Oratory keep their challenge to retain the top flight status with a fine win

by | Apr 20, 2024 | 23/24, GFL 1st Div, Match Report, News

14 April 2024

GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 20) Gozo Stadium

Xewkija Tigers FC : 1

Oratory Youths FC: 4

15’ (0-1) penalty Rafael Conrado Prudente

24’ (0-2) Rian Almeida Lopes

39’ (0-3) Ryan Saliba

66’ (penalty missed – saved) Joshua Buttigieg (OY)

72’ (1-3) Rodney Buttigieg

75’ (1-4) Rafael Conrado Prudente

Xewkija T:

N. Kosanin, J. Axiak, Js. Vella, D. Bogdanovic, M. Mercieca, J. Buttigieg, R. Buttigieg, C.D. Frances, D. Bugeja, H. Bonnici (S. Xuereb 56), C. Abela.

Oratory Y:

A. Brignoli, P. Rapa, K. Farrugia (O. Curmi 85), J. Buttigieg, L.B. Coca, A. Azzopardi, R.C. Prudente, R. Saliba, H. Muscat, G. Santos Silva, R. Almeida Lopes (A. Sultana 76).

Oratory Youths registered their second consecutive win and confirmed their recovery which saw them moving away from the bottom of the table to join other teams in the relegation zone by defeating Xewkija Tigers with a 4-1 score.

Oratory were determined to obtain the full points from this encounter and paved the way to the win by scoring three goals during the first period.  For this match, Xewkija were depleted due to suspensions and injuries and particularly suffered from the absence of midfielder Aleksa Bozovic, who was suspended, and striker Brian Alejandro Parada who is recovering from an injury.  Xewkija therefore did not manage to produce serious challenges to their opponents and they never managed to be in a position to aim for a positive result.  Oratory retained their superiority after the break and had an immediate reply as soon as Xewkija scored their only goal of the encounter.  Oratory’s striker Rafael Conrado Prudente ended up the protagonist for his side by scoring two of the four goals.

Timeline:

Oratory as expected came out for this match more determined and took command of play from the first minutes of the encounter.  Oratory took the driving seat by converting a penalty on 15 minutes and continued to dictate matters so that they increased their lead before halftime by scoring on two other occasions.

3’ Oratory produced their first scoring opportuning when a cross by Joshua Buttigieg arrived to Rafael Conrado Prudente who saw his header that was saved by Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin and from the rebound the defence failed to clear the danger but Ryan Saliba’s shot was deflected to a corner.

8’ The Youths were again dangerous but a shot by Rian Almeida Lopes following a personal action that ended over the crossbar.

11’ Xewkija could have created more danger when Oratory’s defence failed to clear the ball from their area following a cross by Claudio Daniel Frances but Matthias Mercieca hit badly in an attempt to unmark Rodney Buttigieg and the goalkeeper recovered in time to deny a scoring opportunity to the opponent.

14’ (0-1) penalty Oratory opened the score when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by John Axiak on Rian Almeida Lopes and Rafael Conrado Prudente made no mistake with his shot from the penalty spot.

22’ The Youths were again dangerous when Rafael Conrado Prudente released Ryan Saliba on the right flank but his shot from inside Xewkija’s area ended wide.

24’ (0-2) Oratory doubled their lead when Leonardo Bruno Coca passed the ball to Rian Almeida Lopes just outside Xewkija’s area and the latter had his shot that ended in the net following a deflection by the defence.

26’ Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin was well placed and blocked a shot by Joshua Buttigieg after receiving from Ryan Saliba.

28’ Xewkija’s defender Josiah Buttigieg risked to commit an own goal when he hit badly in an attempt to clear the ball from his area but goalie Nikola Kosanin recovered in time and neutralised the danger.

31’ Xewkija had their first serious attempt towards Oratory’s goal that arrived through an effort by Claudio Daniel Frances but goalie Angelo Brignoli was well placed and saved the danger to a corner.

39’ (0-3) Oratory increased their lead with a fine shot from long distance by Ryan Saliba, after receiving from Rafael Conrado Prudente, that surprised Xewkija’s goalie.

HT (0-3)

Second Half

Oratory continued to administer play from the early stages of the second period and continued to produce more danger than their opponents.  Xewjkija never gave the impression that they could re-open the issue so the match lost much of the interest and the Youths ended up winning the encounter with a gap of three goals.

2’ Oratory’s Luis Gabriel Santos Silva had an attempt directly from a free kick that ended away from goal.

3’ Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin denied Oratory from scoring another goal when he managed to save to a corner a low shot from an unmarked position by Joshua Buttigieg.

5’ Xewkija replied with an attempt by Matthias Mercieca that got a deflection and ended in a corner.

7’ Xewkija threatened Oratory’s rearguard when Claudio Daniel Frances took a clearance from the defence when the keeper was out of his position, but his attempt aimed towards an open goal was blocked as central defender Luis Gabriel Santos Silva recovered his position.
13’ Xewkija could have created more danger but a strike from outside the area by Claudio Daniel Frances ended just over the crossbar.

15’ Oratory’s Rafael Conrado Prudente had a header from a corner kick by Leonardo Bruno Coca that missed the target.

19’ (protests for penalty) Xewkija protested for a penalty alleging handling by Oratory’s central defender Luis Gabriel Santos Silva who blocked an initiative by Rodney Buttigieg.

21’ (penalty missed – saved) Oratory were awarded another penalty for a foul by Carlo Abela on Rian Almeida Lopes but on this occasion, Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin saved the shot from the penalty spot by Joshua Buttigieg.

27’ (1-3) Xewkija reduced the deficit when Claudio Daniel Frances released Rodney Buttigieg who addressed towards an open goal as Oratory’s goalie left his position in an attempt to block the danger.

29’ Xewkija’s goalie Nikola Kosanin made the best save of the afternoon to turn to a corner a fine shot by Leonardo Bruno Coca after receiving from Rafael Conrado Prudente.

30’ (1-4) Oratory re-established their three-goal lead from the resultant corner action taken by Andre Azzopardi and concluded with a header by Rafael Conrado Prudente.

FT (XT 1 – OY 4)

Referee: Ezekiel Barbara

Assistant Referees: Paul Apap, Anthony Paul Vella

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Written by GozoFA