GFA BOV GFL Division I
Gozo Stadium
Xaghra U: 0
Galea, St. Sultana, Si. Sultana, D. Sowatey, D. Bajada, M. Portelli, A. Bezzina (M. Galea), N. Vitorovic (J. Scerri), G. Tushe, J. Bajada, D. Bartolo (G. Farrugia).
Ghajnsielem: 1 (E. Bilboa Zarate 90+2’)
Buttigieg, F. Apap, J.J. Sandoval Guarin, K. Hili (A. Xuereb), E.D. Bilboa Zarate, S. Cassar, E.P. Lattes, R.A. Kooh Sohna, K. Mercieca (A. Tramboo), D. Hili (J. Attard), J. Camilleri.
Ghajnsielem managed to remain very close to the leaders of the table with three hard earned points obtained from their win over Xaghra United who are currently occupying the bottom place of the table. The Blacks were coming from two consecutive draws and needed a victory to retain their position on the table. The reigning champions were expected to obtain an easy win as their opponents were in a depleted side, due to the suspensions of Mademba Djibril Cisse and Antonio Laskov, and the fact that the Blue are still without a point in the championship. Ghajnsielem however seemed overconfident in their approach and found it more difficult than expected to obtain the victory. Xaghra played an excellent defensive match where the players, led by Daniel Sowatey, denied Ghajnsielem’s strikers from creating easy scoring opportunities. The Blues not only resisted to Ghajnsielem’s territorial supremacy but threatened with effective counter breaks so that in more than one occasions they went very close to surprise their more quoted opponents. However, Ghajnsielem’s experience and determination were rewarded in the dying moments of the encounter as they scored the goal that decided the issue deep into stoppage time and when there was no time left for Xaghra to produce a reaction in an attempt to save the result and to earn the first point in the championship.
Xaghra could have opened the score after just twenty five seconds of play when Aleandro Bezzina entered Ghajnsielem’s area from the right flank but his low drive addressed to the far post ended just wide. The Blacks started to take command of play as time passed by but Xaghra defence was well deployed and the champions found it extremely difficult to created danger towards Xaghra’s goalie. On 19 minutes Ghajnsielem’s Jairo Sandoval Guarin had a header from a free kick by Edison Bilboa Zarate that ended wide. On the half hour mark Xaghra replied with a counter break where Johann Bajada passed to Daniel Bartolo inside Ghajnsielem’s area but the latter had his attempt cleared into a corner by central defender Ferdinando Apap. From the resultant corner kick Ghajnsielem’s goalie Luke Buttigieg was well placed and saved a good header by Nikola Vitorovic. On 34 minutes Ghajnsielem’s Jairo Sandoval Guarin had a good shot that was saved by Xaghra’s goalie Daniel Galea and two minutes later Xaghra’s striker Daniel Bartolo entered Ghajnsielem’s territory with a personal action but he hit badly when he had the pressure of the defence so that the goalkeeper saved the danger. The same goalkeeper was called for another intervention on 40 minutes when he turned into a corner with some difficulty a strike by Nikola Vitorovic who was unmarked in the area by Aleandro Bezzina. Ghajnsielem tried to increase pressure during the last part of the first half and on 43 minutes a header by Raphael Kooh Sohna was ssaved by Xaghra’s goalie Daniel Galea and one minute later a shot by Emiliano Lattes ended just over the crossbar. In the third minute of stoppage time before half time the same Lattes had another good strike that ended high.
Xaghra produced another dangerous action in the first minute of play of the second period through a shot by Nikola Vitorovic that just missed the target and on 52 minutes a shot by Ghajnsielem’s Damon Hili, following a pass by Raphael Kooh Sohna ended just high. On 57 minutes Xaghra’s Steve Sultana almost surprised Ghajnsielem’s keeper with a long ranged cross shot but the latter managed to save the ball to a corner. Ghajnsielem continued to find it very difficult to conclude their paly and on 67 minutes another good shot by Raphael Kooh Sohna missed the target. The Blacks however kept insiting and on 85 minutes a shot by John Camilleri following a cross by Kenny Hili was blocked by the defence and from the resultant melee Emiliano Lattes had his low shot from the edge of the area that just missed the target. Two minutes later an effort by Raphael Kooh Sohna passed in front of an open goal but John Camilleri failed to connect for the tap in. On 88 minutes Xaghra almost surprised their opponents when a strike by Gerald Tushe was deflected to a corner with the aid of the crossbar by goalie Luke Buttigieg. Ghajnsielem clinched the victory with a goal that arrived in the second minute of stoppage time. John Camilleri crossed from the right flank and Ferdinando Apao headed towards the goalmouth from an angled position and Edison Bilboa Zarate was at the right place and pushed the ball into an open goal.
Referee: Darko Stankovic
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