5 April 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 19) Gozo Stadium
Kercem Ajax FC : 2
SK Victoria Wanderers FC : 3
2’ (1-0) Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira
9’ (1-1) Emerson Zammit
61’ (2-1) Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira
79’ (2-2) Nicholas Grech
90+5’ (2-3) penalty Junior Conceicao Cabral
Kercem A:
D. Spiteri, I. Barbosa Da Silva, J. Thuma (O.P. Bugeja 24), O.G. Fernandes, C. Attard, K.L. Nunes Santos, P. Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira, A. Mizzi, G. Cardona, K. Formosa, S. Azzopardi.
SK Victoria W:
A. Parnis, A. Galiano Lazarini, K. Mercieca, M.V. Claudino Ramos (Choco), J. Conceicao Cabral, E. Zammit, C.S. Souza Da Silva, N. Grech, J. Xuereb, J. Saliba (N. Camilleri 81), L. Fenech (A. Touarha 46).
SK Victoria Wanderers extended their run of positive results in the third and final round of the campaign. They obtained three points from a 3-2 win over Kercem Ajax so that the Citizens regained the third spot in the standings.
This was a well-contested match where the win could have gone either way. Throughout the ninety minutes, each side had good patches of play where they could have opened a lead over their opponents but the strikers failed to capitalise so that the issue was decided with a goal scored a few seconds away from the final whistle. Kercem were twice in the lead but on the two occasions, they conceded Victoria’s reaction so that Ajax missed an opportunity to obtain a positive result. Kercem therefore compromised the possibility to obtain a positive result and with this defeat, they remain involved with the other three teams in the brawl against the relegation. On the other hand, this result rewards Victoria’s determination as they kept insisting on obtaining the win and managed to achieve their objective in the last action of the encounter when they scored the decisive goal from a penalty.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
Kercem had an excellent start and scored an early goal but the Wanderers had an immediate reaction, levelled the score and insisted on more offensive play in the following minutes as time passed by Kercem came out of their defence and play became more balanced.
2’ (1-0) Kercem opened the score when a through pass from Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes arrived to Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira who passed through the defence, turned around the goalkeeper and deposited easily into an open goal
6’ Victoria’s reply arrived through a shot by Emerson Zammit that ended over the crossbar.
8’ Kercem’s Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira entered Victoria’s territory with a personal action but his shot was saved by goalie Adrian Parnis.
9’ (1-1) The Wanderers recovered the deficit when Joseph Saliba released Emerson Zammit who controlled without any pressure from the opponents and netted easily with a low shot.
11’ (crossbar) Victoria was again dangerous when Marcus Vinicius Claudino Ramos delivered the ball inside Kercem’s area from a free kick but the crossbar stopped the header by Junior Conceicao Cabral.
21’ Victoria kept insisting and went again close to turning the result in their favour when Junior Conceicao Cabral entered the area from the right flank and his low cross-shot by Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva was blocked by the defence to a corner.
35’ (protests for penalty) Victoria protested for a penalty when Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva ended on the floor inside Kercem’s area as he was challenged by two opponents.
45’ Kercem could have capitalised better but Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira’s close ranged attempt following a cross by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes was blocked with some difficulty on the goal line by Victoria’s goalie Adrian Parnis.
HT (1-1)
Second Half
The Wanderers seemed in a better shape during the opening minutes of the second half but they failed to convert some good scoring opportunities so that they allowed Kercem to regain the lead just after the hour mark. The match became more interesting in the following minutes where the two sides continued to create dangerous play. Victoria managed to score their second equaliser and obtained a dramatic win from a penalty that arrived deep into stoppage time.
6’ The Wanderers had a good opportunity to put their heads in front when Emerson Zammit delivered a cross from the right but Junior Conceicao Cabral failed to conclude and the defence cleared to a corner.
7’ The Citizens missed another chance to score their second goal when a shot on the run by Joseph Saliba following a low cross by substitute Aaron Touarha was blocked to a corner by the defence
16’ (2-1) Kercem regained the lead when Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira received a long ball from the midfield and placed easily in goal with a low shot.
25’ The Wanderers replied with a shot from outside the area by Marcus Vinicius Claudio Ramos that was easily saved by goalie Daniel Spiteri.
27’ Victoria kept insisting and were again dangerous when a cross by Aaron Touarha arrived to Joel Xuereb who saw his header that was saved with difficulty to a corner by Kercem’s goalie.
32’ Kercem should have closed the issue when Karl Formosa passed from the right flank and released Pablo Vinicius De Moraes Ferreira but the latter saw his shot from a good position that ended away from goal.
34’ (2-2) Kercem were punished for the missed chance as the Wanderers levelled the score when Kercem’s defence failed to clear a free kick by Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva, Alexandre Galiano Lazzarini headed towards the goalmouth, Kenneth Mercieca’s attempt hit the crossbar and from the rebound, Nicholas Grech fired in goal.
39’ The Wanderers went again close to scoring through a shot directly from a free kick by Junior Conceicao Cabral but the ball ended just wide.
42’ Kercem went again very close to take the lead for the third time when substitute Owen Peter Bugeja passed inside Victoria’s area, the defence cleared badly and the ball arrived to Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes who incredibly lifted over the crossbar with an open goal at his mercy.
44’ The Wanderers also went very close to score when Kercem’s defence did not clear the ball from the goalmouth following a corner kick by Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva but substitute Neil Camilleri’s attempt ended just wide.
45+2’ Victoria’s Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva entered Kercem’s area with a personal action but his shot was blocked to a corner by the defence.
45+3’ (2-3) penalty The Wanderers clinched the victory when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Christian Attard on Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva and Junior Conceicao Cabral converted his shot from the penalty spot.
FT (KA 2 – SKVW 3)
Referee: Daniel Casha
Asst. Referees: David Castillo, Anthony Paul Vella
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