9 November 2024
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 7) Gozo Stadium
Qala Saints FC : 2
Xaghra United FC : 0
25’ (1-0) Christian Mercieca
39’ (2-0) o.g. Lorjean Xuereb
61’ (red card) Fabian John Xuereb (XU)
Qala S:
O. Attard, N. Inguanez (G. Cardona 79), Jsph. Buttigieg (P. Rapa 88), J.A. Ferreira Dos Santos, C. Mercieca, E.E Ruiz, Emm. Buttigieg, J. Parnis, A.M. Bustos (K. Farrugia 52), N.C. Njoku, I. Nedeljkovic.
Xaghra U:
L. Xuereb, L. Farrugia, M. Bezzina (J. Bajada 79), J.A. Castano, D. Andelovic, M. Mamo, D. Sowatey, F.J. Xuereb, S.F. Bajada (S. Galea 84), J. Vella, J.Y. Suzuki Bicudo (C. Camilleri 72).
The hot favourites for the title this season Qala Saints ended the first round on an excellent note as they earned three points from a 2-0 win over Xaghra United. This was a top-of-the-table clash between the two sides occupying the first two places. Xaghra were aiming to obtain a win from this encounter to reach the Maroons at the top of the table but with this result, Qala not only registered their sixth win from the first six matches of the campaign but also increased their lead over the same Xaghra to six points.
For this match, Qala came out more determined and dominated play throughout the first period so that they opened a deserved two-goal lead which in the end determined the outcome of the encounter. Qala confirmed their superiority in Gozitan football at the moment as they made good use of the experience gained during the past two seasons where they established themselves as one of the most competitive teams. The Maroons base their play on an organised defence which is always protected by a hard-working midfield so their opponents often find it very difficult to hold possession and produce offensive play. Qala have different options in attack and they create danger through solutions which vary from crosses from the flanks to attempts from long distances. In this important match against their closest rivals, Qala opted to administer their lead after the break to avoid the risk of letting their opponents back in contention.
Xaghra tried hard to be serious challengers to the leaders of the championship but they conceded pressure during he first half and only managed to come out of their defence during the second period when they were trailing by two goals. Xaghra also suffered a setback as they had to play most of the second period with a player lesson on the field so that Qala were in a position to defend their lead with more authority.
Timeline:
Qala came out with the intention to take command of play from the early stages and during the opening minutes of the encounter they produced pressure on Xaghra’s defence. Qala took the deserved lead minutes before the half-hour mark and for the following minutes, they denied their opponents from producing a reaction so they also managed to consolidate their lead with a second goal that arrived six minutes from the end of the first half.
2’ Qala could have scored in their first attempt towards Xaghra’s goal when Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz delivered the ball in front of Xaghra’s goal from a free kick but the close ranged attempt by Junior Adenilson Ferreira Dos Santos was blocked to a corner by the defence.
5’ Xaghra’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb was called to make a difficult save to turn a corner a fine header by Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz following a cross from the right by Igor Nedeljkovic.
10’ (post) Qala went again very close to putting their heads in front when Christian Mercieca delivered a cross from the left that arrived to an unmarked Jordi Parnis, but the latter saw his header that was deflected by goalie Lorjean Xuereb on the post and the ball ended in a corner.
19’ Qala were again dangerous through a shot from a good position by Igor Nedeljkovic but the ball missed the target.
24’ Xaghra operated a dangerous break when Damir Andelovic released Julian Yoiti Suzuki Bicudo on the right flank and the latter entered Qala’s area but his shot was saved in two attempts by goalie Owen Attard.
25’ (1-0) Qala punished their opponents for the missed chance when they opened the score when Jordi Parnis released Christian Mercieca who placed the ball in the far corner of the net with a curling shot from outside the area that ended out of the reach of Xaghra’s keeper.
Xaghra’s reaction was sterile as Qala maintained their strong deployment in the midfield and continued to hold territorial supremacy.
39’ (2-0) The Maroons doubled their lead when Xaghra’s defence was beaten by a corner kick by Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz that surprised Xaghra’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb who committed an own goal as he hit badly in an attempt to clear the danger and the ball ended in an open goal.
HT (2-0)
Second Half
Xaghra came out for the second period with the intention to produce a reaction but Qala were not surprised, as they made good use of their experience to protect their lead. Xaghra suffered a setback just after the hour mark when they had a player sent off and although they kept insisting in an effort to reduce the score, for most of the second period Qala held control of play and created more scoring opportunities so that the win could have been achieved with a larger margin.
4’ (post) Xaghra went very close to re-open the issue when Qala’s defence cleared a cross from the left by Suzuki Bicudo but the shot by Jack Vella hit the post with the goalkeeper beaten.
9’ Qala replied with a good shot by substitute Kevin Farrugia that was saved with some difficulty by Xaghra’s keeper Lorjean Xuereb.
12’ (crossbar) Qala could have scored the third goal when Nathan Njoku passed through Xaghra’s players with a personal action and the ball arrived to Christian Mercieca who saw his lob stopped by the crossbar and from the rebound the attempt by Igor Nedejkovic was blocked to a corner by the defence.
13’ Xaghra’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb was called to make an important intervention when he partially saved a shot by Christian Mercieca and from the rebound, Igor Nedeljkovic’s effort was again blocked by the defence.
16’ (red card) Xaghra ended up playing with a player less on the field of play when Fabian John Xuereb was shown a red card for retaliation in the midfield.
20’ Xaghra threatened Qala’s rearguard with a shot from a long distance by Damir Andelovic but the ball ended away from goal.
21’ Xaghra could have created more danger when Johan Alberto Castano tried to pass with a personal action but his shot aimed at the upper corner of Qala’s goal missed the target.
29’ Xaghra’s keeper Lorjean Xuereb was again called to make a difficult intervention following a low shot by Qala’s Jordi Parnis following a personal action.
36’ Qala were again dangerous through a close-ranged shot by Igor Nedeljkovic but Xaghra’s goalie blocked the danger to a corner. From the developments of the resultant corner action, a header by Ferreira Dos Santos was neutralised by the same goalkeeper.
43’ Qala’s substitute Gabriel Cardona could have sealed the win but his shot from a good position ended wide.
FT (QS 2 – XU 0)
Referee: Alex Johnson,
Asst. Referees: Robert Curtis, Anthony Paul Vella
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