Favourites Qala Saints obtain a convincing win in their opening match of thechampionship

6 September 2024
BOV GFA Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 1) Gozo Stadium

Qala Saints FC : 3
SK Victoria Wanderers FC : 1

5’ (1-0) Kevin Farrugia
43’ (red card) Vasile-Fernando Mihai (SKVW)
56’ (2-0) Kevin Farrugia
65’ (2-1) Igor Henrique Da Silva Costa
66’ (3-1) Igor Nedeljkovic

Qala S:

O. Attard, N. Inguanez, Jsph. Buttigieg (A.A. Xerri 90), J.A. Ferreira Dos Santos, K. Farrugia
(P. Rapa 71), C. Mercieca (S. Curmi 90), E.E Ruiz, E. Buttigieg, J. Parnis (G. Cardona 71),
N.C. Njoku, I. Nedeljkovic.

SK Victoria W:
O. Xuereb, A. Galiano Lazarini, N. Camilleri, V.F. Mihai, M. Cordina (J.W. Meilak 68), I.H. Da
Silva Costa, E. Zammit, D.G. Emmanuel, J. Saliba (N. Grech 68), O. Fenech (S. Harland 88),
L. Fenech.

Qala Saints lived up to the expectations and opened their commitments in the 2024/2025
Gozitan championship with a 3-1 win over Victoria Wanderers. In this match Qala confirmed
the very positive impression that they left after the final of the GFA Super Cup the week
before where they lifted the first honour of the season by defeating reigning champions
Nadur Youngsters showed that they have the potential to believe that they can become
champions of Gozitan football for the first time in the club’s history.

In this first match of the BOV Gozo Football League of the 1st division for the two sides, Qala
held supremacy for a long stretch and enjoyed the lead by scoring a goal during the initial
stages of each half. The Wanderers struggled to recover from the early shock and ended the
first half with a player less on the field, but managed to produce their best patch of play after
conceding the second goal when they were playing with ten players. However, Qala
regained the two-goal lead a few seconds after conceding Victoria’s goal and practically made
sure of the first three deserved points of the campaign.

Photo: Anthony Cassar

Timeline:
Qala had a better start and managed to open the score in their first serious attempt towards
Victoria’s goal so that they take the driving seat and hold territorial supremacy for the rest of
the first half. The Wanderers tried to neutralise Qala’s initiative with an organised
deployment at their defence but they were weak in attack and found it extremely difficult to
produce danger towards Qala’s goal.
3’ The Wanderers almost surprised their more quoted opponents with a free kick taken by
Vasile-Fernando Mihai, but the shot of the Rumanian striker was saved to a corner by Qala’s
goalie Owen Attard.

5’ (1-0) Qala opened the score when Victoria’s goalie Omar Xuereb partially saved two
consecutive shots by Igor Nedeljkovic and Kevin Farrugia and from the second rebound,
the latter concluded easily in goal.
33’ The Maroons were again dangerous through an effort by Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz that
ended over the crossbar.
35’ The Wanderers replied with a personal action by Igor Henrique Da Silva Costa who
passed inside Qala’s area but his attempt was saved by goalie Owen Attard.
43’ (red card) The Wanderers were reduced to ten players when Vasile-Fernando Mihai was
shown a straight red card for hitting his opponent after committing a foul.
HT (1-0)

Second Half
Qala took advantage of the extra player from the initial stages of the second period and
managed to put their minds at rest from the win by scoring their second goal during the
opening minutes of the second half. Victoria produced a reaction and reduced the deficit
midway through the second half, but Qala re-established the two-goal lead less than a
minute later so that the Maroons administered their lead with authority until the end of the
encounter.
1’ Victoria’s goalie Omar Xuereb was called to make a difficult save to block an affine strike by
Igor Nedeljkovic. From the resultant corner action, the shot by the same Nedeljkovic ended
on the side of the net.
6’ (2-0) Qala doubled their lead when Igor Nedeljkovic’s header following a cross from the left
flank by Nicholas Inguanez hit the crossbar and from the rebound, Kevin Farrugia guided the
ball into the net.
13’ Qala’s keeper was called to make a difficult intervention and saved to a corner with the
the aid of the post a good strike from an angled position by Owen Fenech.
14’ Qala replied with a good shot from a good position by Igor Nedeljkovic that ended just
high.
20’ (2-1) The Wanderers re-opened the issue through a fine header by Igor Henrique Da
Silva Costa following a free kick from a long distance by Neil Camilleri.
21’ (3-1) Qala replied immediately and regained the comfortable lead when Victoria’s
rearguard hesitated to clear the ball from the edge of the area and Igor Nedeljkovic took full
advantage by taking possession and netted with a low drive as Victoria’s goalie left his
position in an attempt to block the danger.

27’ Victoria’s goalie Omar Xuereb was at the right place and neutralised an effort from an
unmarked position by Christian Mercieca.
35’ Victoria went closest to reducing the gap from their opponents when a strike by David
Garba Emmanuel just missed the target.
37’ The Wanderers once again threatened Qala’s defence through a personal action by Igor
Henrique Da Silva Costa but his shot from outside the area ended wide.

FT (QS 3 – SKVW 1)
Referee: Daniel Casha
Asst. Referees: Vasil Vasilev, Raymond Tabone

Photo: Anthony Cassar