30 October 2021
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II (MD 2) Kercem Arkafort Stadium
St Lawrence Spurs FC : 2
Qala Saints FC : 2
5’ (0-1) Aleksandar Komljenovic
15’ (1-1) Alen Haska
52’ (1-2) Aleksandar Komljenovic
71’ (red card) Michael Zerafa (QS)
72’ (2-2) Alen Haska
St. Lawrence S:
C. Mercieca, L. Attard (C. Mercieca), G. Portelli, A. Attard (J.M. Portelli), C. Grima, A. Haska, V.J. Saliba, C. Cauchi, C. Azzopardi, D. Micallef, J. Buhagiar.
Qala S:
M. Muscat, Jsp. Buttigieg, Jsf. Buttigieg, M. Buttigieg (S. Muscat), C. Farrugia (S. Farrugia), E. Buttigieg, P. Muscat (M. Zerafa), B. Said, F. Mumford (S. Sillato), A. Komljenovic, M. Xerri.
Hot favourites for the title Qala Saints dropped two precious points in the match from Match-Day 2 of the campaign against St Lawrence Spurs. Qala saw more of the ball for more than an hour of play but they failed to convert their superiority into a comfortable lead so that they allowed St Lawrence to produce a reaction, clinch the equaliser on two occasions and at the end Qala risked to concede a third goal from their less quoted opponents.
The final score rewards the two sides for their efforts and it was also a just result since the match was well contested where the outcome remained uncertain until the final whistle. The strikers of the two sides, Qala’s Aleksandar Komljenovic and St Lawrence’s Alen Haska were the protagonists for the respective teams as they scored a brace each. The final score favours Zebbug Rovers who remain sole leaders on the table and the only team of the category with maximum points from two matches.
Timeline:
Qala Saints took command of play from the first minutes of play and managed to take the lead by scoring an early goal but St Lawrence resisted to Qala’s supremacy and threatened mainly with counter breaks.
5’ (0-1) Qala opened the score in their first serious offensive action when Brandon Said delivered a cross form the right flank and Aleksandar Komljenovic converted in goal with a shot from close distance.
11’ St Lawrence’s goalie Courtney Mercieca as called to make a good save to deny Aleksandar Komljenovic from scoring another goal for the Maroons.
15’ (1-1) St Lawrence levelled the score when Christian Grima delivered a cross from the right flank and Alen Haska surprised Qala’s defence and fired in goal from inside the area.
Qala tried to regain command of play but they found it difficult to produce danger to St Lawrence’s goalie.
30’ The Maroons went very close to score the second goal but a header by Manuel Buttigieg form a corner kick by Manwel Xerri was stopped by the crossbar.
As time passed by the Spurs gained confidence and ended the first half sharing play with their opponents.
38’ Qala’s goalie Matthew Muscat made a good save following a strike by Andrew Attard after receiving from Luke Attard.
HT (1-1)
Qala increased their efforts after the break and produced some pressure on St Lawrence’s defence in an attempt to obtain the win.
7’ (1-2) Qala regained the lead when Aleksandar Komljenovic received the ball inside the area and netted with a good shot from an angled position.
19’ The Spurs produced a reaction through a shot on the run by Alen Haska that ended just over Qala’s crossbar.
21’ Qala could have added another goal when Aleksandar Komljenovic entered St Lawrence’s area in a counter break but his low shot when the goalkeeper was out of his position was stopped by the base of the post and the defence cleared the danger.
26’ (red card) Qala were reduced to ten players when substitute Michael Zerafa, who was on the field of play for less than three minutes, was sent off for denying the Spurs from a goal scoring opportunity as he floored Alen Haska from concluding a counter break.
27’ (2-2) The Spurs capitalised from the resultant free kick as the same Alen Haska placed in the upper corner of the net and out of the reach of the goalkeeper.
Play became much more interesting as the two sides tried to take the win from this encounter.
37’ St Lawrence were again dangerous when Alen Haska entered Qala’s territory in a counter break but the striker prolonged the ball as he entered the area so that goalie Matthew Muscat left his position in time to avoid the danger.
45’ The Spurs lost a golden scoring opportunity when Alen Haska once again produced a personal action from a counter break but his low shot was cleared off the fatal line to a corner by defender Josef Buttigieg with the goalkeeper beaten.
45’+2’ In another good action by the Spurs, Alen Haska passed to substitute Charles Mercieca inside Qala’s area but the latter saw his shot that was blocked by skipper Emanuel Buttigieg.
FT (SLS 2 – QS 2)
Referee: George Anthony Attard
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