7 December 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 2nd Division (MD 5) Kercem Stadium
Munxar Falcons FC: 1
St Lawrence Spurs FC: 2
1’ (0-1) Ebube Ralph Okpokwu
52’ (0-2) Dylan Paul Rapa
73’ (1-2) Neil Mifsud
Munxar F:
J. Micallef, K. Borg, D. Azzopardi, D. Bajada (J.G. Vella 46), K. Farrugia, N. Mifsud, N. Mercieca, M. Mercieca, D. Mesa Pineros, E. Galea (K. Vella 65), S. Muscat (K. Mizzi 65).
St Lawrence S:
P. Cremona, N. Haber, E. Bugeja, J.M. Portelli (D. Atzori 65), V.J. Saliba, S. Farrugia, C. Farrugia (O. Grech 76), E,R. Okpokwu, J. Saliba, Ju. Attard, D.P. Rapa (C. Azzopardi 59).
St Lawrence Spurs made up for the defeat conceded in their previous match and earned the full points at stake from a 2-1 win over Munxar Falcons. With this result, St Lawrence defended their second place, on equal points with Sannat Lions, at the expense of the same Munxar.
This last match for the two sides was practically a direct clash between two sides who had six points each from their respective first four matches of the campaign and they both needed the win to keep challenging for the runners-up position with Sannat Lions. The Spurs surprised their opponents and opened a two-goal cushion before the hour mark so that they were in a position to control the reaction by their opponents during the final stages. This was Munxar’s second consecutive defeat as they once again failed to live up to their expectations. The Falcons will start the second round of the campaign trailing two direct challengers and therefore they now have a difficult task to recover from the difficult period which may have compromised their ambitions for the season.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
St Lawerence had an excellent start and took the lead after a few seconds of play so Munxar seemed shocked and did not manage to produce a serious reaction before the end of the first half.
1’ (0-1) St Lawrence’s Ebube Ralph Okpokwu put his side in the lead after just 17 seconds of play when he entered Munxar’s area and netted with a low shot towards the far post.
16’ Munxar replied with a good shot by Neil Mifsud but St Lawrence’s goalie Paul Cremona was well placed and turned the ball with difficulty to a corner.
23’ Munxar missed a good opportunity to level the score but a close-ranged shot by Matthew Zammit, following a cross from the right flank by Neil Mifsud, ended wide.
38’ St Lawrence went very close to double their lead but a lob from an angled position by Ebube Ralph Okpokwu missed the target.
HT (0-1)
Second Half
The Spurs continued to be confident in their play while Munxar became nervous as time passed by and struggled to produce danger towards St Lawrence’s goal. St Lawrence held control of play, particularly after scoring the second goal, and maintained composure after conceding Minxar’s goal with around twenty minutes of play left before the end of the encounter.
7’ (0-2) St Lawrence consolidated their deserved lead with a second goal that arrived from a counter break by Ebube Ralph Okpokwo who released Jurgen Mario Portelli and the latter delivered a low cross that was converted in the net with a close-ranged shot by Dylan Paul Rapa.
16’ Munxar’s keeper Joel Micallef was called to make a difficult save to turn to a corner a strike by Ebube Ralph Okpoku following a personal action.
28’ (1-2) Munxar re-opened the issue when St Lawrence’s defence failed to clear a cross by Nathaniel Mercieca and Neil Mifsud fired in the net with the ball hitting the crossbar before crossing the line.
37’ (crossbar) St Lawrence could have regained the two-goal lead but a strike by substitute Daniel Atzori hit the crossbar and from the rebound, the header by Jake Salia ended high.
FT (MF 1 – SLS 2)
Referee: Abbas Faron
Asst. Referees: Sanu Joy, Mark Azzopardi
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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