17 December 2023
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 9) Gozo Stadium
Kercem Ajax FC: 2
Qala Saints FC: 1
39’ (1-0) Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira
53’ (2-0) Pabloo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira
81’ (2-1) Lucas Baretto Da Silva
After the final whistle (red cards) Karl Formosa (KA) and Manwel Xerri (QS)
Kercem A:
D. Spiteri, D. Cassar (J. Tabone 82), E. Caetano Pena, J. Theuma (O.P. Bugeja 77), O.G. Fernandes, K.L. Nunes Santos, P. Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira, A. Mizzi, G. Cardona, K. Formosa, S. Azzopardi.
Qala S:
O. Attard, N. Inguanez (C. Cardona 84), Jsph. Buttigieg (S. Curmi 66), J.V. Ferrari Silva, L.B. Da Silva, C. Vella (A.A. Xerri 90+1), E. Buttigieg, J. Parnis, N.C. Njoku, I. Nedeljkovic, M. Xerri.
Kercem Ajax earned three very important points from a 2-1 win over contenders for the title Qala Saints so that they earned a position on the table and pulled down Oratory Youths to the bottom place. This was Kercem’s second win in the championship and it was also the second win over Qala as the Ajax defeated the maroons in the match between the two sides of the first round.
Qala were expected to be more motivated as they had the opportunity to make up for the defeat conceded against Kercem in the first round but as it turned out the Maroons, who were sole leaders before the end of Match-Day 9, might have been over-confident and ended up surprised as soon as Kercem put their heads in front just before half time. Kercem’s win however was well deserved as they kept their motivation throughout the ninety minutes. Kercem were very prudent and well organised in their defence so that Qala’s strikers rarely found enough space to conclude towards a goal. On the other hand, Ajax was very effective in their counter breaks where their striker Pablo Vincius De Moraes Ferreira was a constant threat to Qala’s rear guard and ended up the protagonist of the encounter by scoring a goal in each half for his side.
Timeline:
Qala came out to take command of play but Kercem were well organised and for most of the time play took place in the midfield with very few dangerous actions at the respective goals.
10’ Qala could have capitalised better when Nicholas Inguanez delivered a cross in front of Kercem’s goalmouth from the left flank but the attempt from close distance by Igor Nedeljkovic ended away from goal.
30’ Kercem replied with a shot from a free kick by Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira / Karl Formosa who missed the target.
34’ Kercem’s goalie Daniel Spiteri was well placed and neutralised without much difficulty with a curling shot by Jordi Parnis.
38’ (protests for penalty) Qala operated a good action on the left flank but the cross was blocked by Kercem’s defence among protests for handling but the match official did not notice any infringement.
39’ (1-0) From the same action Kercem operated a counter break through an initiative by Karl Formosa who released Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira who fired in goal from an ideal position.
45+1’ Qala went very close to level the score but a header by Lucas Baretto Da Silva following a cross by Nicholas Inguanez ended wide
HT (1-0)
Second Half
Kercem came out for the second period in better shape while Qala seemed shocked their efforts to recover the deficit were sterile. Kercem doubled their lead just after the hour mark but in the remaining minutes they allowed Qala to produce a reaction so that the final score remained in contention until the final whistle.
10’ (protests for penalty) Qala protested for a penalty alleging handling when Kercem’s defence tried to clear the ball from their danger area.
18’ (2-0) Kercem doubled their lead when Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira ran away from Qala’s defence in a counterbreak, entered the area and placed in goal as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.
23’ Qala could have created more danger but Igor Nedeljkovic hit badly from a good position following a cross from the right flank and from the resultant melee Kercem’s defence cleared the ball from the danger area with some difficulty.
25’ Qala kept insisting and a shot by Jordi Parnis missed the target.
29’ Kercem created some pressure on Qala’s defence from a free kick but in the end, Olimipio Gabriel Fernandes hit badly from a good position and the ball ended away from the goal.
30’ The Ajax missed another opportunity to seal the win when Gabriel Cardona hesitated to conclude from an ideal position and the goalkeeper managed to recover and took the ball to deny the striker from hitting towards goal.
36’ (2-1) Qala reopened the issue when Kerce’s goalie Daniel Spiteri partially saved a free kick by Igor Nedejkovic and from the rebound, Lucas Baretto Da Silva concluded in goal with a shot towards the far post.
43’ (crossbar) Qala went very close to level the score but a cross-shot from the right flank by Manwel Xerri was stopped by the crossbar.
44’ Kercem once again had an opportunity to score a third goal when Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira operated another personal action within Qala’s territory but on this occasion, his final shot was saved with difficulty to a corner by goalie Owen Attard.
45+2’ Qala’s last opportunity to save the result arrived through an attempt directly from a free kick by Jordi Parnis but Kercem’s keeper Daniel Spiteri was well placed and saved the danger to a corner.
After the Final Whistle (red cards) At the end of the encounter, some players from the two sides had some arguments and the referee ended up showing a red card to Kercem’s Karl Formosa and Qala’s Manwel Xerri.
FT (KA 2 – QS 1)
Referee: Sandro Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Max-Lee Muscat, Anthony Paul Vella
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