Match Report

League Div. 1
02-05-2004
Ghajnsielem 4 - Nadur Youngsters 2
Gozo Stadium

match report by Charlie Grech 

Ghajnsielem managed to turn defeat into victory to stop the Youngsters making the treble on them, and in the same time wrote a historical page in the Zebbug Rovers story, as with this result Zebbug are the CHAMPIONS of Gozo for the first time. 

Nadur started the match in a very aggressive form and opened the score in the 12th minute. Serbian Radivoj Panic’s strong shot from half way into Ghajnsielem half found the back of the net, giving Mercieca no chance. This was Panic’s first goal for the Whites. Nadur continued to dictate matters and Simoncic hit the upright after good work by J. Meilak.  Ghajnsielem tried their luck with Ndayi, whose shot from a corner action went just wide. On the 29th minute Nadur increased their lead. It was the other Serbian in the Youngsters team that with an overhead kick made the score 2-0.  This goal seems to ring the wrong bells. Ghajnsielem started to play very nice football and were adopting the fast counter attacks which did the damage in Nadur’s defeat against Hotspurs. Ndayi and Attard were finding miles of space in the Nadur defense and were literally doing whatever they wanted. In one of these attacks, Ndayi saw Falzon saving well. On the 33rd minute, Attard’s cross from the left found Kalenga Ndayi’s with the easy task to head the ball home. A corner action taken by Debono ended with Matthew Portelli shooting the ball into the net for the equalizer. Attard missed to put Ghajnsielem into the lead just before half time when he shot wide from an Ndayi’s cross. 

The half time break didn’t seems to change the way of the game as Ghajnsielem continued to dominate and Ndayi again saw Falzon saving well in the opening minute of the second half.  Here we saw some strange decisions by the match officials, and the match started to heat up a bit. Mbueko’s direct free kick just missed the post.  On the 59th minute Ghajnsielem took a deserved lead.  Ndayi escaped the offside trap and had no difficulty finding the onrushing Joseph Attard and the latter slot the ball behind Falzon. Here Nadur tried to react but their efforts were very weak and maybe they missed their striker A. Portelli’s absence. C. Camilleri tried with a long range shot and a good header only to see Mercieca making two good saves to deny Nadur the equalizer. Ndayi went solo again and his cross was met by substitute Buttigieg who in turn saw Falzon saving what looked a certain goal.  It came to no surprise that Ghajnsielem scored their fourth goal in the 78th minute.  Kalenga Ndayi went all alone beating Nadur defense, round the goalkeeper and literally walked his way to goal.  Nadur’s substitute M. Portelli found Panic, whose shot was well saved by a confident Mercieca.  The match ended with a shot by C. Camilleri going well over the bar. This result means that Zebbug Rovers are the Champions, Nadur Youngsters second, and Ghajnsielem third. Nadur and Ghajnsielem will meet again in the semi finals of the Super Cup on the 27th of May.  Congratulations to Zebbug Rovers.

Referee:  George Portelli

The Nadur Youngsters formation: Justin Falzon; Jeffrey Meilak; Kevin Buttigieg; Brian Portelli; Alexander Simoncic; Mario Bonello; Paul Camilleri (Mario Portelli); Aaron Camilleri (Patrick Falzon); Charles Hili; Radivoj Panic; Chris Camilleri.