7 April 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 19) Gozo Stadium
Nadur Youngsters FC : 2
Xaghra United FC : 0
26’ (1-0) Marcelo Barbosa
86’ (2-0) Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio
Nadur Y:
S. Sultana, I. Xuereb, M. Pereira Muniz, J.M. Vella, J. Zammit, M. Barbosa (J. Xerri 90+1), S. Cassar (M. Tabone 76), M. Said (B. Said 55), G. Hili, G. Muscat, J.V. De Oliveira Florencio.
Xaghra U:
L. Xuereb, L. Almeida Da Silva, S.F. Bajada, M. Bezzina (J. Bajada 87), C. Camilleri, (M. Cordina 60) O. Fenech, F.J. Xuereb, M.A. Morgon Filho, C.A. Diaz Arias, H. Da Silva Wilker, M.P. Camilleri (S. Galea 75).
In the last match from Match-Day 19 of the BOV Gozo Football League of the First Division, Nadur Youngsters replied to the win obtained by challengers for the title Qala Saints with a 2-0 win over bottom-placed Xaghra United so that they remain at the top of the table on equal points with the Maroons.
Nadur were favourites to obtain the full points at stake from this encounter but the match turned out to be well contested and the outcome was only determined when Nadur scored their second goal that arrived a few minutes away from the final whistle. The two sides came out for this match determined to obtain the win for different reasons.
Nadur was aiming to recover from the defeat conceded the previous weekend in the final of the KO competition for the first division and needed the three points to keep the co-leadership on the table before their final two matches of the campaign. On the other hand, Xaghra needed the win or at least a positive result to move away from the bottom place on the table and retain their chances to avoid relegation. As a result, the play was well contested but Nadur managed to clinch the win as they capitalised better from their chances and during some difficult patches, Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana became the hero for his side with some very important interventions to deny Xaghra from levelling the score.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
Play during the first period was quite interesting as Nadur tried to put pressure on Xaghra’s defence but the latter was well-organised and also managed to threaten Nadur’s rearguard with sporadic breaks. Nadur managed to put their heads ahead when they capitalised from a defensive mistake by the defence but did not manage to increase their lead so Xaghra seemed in contention despite trailing by one goal.
6’ Nadur could have created more danger but a lob from an angled position by Matthias Said ended on the roof of the net.
10’ Xaghra replied with a shot from a good position by Henrique Da Silva Wilker that was saved with some difficulty by Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana.
12’ Nadur’s Marcelo Barbosa had an attempt directly from a free kick but the ball ended high.
15’ The same Barbosa could have created more danger but his shot was weak and Xaghra’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb saved without difficulty.
17’ Xaghra were again dangerous through a lob by Marco Antonio Morgon Filho but the ball ended on the roof of the net.
24’ Xaghra’s defence granted a scoring opportunity to their opponents when the defence failed to clear a through pass and Marcelo Barbosa ran towards the area but his lob was not effective and the goalkeeper saved the danger.
25’ Xaghra’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb was well placed and neutralised a strike by Gennaro Hili.
26’ (1-0) Nadur opened the score when Stefan Cassar took the ball from Xaghra’s defence and passed it to an unmarked Marcelo Jr Barbosa who placed it easily into an open goal.
41’ Xaghra had their best opportunity to level the score but a shot by Marco Antonio Morgon Filho was well saved by Nadur’s keeper Steve Sultana.
44’ (crossbar) Nadur went very close to double their lead but a cross-shot by Marcelo Barbosa hit the crossbar.
HT (1-0)
Second Half
Xaghra came out for the second period determined to produce a reaction and for some minutes they held territorial supremacy. However, they did not manage to capitalise on some potential scoring opportunities. Nadur resisted well to Xaghra’s play and the match became much more existing as Xaghra were trying to level the score while Nadur was aiming to surprise their opponents to score a second goal.
2’ Xaghra’s Camilo Andres Diaz Arias had a good shot that was saved with some difficulty to a corner by Nadur’s keeper Steve Sultana.
3’ The same goalkeeper made another important intervention to save an attempt by Marco Antonio Morgon Filho.
8’ Nadur replied with an effort by Matthias Said who tried a lob from outside the area but the ball ended high.
11’ Nadur were again dangerous when Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio passed to Marcelo Barbosa but the latter saw his shot that was well saved by Xaghra’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb.
18’ Nadur’s Marcelo Barbosa an attempt directly from a free kick that ended away from goal.
36’ Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana made a very difficult intervention to deny Xaghra from scoring the equaliser when he blocked a close-ranged attempt by Henrique Da Silva Wilker who took advantage of a miskick by Nadur’s defender Manwel Tabone, who came in as a substitute during the second period.
37’ Nadur almost punished their opponents for the missed chance in the following action but a shot from outside the area by Marcelo Barbosa ended wide.
41’ (2-0) Nadur practically made sure of the win by scoring their second goal when Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio won a challenge with Xaghra’s defender following a through pass by Marcelo Barbosa and lobbed into an open goal as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.
44’ Xaghra could have re-opened the issue but a shot directly from a free kick by Marco Antonio Morgon Filho was saved with difficulty to a corner by Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana.
FT (NY 2 – XU 0)
Referee: Daniel Portelli
Assistant Referees: Robert Curtis, Andrea Pavia Schiavone
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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