In the matches of the quarter-finals stage of the BOV GFA Cup, Nadur Youngsters and SK Victoria Wanderers obtained qualification to the semi-finals with large wins. Xewkija Tigers registered a close win over Kercem Ajax, but the encounter between Qala Saints and Victoria Hotspurs was abandoned.
Nadur Youngsters, who are the reigning champions and the holders of all the other titles of Gozitan football, retained their chances to defend the BOV GFA Cup as they obtained a 5-0 win over second-division side Munxar Falcons.
Nadur, as expected, dominated their opponents and paved the way to the win with an early goal scored by Gennaro Hili in the fourth minute. Nadur struggled to add more goals before halftime but they increased their efforts after the break to make sure of the win by scoring four goals through a brace each by Marcelo Jr Barbosa and Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio.
The match between Xewkija Tigers and Kercem turned out to be a typical Cup tie where the outcome was uncertain. Kercem enjoyed more command of play but they were often erratic in their finishing and failed to convert their play into goals. The Ajax were also punished for two mishaps in their defence and Xewkija capitalised to open a two-goal lead with goals by Stefan Tesic. Kercem had a goal disallowed for an offside just before conceding the second goal and in the remaining minutes they tried hard to recover the deficit. However, Kercem only managed to reduce the score with a goal scored by Kaio Lucas Nunes Santos on the stroke of regular time.
The third semi-finalist of the competition, which had to be determined from the match between the current leaders of the top flight Qala Saints and the hot favourites for promotion from the lower category Victoria Hotspurs, remains unknown at this stage since the encounter between the two sides was abandoned at the beginning of the second half when the Maroons were in the lead by just one goal.
The decision by the match officials was a result of a suspension that took place five minutes from the end of the first half when the assistant referee was hit by a cigarette that came from the stand where the Victoria supporters were sitting during some protests.
The first half continued when calm was restored but before the beginning of the second half, the referee and his assistants informed the two captains that the match was abandoned since the conditions were not safe enough to continue.
During the minutes played Qala saw more of the ball but Victoria seemed determined to be serious challengers for the qualification. Qala however took the lead on 37 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Lawrence Grima on Igor Nedeljkovic. The Serbian striker had his shot from the penalty spot that was partially saved by Victoria’s goalie Kyle Barbara and from the rebound Nathan Chukwudi Njoku scored with a low shot.
SK Victoria Wanderers earned qualification to the semi-finals of the BOV GFA Cup with a convincing 6-2 win over Oratory Youths.
This was a match between two sides who ended the first round of the championship on equal points and who are both aiming to find the best form before the beginning of the second round of the campaign. During the first hour of play, the Wanderers held territorial supremacy but the Youths were still in contention for the qualification. However, Victoria dominated the last part of the match and scored three goals without any reply from the opponents to secure the win.
The Wanderers scored two goals in the space of two minutes through an own goal by Oratory’s goalie Angelo Brignoli right before the half-hour and a header by Emerson Zammit. The Youths pulled one goal back on 36 minutes through a strike by Leonardo Bruno Coca but Victoria’s Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva made it 3-1 on 49 minutes. Oratory re-opened the issue through another goal by Leonardo Bruno Coca but the Wanderers replied with three goals that arrived through Junior Conceicao Cabral, Caique Silvio Souza Da Silva, and substitute Owen Fenech.
NEXT FIXTURES
Saturday 25 November – Kercem Stadium
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 2nd Division (MD 2)
12:45pm Victoria Hotspurs vs Gharb Rangers
GFA 1st Division KO S/final:
3:00pm Nadur Youngsters vs Xewkija Tigers
Sunday 26 November – Kercem Stadium
GFA BOV Gozo Football League 2nd Division (MD 3)
12:45pm Zebbug Rovers vs Munxar Falcons
GFA 1st Division KO S/final:
3:00pm Qala Saints vs SK Victoria Wanderers
