20 December 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 9) Gozo Stadium
Qala Saints FC : 4
Oratory Youths FC : 0
20’ (1-0) Christian Mercieca
52’ (2-0) Junior Adenilson Ferreira Dos Santos
73’ (3-0) Jordi Parnis
75’ (4-0) Nicholas Inguanez
Qala S:
O. Attard, N. Inguanez, J.A. Ferreira Dos Santos, K. Farrugia (S. Curmi 78), C. Mercieca (A.A. Xerri 784), E.E Ruiz, Emm. Buttigieg, J. Parnis, G. Cardona (E. Grozdanov 63), A.M. Bustos (P. Rapa 63), I. Nedeljkovic.
Oratory Y:
A. Brignoli, C. Cardona, I. Zarb, G. Ellis (S. Attard 77), J. Xerri (C. Vella 77), O. Xuereb (C. Saliba 88), R. Curmi, D. Saliba, V.G. Soarez Souza, R. Almeida Lopes, D.A. Cuero.
Qala Saints recovered from the defeat conceded in their previous match and defended their five-point lead at the top of the table with three points earned from a 4-0 win over bottom-placed Oratory Youths.
For this match, Qala had regular players Joseph Buttigieg and Nathan Chukwudi Njoku missing due to a suspension but the team were determined to obtain the full points at stake from this match so that they dominated their opponents throughout the 90 minutes. The match was played in difficult weather conditions due to strong winds which made it very difficult for the two sets of players to produce good play. Qala struggled during the first period to convert their superiority in goals and only managed to take the break with a one-goal lead. The Maroons reorganised themselves better after the break so that they made sure of the win by scoring three more goals.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
Qala held control of play throughout the first half but found it difficult to open a comfortable lead before the break as the strikers were not very effective in their finishing while Oratory’s defence tried hard to remain organised.
15’ Qala went very close to take the lead when Gabriel Cardona delivered a cross from the right flank but the first-timer by Igor Nedeljkovic ended wide.
17’ The Maroons could have created more danger but a header by Kevin Farrugia from a cross by Christian Mercieca ended high.
18’ Oratory almost surprised their opponents but a low shot by Rian Almeida Lopes following a personal action was weak and missed the target.
20’ (1-0) Qala opened the score when Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz released Christian Mercieca who surprised Oratory’s keeper with a strike from a long distance.
23’ Oratory went close to level the score but a header by Deison Cuero following a free kick by Almeida Lopes was saved to a corner by Qala’s keeper.
24’ Qala missed a good opportunity to score a second goal but Igor Nedeljkovic and Ferreira Dos Santos both failed to connect to an inviting cross from a free kick by Eduardo Ruiz.
28’ Oratory’s goalie Angelo Brignoli was well placed and turned to a corner with difficulty an attempt from outside the area by Qala’s Igor Nedeljkovic.
38’ Qala’s Eduardo Ruiz almost surprised the oratory’s keeper but his cross shot from the left flank ended on the roof of the net.
HT (1-0)
Second Half
Oratory failed to produce a reaction while Qala maintained control of play and managed to be more effective in attack so they scored three more goals before the end of the encounter.
2’ Oratory threatened Qala’s rearguard with an effort by Deison Cuero but the ball ended wide.
7’ (2-0) Qala doubled their lead when Junior Adenilson Ferreira Dos Santos guided the ball into the net following a corner kick towards the near post by Eduardo Ruiz.
12’ Qala were again dangerous from a corner kick by Eduardo Ruiz but the header by Kevin Farrugia ended high.
13’ Oratory’s defender Ian Zarb made an important intervention when he blocked a corner shot from a good position by Eduardo Ruiz.
15’ Oratory’s goalie Angelo Brignoli made another good intervention to turn to corner a header by Igor Nedeljkovic following a cross by Gabriel Cardona.
28’ (3-0) Qala practically made sure of the win by scoring the third goal that arrived through a tap-in by Jordi Parnis following a low cross from the right by Eduardo Ruiz.
29’ (4-0) The Maroons sealed the win when Eduardo Ruiz’s low cross was blocked by the defence and the ball arrived to Nicholas Inguanez who netted with a low shot towards the far post.
34’ Oratory were dangerous through a shot from outside by Omar Xuereb that was blocked by Qala’s goalie Owen Attard and from the rebound Sean Attard hit badly and the ball ended wide.
44’ Oratory had an opportunity to score a consolation goal but a lob by Deison Cuero was weak and goalie Owen Attard saved without difficulty.
FT (QS 4 – OY 0)
Referee: Joseph Scerri,
Asst. Referees: Patrick Falzon, Paul Apap
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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