BOV GA Cup Rd. 1
Kerċem Ajax Stadium
St Lawrence S : 2 (M.S. Telessi 34’, 104’)
N. Mercieca (G. Micallef), S. Mizzi, M. Vasiljevic, K. Hili, S. Dimech (L. Attard), M.S. Telessi, C. Azzopardi, J. Grima, S. Cauchi, D. Micallef, C. Farrugia (C. Cauchi).
Qala S : 1 (M. Mumford 70’)
L. Xuereb, F. Mumford, S. Sillato, G. Sillato, J. Attard, J. Rapa (D. Portelli), J. Buttigieg, M. Pace, J. Mifsud, C. Portelli (B. Sammut), M. Mumford.
In the first match of the first round of the second most important competition in Gozitan football, St Lawrence Spurs obtained qualification to the quarter finals with a 2-1 win over Qala Saints after extra time. This was a clash between two sides from the lower category and the two sides were aiming to obtain the victory. St Lawrence saw more of the ball for the first hour of play but did not convert their superiority in more than one goal so that they suffered Qala’s reaction when they ended with a player less on the field. Qala managed to take advantage of the extra player, levelled the score and went very close to turn the result in their favour by the end of regular time. However, The Spurs regained command of play during extra time and also managed to score the decisive goal of the encounter.
St Lawrence tried to produce pressure on Qala’s rear guard from the early stages but the first serious attempt at goal arrived from Qala in the eighth minute through a low shot by Michael Mumford that ended just wide. On 14 minutes St Lawrence’s Charlon Farrugia had an attempt directly from a free kick that ended just high and on 24 minutes the Spurs once again threatened Qala’s defence through a free kick by Mohammed Senussi Telessi that missed the target. Less than a minute later St Lawrence’s central defender Daniel Micallef recovered his position in time to deny Qala’s Jake Mifsud from scoring and on 26 minutes Qala’s keeper Lorjean Xuereb was well placed to neutralise a good attempt by Steve Dimech. St Lawrence opened the score on 34 minutes when a corner kick by Charlon Farrugia arrived to Mohammed Senussi Telessi who concluded in goal from close distance. The Spurs continued to produce dangerous play and on 39 minutes Qala’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb saved with difficulty a header by Mohammed Senussi Telessi. On the stroke of half time the same goalkeeper kept his side in contention with another good save following a strike by Stefan Cauchi.
After the resumption St Lawrence continued to express the better play and went very close to double the score on 66 minute through a free kick by Mohammed Senussi Telessi that ended just wide. The Spurs were punished for the missed chances and Qala levelled the score on 70 minutes when Jake Mifsud released Michael Mumford inside St Lawrence’s area and the latter placed in goal with a low shot. Qala maintained their momentum and two minutes later the Spurs also ended with ten players when Daniel Micallef was sent off for a second bookable offence and on 75 minutes St Lawrence’s goalie Nicholas Mercieca was called to make a difficult save to turn to a corner a close ranged shot by Joseph Buttigieg following an action inside the area by Michael Mumford. Qala went once again close to scoring on 81 minutes through a free kick by Michael Mumford that ended wide. Duringt he dying moments of regular time the Spurs managed to produce some counter breaks and were also dangerous on more than one occasion. On 90 minutes Qala’s goalie Lorjean Xuereb made a good save following a shot by Mohammed Senussi Telessi and the same strike had another attempt in the fourth minute of stoppage time that ended just wide. Two minutes later Qala also went close to earn qualification during regular time but a header by Gabriel Sillato following in melee in front of St Lawrence’s goalmouth ended just high.
Since the score remained unchanged, the match had to go into extra time. During this decisive part of the encounter St Lawrence seemed more experienced and held territorial supremacy despite the fact that they had a player less on the field. On 94 minutes the Spurs were also unlucky when a strike by Shaun Mizzi was stopped by the crossbar. On 102 minutes Qala’s keeper made a good save to turn to a corner an attempt by Mohammed Senussi Telessi and two minutes later the Spurs scored the goal that decided the issue when a close ranged shot by Stefan Cauchi from a corner action was partially saved by goalie Lorjean Xuereb and from the rebound Mohammed Senussi Telessi pushed the ball into an open goal. Qala’s reaction was sterile and the closest that they went to score a second equaliser arrived through a shot by substitute Roberto Sammut on 114 minutes that ended wide and a free kick on 119 minutes by Michael Mumford that just missed the target.
Referee: Joseph Scerri
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