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Lija Athletics registered a double over Gozo FC with a
victory obtained from the match played at the Gozo Stadium
to maintain their serious ambitions to challenge for
promotion. With the three points obtained Lija are now
occupying the second place on the table. The match was
quite interesting. Lija ended the first half with a
deserved two-goal lead and seemed heading towards a
comfortable win. However, Gozo produced a good reaction,
recovered the deficit, but conceded the goal that decided
the issue in the first minute of stoppage time. Gozo once
again failed to take some advantage of playing on home soil
so that they remain at the bottom of the table with little
chances of avoiding the drop.
The hosts had an excellent start and opened the score on 5
minutes through a low shot by John Camilleri, who was
released with a through pass by Errol Grima. Lija had a
good reaction and held better possession of the ball.
The visitors leveled the score on 24 minutes when the
referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Josef Buttigieg on
Matthew Schembri and Keith Darmanin converted from the spot
kick. Lija kept insisting and turned the result in their
favour one minute after the half hour through a header by
Jean Paul Scerri following a corner kick by Keith Darmanin.
Gozo replied on 34 minutes through a shot cross by John
Camilleri that missed the target.
Lija increased their lead six minutes from time when
Matthew Schembri took advantage of a blunder at Gozo’s
rearguard from a free kick by Keith Darmanin and placed
easily in goal from close distance. In the final stages of
the first half Gozo tried to reduce the deficit but an
attempt by Bennth Njoku was blocked by the rearguard while a
header by Errol Grima form a cross by Christian Bugeja ended
wide.
After the restart Gozo came out more determined. On 50
minutes an effort by Christian Bugeja missed the target and
four minutes later Lija’s goalkeeper Luke Bonnici was called
to make a difficult save to turn in corner a shot from
outside the area by John Camilleri. In the 55th minute a
long ranged shot by Andrew Debono ended wide.
Three minutes later the hosts re-opened the issue when a
low cross from the right flank by John Camilleri was
deflected by defender Colin Ciantar who placed behind his
goalkeeper. Lija replied one minute later through a long
ranged shot by Lydon Cilia that was saved in corner by
goalie Darren Pace. On 62 minutes Lija’s goalkeeper was
called to block with some difficulty a free kick by Josef
Buttigieg.
Gozo managed to clinch the equalizer on 78 minutes when
John Camilleri won a ball at an angled position just outside
the area and Josef Buttigieg followed the action and fired
in goal with a fine strike. Play now became balanced. On 85
minutes Gozo went very close to take the lead when goalie
Bonnici partially cleared a through ball by Errol Grima and
from the rebound John Camilleri’s header was cleared off the
line by Heathcliff Schembri.
Three minutes later Lija replied with a header by Keith
Darmanin from a good position that ended just over the
crossbar. Lija however, clinched the victory with a goal
that arrived in the first minte of stoppage time through a
long ranged direct free kick that surprised completely
goalie Darren Pace.
Referee: Andrew J. Sammut |
