15 February 2025
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 2nd Division (MD 11) Kercem Stadium
St Lawrence Spurs FC : 1
Zebbug Rovers FC : 2
49’ (1-0) Eduin Junior Padilla Pedrozo
57’ (1-1) Gustavo Dos Santos Lemos
77’ (red card) Oliver Cremona (ZR)
89’ (1-2) o.g. Neville Haber
St Lawrence S:
P. Cremona, N. Haber, E. Bugeja (J. Xuereb 80), E.J. Padilla Pedrozo, J. Grima, S.
Farrugia, C. Farrugia, M. Dingli (D. Atzori 80), J. Saliba, Ju. Attard (J.M. Portelli 63),
R.P. Rapa (O. Grech 69).
Zebbug R:
G. Saliba, M. Ciangura, G. Dos Santos Lemos, O. Cremona, C. Debono, H. Paulin, P.
Spiteri, J. Buttigieg, P.P. Camilleri, N.J. Cini, L. Portelli (B. Camilleri 63), O. Saliba (M.
Formosa 63).
Zebbug Rovers started the third and final round of the second division league with three
points obtained from a 2-1 win over St Lawrence Spurs. With this result, Zebbug moved
again closer to the same St Lawrence and other two teams who are challenging for the
runners-up position.
The match between Zebbug and St Lawrence turned out to be another well-contested
encounter as happened in the matches between the two sides of the previous two
rounds.
The two sides were aiming to obtain a win as St Lawrence could have moved again to
the second place with a win, while Zebbug practically had their last opportunity to
remain in contention for the place in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off. The match
lived up to the expectations as it was a balanced contest throughout the ninety minutes.
Both sides created few chances during the first half but play became much more
interesting after the break. St Lawrence were the first team to score in this match,
during the opening minutes of play of the second period, but they committed decisive
mistakes at their defence, and failed to capitalise on an extra player on the pitch
during the final stages, so that they left the field empty-handed despite the fact that thethe
match seemed heading toward a draw.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline:
Play for most of the first half took place in the midfield as the two defensive
departments were in control of the respective striker so that the actions on goal were
quite rare and the first half ended in a just goalless draw.
8’ St Lawrence went very close to taking the lead but an effort by James Grima from a
good position ended just over Zebbug’s crossbar.
20’ Zebbug had their best scoring opportunity of the first half when Marco Ciangura
delivered a cross inside St Lawrence’s area from a free kick, nut the header by Oliver
Cremona was saved with some difficulty by goalie Paul Cremona.
HT (0-0)
Second Half
Play after the resumption became much more contested as the two sides increased
their efforts in an attempt to obtain the win. St Lawrence managed to put their heads in
front but Zebbug had an immediate reaction and the outcome of the encounter
remained uncertain until the final whistle.
4’ (1-0) St Lawrence opened the score when Mark Dingli ran into Zebbug’s territory
from the right flank following a counter break and from his low cross Eduin Junior
Padilla Pedrozo concluded in the net with a low drive.
12’ (1-1) Zebbug levelled the score when St Lawrence’s goalie failed to clear the ball
from the edge of the area so that Zebbug’s Gustavo Dos Santos Lemos took
advantage and placed into an open goal from an angled position.
16’ Zebbug were again dangerous through an attempt from a free kick by Marco
Coangura but the ball ended wide.
27’ The Rovers missed a golden scoring opportunity when Harry Paulin surprised St
Lawrence’s defence and arrived face to face with the goalkeeper at the edge of the
area but the striker’s lob missed an open target.
32’ (red card) Zebbug were reduced to ten players when Oliver Cremona was shown a
red card for stopping a goal-scoring opportunity as Eduin Junior Padilla Pedrozo was
heading alone towards Zebbug’s area.
44’ (1-2) Zebbug turned the result in their favour by capitalising from another mistake by
St Lawrence’s goalkeeper and central defender Neville Haber lacked
communication at the edge of the area so that the latter ended up hitting badly and
committed an own goal in his desperate attempt to kick the ball away from the danger
area.
45+2’ (post) St Lawrence went very close to scoring a dramatic equaliser but a shot from an
angled position by substitute Jurgen Mario Portelli saw his shot was stopped by the
post and Zebbug’s Marco Ciangura saved a certain goal when he cleared off the
goalmouth.
FT (SLS 1 – ZR 2)
Referee: Matteo Falzon
Asst. Referees: Luca Grech, Huseyin Baykus
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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