17 November 2024
GFA 1st Division KO (Q/final) Kercem Stadium
Ghajnsielem FC : 0
Nadur Youngsters FC : 2
20’ (0-1) Matthias Mercieca
55’ (penalty missed – saved) Joseph Zammit (NY)
64’ (0-2) Andre Gabriel Castro Martins
Ghajnsielem:
L. Buttigieg, H. Muscat, Al. Xuereb (B. Said 79), D.D. Torres Quinones, K. Hili (D. Attard 69), M.V. Claudino Ramos (Choco), H.H. Goncalves Barbosa, J. Tabone, J.O. Ezigbo, N.I. Belhadj (I. Belhadj 58), D. Hili.
Nadur Y:
S. Sultana, I. De Jesus De Santana, M. Gauci (J. Attard 90+2), M. Mercieca (B. Said 72), D. Pires Dall’Oca (S. Xuereb 90+2), A.G. Castro Martins, J. Zammit, G. Farrugia, I. Xuereb, G. Muscat (D. Vella 85), O.G. Fernandes.
Nadur Youngsters earned qualification to the semifinals of the GFA 1st Division KO competition with a deserved 2-0 win over Ghajnsielem in the last match from the quarter-finals stage of the competition. With this win, Nadur extended a good moment of form where they showed signs of recovery from a difficult start in the 2024/2025 football season and remain in contention to challenge for at least two honours in Gozitan football.
For this match, both Ghajnsielem and Nadur were seeking to obtain the win in an attempt to gain confidence in view of their next commitments in the championship. Ghajnsielem expressed some good offensive play during the opening stages of each half but they failed to capitalise on some potential scoring opportunities so they ended up conceding Nadur’s reaction and compromised the match by committing mistakes at their defence. Nadur showed character in this match as they resisted well during Ghajnsielem’s best patch pf play and as time passed by they took command of the midfield and produced more dangerous actions. Nadur’s win matured with a goal scored in each half and the final result could have been with a larger margin but the Youngsters missed an opportunity to add another goal as they had a penalty kick that was saved by Ghajnsielem’s goalie.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
The two sides came out with the intention to produce offensive play but as time passed by Nadur took command of the midfield and started to create better scoring opportunities. The Youngsters took the driving seat with a goal scored midway through the first half and neutralised Ghajnsielem’s efforts to recover the deficit.
6’ Nadur created the first scoring opportunity of the encounter through a strike from outside the area by Igor De Jesus De Santana but the ball ended wide.
17’ Nadur were again dangerous through a shot directly from a free kick by Diego Pires Dall’Oca that was blocked with some difficulty by goalie Luke Buttigieg.
20’ (0-1) Nadur opened the score when Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes released Matthias Mercieca who entered the area, turned around the goalkeeper and fired towards the goal with the ball ending in the net despite the attempt by defender James Tabone to clear the danger.
35’ Nadur should have capitalised better but a shot on the run by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes missed the target.
39’ Ghajnsielem had their best scoring opportunity of the first half when Joseph Onyeka Ezigbo entered the area from the left flank but his shot was saved in two attempts by Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana.
HT (0-1)
Second Half
After the resumption, Ghajnsielem came out determined to recover the deficit but they failed to capitalise on some potential scoring opportunities so that they ended up conceding Nadur’s second goal and the issue regarding the qualification was closed at an early stage.
6’ Ghajnsielem was dangerous through an attempt from a free kick by Vinicius Claudino Ramos but the ball ended away from goal.
8’ The Blacks kept insisting and had a good shot by Haraan Hajazan Goncalves Barbosa that was neutralised by goalie Steve Sultana.
9’ (penalty missed – saved) Nadur could have added another goal when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by James Tabone on Andre Gabriel Castro Martins but the shot from the penalty spot by Joseph Zammit was saved by Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg.
19’ (0-2) Nadur managed to double their lead when Diego Pires Dall’Oca delivered the ball in front of the goalmouth from a corner kick and Andre Gabriel Castro Martins surprised the defence and concluded in the net with a fine header.
24’ Ghajnsielem could have re-opened the issue but a shot from a good position by Haraan Hajazan Goncalves Barbosa ended wide.
35’ Nadur’s goalie Steve Sultana was called to make an important intervention to save a close-range shot by Joseph Onyeka Ezigbo following a low cross from the left flank by Goncalves Barbosa.
43’ Nadur went close to sealing the win by scoring a third goal but a close-ranged attempt by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes, after exchanging the ball with Andre Gabriel Castro Martins was blocked by Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg.
FT (GHJ 0 – NY 2)
Referee: Andrea Naudi
Asst. Referees: Kieran Mallia, Paul Apap
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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