GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I Gozo Stadium
Kercem A : 5 (A. Mizzi 38’, 57’; D. Chayes Flores 41’pen., N.Mercieca 45+1’, A. Haska 63’)
J.P. Cassar, J. Grech, D. Chayes Flores, N. Mercieca (E. Vella), M. Mifsud, A. Mizzi, J.P. Mizzi, M. perisic, M. Tabone, A. Haska, P. Taylor.
Gharb R : 4 (M. Barbosa 8’, 24’; M. Bezzina 33’, B. Polo Longarela 48’)
D. Spiteri, A. Sultana (L. Meilak), D. Stojanovic, J. Azzoaprdi, J.P. Cassar, B. Polo Longarela, M. Bezzina, J. Camenzuli (M. Zerafa), C. Attard, P. Dorovic, M. Barbosa.
Kercem Ajax earned three precious points from their match against Gharb Rangers and with the points obtained they consolidated their fourth place on the table. The match turned out into a well contested encounter where the two sides tried hard to obtain the win. The Ajax were trailing by three goals by the final stages of the first half and were reduced to ten players after a quarter of an hour of play. However, they managed to produce a reaction by levelling the score before the end of the first half, recovered another goal conceded in the opening stages of the second half and turned the result in their favour by scoring the decisive goal just after the hour mark. With this result Gharb lost a golden opportunity to register their fourth consecutive win and to move over the same Kercem on the table.
In the fourth minute of play Kercem operated a dangerous break but Gharb’s goalie left his position in time to block the danger outside the area and conceding a free kick to the Ajax. Gharb opened the score on 8 minutes when Borja Polo Longarela released Marcelo Barbosa and the latter concluded in goal with a fine lob towards the far post. One minute later Kercem replied through an effort by Nathaniel Mercieca that ended wide despite being in an ideal position and on 10 minutes Gharb’s Marcelo Barbosa entered Kercem’s area but his low cross aimed to an unmarked Borja Polo Longarela was weak and the defence cleared the danger. On 15 minutes Kercem were reduced to ten players when Joey Grech pulled Marcelo Barbosa who was entering the area. From the resultant free kick Kercem’s goalie John Paul Cassar saved the attempt by Marcelo Barbosa. On 24 minutes Gharb doubled the score when Marcelo Barbosa entered Kercem’s territory and placed into an open goal as he came face to face with the goalkeeper. Four minutes later Kercem’s Daniel Chayes Flores had an attempt that was saved by goalie Daniel Spiteri. On 30 minutes Kercem’s keeper was well placed to save a good effort by Marcelo Barbosa and three minutes later Gharb added another goal when Michael Bezzina took the ball from Kercem’s defence and surprised the goalkeeper with a shot form an angled position. One minutes later Gharb could have scored another goal but a low drive by Marcelo Barbosa was saved to a corner by goalie John Paul Cassar. Kercem scored their first goal on 38 minutes through a close ranged shot by Andrew Mizzi following a low cross by Daniel Chayes Flores. On 41 minutes Kercem were awarded a penalty for a foul by Justin Azzopardi on Andrew Mizzi and Daniel Chayes Flores reduced the deficit to just one goal with his shot from the spot kick. Minutes later Kercem’s Alen Haska had a lob that ended on the roof of the net and in the first minute of stoppage time before half time the same Haska entered Gharb’s area and from his low cross Nathaniel Mercieca levelled the score with a tap-in. In the third minute of stoppage time Gharb could have regained the lead when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by goalie John Paul Cassar on Marcelo Barbosa but the same Barbosa had his shot from the spot kick partially saved by the goalkeeper and form the rebound Predrag Dorovic’s shot was stopped by the post.
The Rangers however regained the lead in the third minute of play of the second period when Marcelo Barbosa released Borja Polo Longarela inside Kercem’s area and the latter placed into an open goal as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger. Gharb seemed in command of play for the following minutes and on 52 minutes Kercem’s keeper John Paul Cassar was called to make a good intervention following an effort by Predrag Dorovic. The Ajax recovered from the difficult moment and on 55 minutes Gharb’s keeper Daniel Spiteri saved a free kick from long distance by Mario Mifsud. Kercem scored the equaliser to make the score 4-4 on 57 minutes through a header by Andrew Mizzi following a corner kick by Jean Paul Mizzi. One minute later Gharb protested for a penalty when Borja Polo Longarela was fouled by the defence but the referee ordered a free kick form just outside the area. Gharb’s goalie Daniel Spiteri was again called to make an important intervention on 59 minutes to take the ball from Andrew MIzzi’s feet who was alone in the area. Kercem however turned the result in their favour and scored what had to be the decisive goal on 63 minutes when Alen Haska produced a personal action and placed in goal with a low shot from the edge of the area. Gharb were shocked and their best opportunity to save the result arrived on 76 minutes through Michael Bezzina who produced a personal action but his shot was well saved by Kercem’s keeper. Gharb did not manage to recover and also ended the match on a negative note as they had skipper Christian Attard sent off for a second bookable offence on 78 minutes.
Referee: Shaun Calleja
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