27 November 2021
GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division II Kercem Arkafort Stadium
Xaghra United FC : 5
Gharb Rangers FC : 0
27’ (1-0) Shemar Tristan Blair
30’ (2-0) penalty Matthias Cordina
45’ (3-0) Shemar Tristan Blair
74’ (red card) Andre Micallef (GR)
77’ (4-0) Shemar Tristan Blair
90’ (5-0) Julian Camilleri
Xaghra U:
A. Debono, J. Bajada (L. Sultana), J. Xiberras, A. Farrugia, C. Debono (T. Agius), S.T. Blair, M. Cordina, S. Sultana (J.K. Farrugia), S. Bonello, F. Cauchi (A. Cini), L. Attard (J. Camilleri).
Gharb R:
A. Micallef, O. Saliba, A. Borg, C. Cutajar (N. Attard), G. Debrincat, S. Farrugia, M. Ciangura, R. Apestegui Duran, J. Attard, S. Azzopardi (C. Dingli), P.P. Buttigieg (D.P. Rapa).
Xaghra United produced their best performance so far this season and earned the first points in the campaign from a handsome win over Gharb Rangers. This was a match between the two sides who were still without a point from the first two matches of the BOV Gozo Football League of the second division. Thus, both Xaghra and Gharb were aiming to end the disappointing start this season.
However, Xaghra were more organised in this encounter and dictated matters for long stretches. They dominated play during the first half and paved the way to the win by scoring three goals. Gharb’s reaction after the break was not effective as Xaghra continued to control play and maintained territorial supremacy until the end of the encounter. The protagonist for Xaghra was their striker Shemar Tristan Blair who marked his debut with a hat-trick.
Timeline:
The two sides had a prudent approach but as time passed by Xaghra gained control of play and started to produce pressure on Gharb’s defence.
15’ Xaghra created the first serious scoring opportunities when Steve Sultana released Christian Debono, who entered the area from the left flank but goalie Andre Micallef left his position in time and blocked the danger.
18’ Xaghra’s debutant Shemar Tristan Blair tried to pass inside Gharb’s area with a personal action but the striker concluded weak and the ball ended wide.
27’ (1-0) Xaghra opened the score when Arthur Farrugia passed inside the area to Shemar Tristan Blair and the Canadian striker netted with a low shot from close distance.
29’ (2-0) penalty – Xaghra’s Luke Attard was floored inside the area by goalie Andre Micallef, the referee allowed the action to continue but was not capitalised since the shot by Matthias Cordina was cleared from the goalmouth by Gharb’s defence, so that the referee ordered the penalty and Matthias Cordina converted from the spot kick.
45’ (3-0) Xaghra added another goal when Shemar Tristan Blair entered Gharb’s area with a personal action and fired in goal with a low shot.
HT (3-0)
Second Half
Gharb tried to produce a reaction in an attempt to re-open the issue but Xaghra were in the driving seat and controlled their comfortable lead with authority.
16’ Xaghra were again dangerous through a low shot by substitute Luke Sultana that was partially saved by Gharb’s keeper Andre Micallef and the defence continued to clear the danger form the area.
27’ Gharb had their first serious attempt towards Xaghra’s goal through a shot by Carlos Cutajar that missed the target.
29’ (red card) Gharb were reduced to ten players when goalie Andre Micallef was sent off for handling the ball outside the area to stop a potential scoring opportunity.
32’ (4-0) From the resultant free kick, which took place after a substitution, Xaghra added another goal as the shot by Shemar Tristan Blair got a deflection by the wall and defeated substitute goalkeeper Nicholas Attard.
45’ (5-0) Xaghra scored the fifth goal on the stoke of the regular time when Shemar Tistan Blair passed to substitute Julian Camilleri and the latter converted in goal from close distance.
FT (XU 5 – GR 0)
Referee: Ryan Caruana
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