1 March 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 15) Gozo Stadium
Nadur Youngsters FC : 2
Ghajnsielem FC : 0
11’ (penalty missed – wide) Marcelo Barbosa (NY)
23’ (1-0) Junior Adenilson Ferreira Dos Santos
84’ (red card) Naim Ibrahim Belhadj (GHJ)
86’ (2-0) penalty Marcelo Jr Barbosa
87’ (red card) Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa (GHJ)
Nadur Y:
S. Sultana, J.A. Ferreira Dos Santos, I. Xuereb, J.M. Vella, J. Zammit, M. Barbosa, S. Cassar, G. Hili, B. Said (M. Tabone 77), G. Muscat (K. Grima 47), J.V. De Oliveira Florencio.
Ghajnsielem:
L. Buttigieg, Al. Xuereb, B. Da Cruz, D. Attard, N.I. Belhadj, Ant. Xuereb (K. Hili 80), E. De Souza Santos Pereira, W. Hili, E. Grozdanov (G. Emmanuel 65), M.A. Scicluna, C.H. Da Silva Barbosa.
Nadur Youngsters started their third and final round of the championship with a hard-earned 2-0 win over Ghajnsielem so that they continue to be leaders on the table and the hot favourites to retain the title for another season.
Nadur started the match as favourites to obtain the win, not only because they registered three large wins in their previous three matches against Ghajnsielem this season (the final of the GFA Super Cup and the two matches of the first two rounds), but also because of the gap between the two sides on the table. However, Ghajnsielem were coming from a good moment of form and seemed determined to extend their run with a positive result against the leaders. Nadur took the lead with a goal scored midway through the first half after missing a penalty kick at an earlier stage, but Ghajnsielem had a good reaction and for most of the time they threatened Nadur’s rearguard with dangerous offensive play. The match therefore was well contested but with few open scoring opportunities as the two defensive departments for most of the time denied the respective strikers from concluding towards a goal. Nadur avoided going through more pressure during the final minutes of the match when they doubled their lead from a penalty scored ten minutes from the end of regular time. Ghajnsielem also ended the match on a negative note as they had two players sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
Nadur tried to take command of play from the early stages and held more possession than their opponents but Ghajnsielem were well deployed at their defence so the attempts towards goal were rare. As time passed by Ghajnsielem came out of their defence and very often they kept Nadur’s defence under pressure.
10’ (penalty missed) Nadur could have scored an early goal when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by goalie Luke Buttigieg on Stefan Cassar but the shot from the penalty spot by Marcelo Barbosa ended wide.
23’ (1-0) Nadur managed to put their heads in front when Marcelo Barbosa delivered the ball in front of Ghajnsielem’s goalmouth from a free kick and Junior Adenilson Ferreira Dos Santos arrived on the ball before goalie Luke Buttigieg and the ball ended in the net.
25’ Ghajnsielem replied with a good shot by Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa following a personal action that was well saved by goalie Steve Sultana.
31’ (protests for penalty) Ghajnsielem protested for a penalty when Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa passed inside Nadur’s area but ended on the floor following a challenge with an opponent but the referee did not notice any infringement and ended up showing a yellow card to the striker for simulation.
32’ Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana was again called to make an important intervention to block a shot by Decon Attard.
Until the end of the first half, Ghajsielem kept insisting but their efforts were blocked by Nadur’s defence and the goalkeeper was not called to make other difficult interventions.
HT (1-0)
Second Half
After the resumption the two sides came out with the intention to score as Nadur were aiming to consolidate their lead while Ghajnsielem tried to maintain their momentum in an attempt to recover the score. The two sides failed to capitalise on some potential scoring opportunities so the outcome remained uncertain until Nadur scored their second goal from a penalty a few minutes away from the final whistle.
5’ Nadur missed a good opportunity to add another goal but Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio concluded wide from an ideal position.
13’ Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg denied Nadur from scoring when he saved a corner attempt from a free kick by Stefan Cassar.
14’ Ghajnsielem operated a dangerous action within Nadur’s territory through an initiative by Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa but central defender Ian Xuereb had a decisive recovery and cleared the ball to a corner to deny Emil Grozdanov from concluding with a tap-in.
24’ Nadur went very close to scoring another goal when Marcelo Barbosa passed through Ghajnsielem’s defence with a personal action but his low shot ended wide.
39’ (red card) Nadur were awarded a penalty when Marcelo Barbosa passed to Joseph Mario Vella at the edge of Ghajnsielem’s area but the latter saw his strike that was handled by Naim Ibrahim Belhadj and the Blacks also ended up playing with a player less as the same Belhaj was sent off after receiving the second yellow card.
41’ (2-0) penalty Nadur put their minds at rest by scoring their second goal through the shot from the penalty spot by Marcelo Jr Barbosa.
42’ (red card) Ghajnsielem tried to produce an immediate reaction but they became nervous and ended up playing with nine players as Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa was sent off after receiving a second caution for dissent when his team was awarded a free kick in the midfield.
FT (NY 2 – GHJ 0)
Referee: Glen Tonna
Assistant Referees: Vasil Vasilev, Paul Apap
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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