20 April 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 2nd Division (MD 15) Gozo Stadium
Victoria Hotspurs FC : 4
Munxar Falcons FC : 0
22’ (1-0) Lucas Farrugia
36’ (2-0) Wellington Valentim De Souza
84’ (3-0) Shaun Attard
89’ (4-0) Lorenzo Atzori
Victoria H:
R. Sammut, L. Grima, L. Farrugia (J. Buttigieg 68), S. Attard, D. Farrugia, C. Grima (L. Atzori 68), J. Grima (O. Cremona 74), D. Mercieca (C. Caruana 74), J. Tabone, J.G. Vella (E. Xiberras 68), W. Valentim De Sousa.
Munxar F:
J. Micallf, K. Borg, D. Bajada, P. Parnis (L. Meilak 46), E. Bugeja (M. Zammit 68), K. Farrugia, I. Belhadj, N. Mifsud, N. Mercieca, V.G. Soarez Souza, E. Galea (G. Cauchi 76).
In the last match of the BOV Gozo Football League of the second division, for the season 2023/2024, Victoria Hotspurs defeated Munxar Falcons so that they ended their commitments this season on a very positive note. This win also allowed the supporters of Victoria Hotspurs to celebrate their success in the best way. The Hotspurs paved the way to this win by scoring two goals during the first half so that they reduced their pressure after the break and administered with authority Munxar’s attempts to recover the deficit. With this result, Munxar missed an opportunity to regain the runners-up position and therefore ended the campaign in the third spot.
Victoria Hotspurs had a very successful campaign which was also complemented by the success obtained in the other two competitions for the category. The Citizens were favourites to dominate the competition of the second division but during the first months of the season, the side coached by Davor Filipovic found it difficult to impose their superiority. Victoria however started to dominate the match in the second part of the season and practically made sure of the title by winning all the direct clashes against the same Munxar Falcons and Sannat Lions who were the challengers in the first half of the season. It was therefore not a surprise that the Hotspurs became mathematically champions at an early stage of the third and final round so that they continued to dominate despite the fact that they needed more points. The superiority of the Hotspurs in the second division league this season is expressed in the numbers since they only dropped five points from their fifteen matches of the campaign, in a draw against Sannat and a defeat conceded in a match against Munxar. The Hotspurs also had a very strong defence which conceded only ten goals and were very effective in attack by scoring fifty-five goals in the fifteen matches. Victoria’s striker Wellington Valentim De Souza also ended up the top scorer of the category with twenty-three goals.
After the end of this match, Victoria Hotspurs were presented with the medals and trophy as champions of the BOV Gozo Football League of the second division by Ms Charmaine Borg, Regional Manager for the BOV for Gozo, the President of the Gozo Football Association Dr Samuel Azzopardi and other officials of the association among the celebrations by Victoria’s supporters.
Timeline:
The Hotspurs took command of play from the first minutes and created pressure on their opponents. The Hotspurs took the lead midway through the first half and consolidated their lead with a second goal scored before halftime.
13’ Victoria was dangerous through a free kick by Shaun Attard but the ball ended wide.
22’ (1-0) The Hotspurs opened the score when Munxar’s defence was surprised following a cross by Daniel Farrugia and the ball arrived to an unmarked Lucas Farrugia who netted easily from close distance.
30’ Victoria’s Lucas Farrugia arrived on the ball before Munxar’s goalie Joel Micallef following a through pass from the midfield but the striker saw his lob aimed towards an open goal that ended wide.
34’ Munxar replied with an attempt from a free kick that was neutralised by Victoria’s goalie Richard Sammut.
36’ (2-0) The Hotspurs increased their lead when Lucas Farrugia released Wellington Valentim De Souza and the latter placed easily in goal with a low drive as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.
39’ Victoria could have added another goal when Wellington Valentim De Souza entered alone inside Munxar’s area from the right-hand side but his low shot aimed towards the far post ended wide.
41’ Munxar’s goalie Joel Micallef made a good save to block a shot from outside the area by Shaun Attard.
HT (2-0)
Second Half
The match lost much of the interest after the break as Munxar seemed demoralised while Victoria reduced their pressure but continued to create scoring opportunities.
18’ Munxar had their best opportunity to score a consolation goal when Vitor Gabriel Soarez Souza passed to Neil Mifsud but Victoria’s goalie Richard Sammut left his position in time to block the danger.
20’ (crossbar) Victoria went very close to scoring another goal but an effort by Wellington Valentim De Souza was stopped by the crossbar.
25’ The Citizens were again dangerous when a cross by substitute Ettienne Xiberras arrived to the other substitute Lorenzo Azori but the latter saw his header from a very close distance that ended over the crossbar.
28’ Munxar’s goalie Joel Micallef was called to make a difficult intervention to block a good strike by Lorenzo Atzori.
34’ The same goalkeeper made another important save to turn to a corner a shot from a good position by Wellington Valentim De Souza.
39’ (3-0) Victoria scored the third goal through a fine shot by Shaun Attard from outside the area following a personal initiative.
44’ (4-0) The Hotspurs sealed the win with a fourth goal that arrived through a first-timer by Lorenzo Atzori following a cross from the right flank by Shaun Attard.
FT (VH 4 – MF 0)
Referee: Reuben Spiteri Delicata
Assistant Referees: Ranald Portelli, Kankaras Igor
0 Comments