28 September 2025
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 1st Division (MD 3) Gozo Stadium
Xaghra United FC : 0
Kercem Ajax FC : 3
33’ (0-1) Isaias Moura Vera Cruz De Souza
75’ (0-2) Juan Matheus Dos Santos Leite
90+3’ (0-3) Lorenzo Atzori
Xaghra U:
W.C. Santos (Tom), J. Bajada, S. Galea, L. Farrugia (J.C. Marini 61), E. Xiberras, J. Xuereb (D. Saliba 46), S. Sultana (M. Gafa 46), M. Mamo, D. Sowatey, T. Agius, Y. Abedi (Rodo).
Kercem A:
D. Spiteri, D. Cassar, M. Fernandes De Souza Lima, D. Bogdanovic (A. Debrincat 85), J. Theuma, N.C. Severino (Nenem), J.M. Dos Santos Leite, A. Mizzi (L. Atzori 66), G. Farrugia (R. Saliba 66), S. Azzopardi, I. Moura Vera Cruz De Souza.
Kercem Ajax picked up their first victory of the league campaign after two opening draws, defeating Xaghra United 3-0 in a fully deserved win. The Greens dominated throughout the 90 minutes, maintained territorial superiority, and rarely allowed their opponents to threaten.
Xaghra once again approached the match with a defensive game plan, clearly aiming to secure their first point of the season. While they were well-organised at the back for long stretches, they conceded before the break and, lacking punch in attack, never truly looked capable of recovering. Kercem, meanwhile, showed that they are prepared to compete with the teams aspiring to challenge for the title. Patient in their build-up and authoritative after taking the lead, they managed the game with composure and wrapped up the points with goals in both halves.
Photo: Anthony Cassar
Timeline
First Half
Kercem took control of the match from the start, although they initially struggled to create clear-cut chances. With Xaghra defending deep, their goalkeeper was rarely called into serious action, but Kercem’s persistence eventually paid off just after the half-hour mark.
4’ Kercem could have opened the scoring early on, but Isaias Cruz headed wide following a cross from Gabriel Farrugia.
22’ Another dangerous move saw Daniel Bogdanovic miscue in front of the goal.
33’ (0-1) Kercem finally made the breakthrough as Isaias Cruz struck from distance with a fine individual effort that surprised the goalkeeper.
34’ Xaghra goalkeeper Tom denied Cruz a quick second with a close-range save.
43’ Kercem tried again through Mateus Lima, but his effort from outside the box was off target.
HT (0-1)
Second Half
The pattern of play continued after the break, with Kercem dominating possession while Xaghra offered little going forward. A second goal midway through the half effectively killed off the contest, before a third in stoppage time sealed a comfortable win.
48’ Juan Leite delivered a low cross from the left, but Cruz failed to connect.
52’ Xaghra finally had their first attempt of the match, with Rodo trying a curling effort that missed the target.
55’ Kercem had a goal disallowed for offside after Cruz followed up Jason Theuma’s header from a Nenem free-kick.
70’ (0-2) Kercem doubled their lead when Cruz’s angled shot was parried by Tom, and substitute Lorenzo Atzori squared the rebound for Juan Leite to tap into an empty net.
90+1’ Xaghra came closest to a consolation through Claudir’s free kick, but the effort was comfortably dealt with.
90+3’ (0-3) Kercem wrapped up the win with a fine individual goal from Atzori, who broke forward and beat the goalkeeper with a low strike.
FT (XU 0 – KA 3)
Referee: Ranald Portelli
Assistant Referees: Patrick Falzon, Adam Brighton
Photo: Anthony Cassar
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