigers in the first match from the semi-finals of the GFA Knock Out competition for the first division so that Nadur remain with the possibility to defend the honour won in the last two editions.
The match was conditioned by the strong wind so that the two sides held territorial supremacy for a half each. However, both teams found it extremely difficult to create serious scoring opportunities and most of the time the qualification could have gone either way. Nadur’s possibility of attack was reduced at an early stage when their main strike Marcelo Barbosa had to be substituted due to an injury so the Youngsters were forced to redesign their tactical deployment. Overall Xewkija may have created more potential scoring opportunities but Nadur resisted well and during the decisive moments they found the strength to come out of their defence and to threaten their opponents. In the end, the match was practically decided with an episode near the final stages of the encounter when Nadur capitalised from a corner action.
Timeline:
Nadur saw more of the ball during the first half but Xewkija were well deployed at their defence and managed to keep the danger away from their area for most of the time so the goal-scoring opportunities were quite rare.
2’ Xewkija went very close to score an early goal when Nadur’s defence cleared badly following a corner kick but the shot by Denzil Bugeja ended wide.
12’ Nadur suffered a setback as they were forced to make an early substitution as their prolific striker Marcelo Barbosa suffered an injury
14’ Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana was well placed and saved without difficulty a header by Josmar Vella following a free kick from long distance by Damir Andelovic.
21’ Nadur’s first attempt towards Xewkija’s goal arrived through a shot from an angled position by Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio, following a corner action, which was blocked with some difficulty by goalie Nikola Kosanin.
33’ The same De Oliveira Florencio almost surprised Xewkija’s goalie but his attempt directly from the corner ended over the crossbar.
36’ Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin was well placed and saved without difficulty a low shot from outside the area by De Oliveira Florencio.
39’ Nadur went very close to take the lead but the attempt from close distance by Marcelo Pereira Muniz from a corner kick by Gennaro Hili was cleared from the fatal line by defender John Axiak with the goalkeeper beaten.
41’ Nadur’s Gianluca Muscat went close to score but his strike from outside the area ended inches away from goal.
HT (0-0)
Second Half
Xewkija came out for the second period with the wind blowing in their favour and they took immediate advantage by putting pressure on Nadur’s defence. The latter however made good use of their experience as they resisted Xewkija’s play and as time passed by they started to operate dangerous breaks. As a result, the match became much more exciting, although there were very few scoring opportunities on goal and most of the time the qualification could have gone either way.
2’ Xewkija were dangerous through a shot by Rodney Buttigieg that was saved to a corner with difficulty by Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana.
29’ Nadur could have created more danger but a low shot from outside the area by Marcelo Pereira Muniz was saved without difficulty by goalie Nikola Kosanin.
31’ (1-0) Nadur opened the score when Gennaro Hli delivered the ball inside Xewkija’s area from a corner kick, Joseph Zammit headed badly and Xewkija’s defence failed to clear the ball from the danger zone so that Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio delivered the ball back inside the area and Marcelo Pereira Muniz fired in goal from close distance.
32’ Xewkija replied with a curling shot by Stefan Tesic that ended just wide.
34’ Nadur were again dangerous through a shot from an angled position by Stefan Cassar that missed the target.
36’ Xewkija missed an opportunity to level the score when goalie Steve Sultana hit badly in an attempt to clear the ball from a corner kick but from the resultant melee Rodney Buttigieg concluded over the crossbar.
FT (NY 1 – XT 0)
Referee: Vladimir Rizoski
Asst. Referees: Alan Camilleri, Kieran Mallia
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