Zebbug turn a defeat into a win with a last-gasp goal

11 November 2023

GFA BOV Gozo Football League 2nd Division Kercem Stadium

St Lawrence Spurs FC : 3

Zebbug Rovers FC : 4

15’ (1-0) Dylan Paul Rapa

20’ (1-1) Miguel Angel Moreno Ampudia

24’ (2-1) Ayesller Carvalho

44’ (3-1) Ayesller Carvalho

65’ (3-2) Nathan John Cini

81’ (3-3) Miguel Angel Moreno Ampudia

90+5’ (3-4) Miguel Angel Moreno Ampudia

St. Lawrence S:

J. Xiberras, N. Haber, J.M. Portelli, C. Grima, A. Carvalho, J. Grima, V.J. Saliba (J. Formosa 46), C. Azzopardi, M. Dingli, J. Saliba, D.P. Rapa (D. Micallef 80).

Zebbug R:

L. Camilleri, P. Spiteri, M. Formosa, R. Grech, M.A. Moreno Ampudia, P.P. Camilleri, H. Paulin, N.J. Cini, L. Portelli (E. Farhat 59), S. Farrugia (O. Saliba 59), J. Azzopardi.

Zebbug Rovers earned their first points in the campaign from a 4-3 win over St Lawrence Spurs in the first match of Match-Day 2.  This was a clash between two sides who suffered a defeat in their respective opening match of the league and they were both determined to recover from the upset.

Overall, the two sides deserved a positive result as each side prevailed over the opponent for a half each.  St Lawrence ended he first half with a two-goal lead but Zebbug staged a strong reaction after the resumption.  Zebbug managed to level the score and ended up scoring the decisive goal of the encounter that arrived seconds away from the final whistle.

Timeline:

St Lawrence saw more of the ball for most of the time during the first half but they capitalised from two opportunities so that they took the break with a deserved two-goal lead.  Zebbug struggled to win possession in the midfield but they remained in contention through a goal that arrived from a break.

15’ (1-0) St Lawrence opened the score in their first serious attempt towards Zebbug’s goal when a free kick by Ayesller Carvalho was partially saved by goalie Leonard Camilleri and from the resultant melee Dylan Paul Rapa concluded in the shot with a low shot.

19’ Zebbug’s goalie Leonard Camilleri was well placed and saved with some difficulty a shot by Victor John Saliba following a personal action.

20’ (1-1) The Rovers levelled the score when St Lawrence’s goalie Joel Xiberras left his area in an attempt to clear a long ball from Zebbug’s defence but Miguel Angel Moreno Ampudia arrived on the ball before the keeper, ran towards the area and placed easily into an open goal.

21’ The Spurs replied with a strike from outside the area when Zebbug’s goalie was out of his position, by James Grima but the ball ended just wide.

24’ (2-1) St Lawrence regained the lead when Dylan Paul Rapa delivered towards the goalmouth after receiving from a throw-in and Ayesller Carvalho took the ball and netted from close distance.

44’ (3-1) St Lawrence increased their lead through a direct free kick by Ayesller Carvalho that ended in the upper corner of the goal and out of the reach of Zebbug’s goalie.

HT (3-1)

Second Half

Zebbug came out more determined for the second period and managed to reduce the deficit to just one goal so that the last part of the encounter became much more contested where the two sides insisted on scoring for different reasons.

11’ Zebbug were dangerous through a low shot by Harry Paulin that ended on the side of the net.

19’ Zebbug’s goalie Leonard Camilleri denied St Lawrence from adding another goal when he saved with difficulty a low shot by Jurgen Mario Portelli.

20’ (3-2) Zebbug managed to re-open the issue when Nathan John Cini entered St Lawrence territory following a through pass from the midfield and netted with a low drive as the keeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.

36’ (3-3) The Rovers achieved their objective as they clinched the equaliser through a fine strike by Miguel Angel Moreno Ampudia from the edge of the area that ended out of the reach of St Lawrence’s goalie.

42’ (post) St Lawrence went very close to regain the lead when Jurgen Mario Portelli delivered a cross inside the area from the left flank but the first-timer by the substitute was stopped by the post with the goalkeeper beaten.

45+5’ (3-4) Zebbug scored the goal that decided the issue when Miguel Angel Moreno Ampudia received the ball on the left-hand side and lobbed it into an open goal as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.

FT (SLS 3 – ZR 4)

Referee: Joseph Scerri

Assistant Referees: Paul Apap, Robert Curtis