Gozo snatch winner in added time – ARTICLE BY VICTOR CIANGURA, PHOTO SUPPLIED BY OUR OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER, STEPHEN GATT

16 Jan Gozo snatch winner in added time – ARTICLE BY VICTOR CIANGURA, PHOTO SUPPLIED BY OUR OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER, STEPHEN GATT

The information, choice of match and views set out in report  are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Youth FA

Under 15 Section A

Balzan   1     Gozo   2

The Gozitan youngsters were the better outfit as they created more actions than Balzan during both periods. Following this game Gozo are in the penultimate position on 6 points from 6 games while Balzan are in bottom place on 1 point from 7 games.

The first action was created by Gozo as they won a corner kick on the right flank which was taken by Matthias said and Balzan keeper Matthias Buttigieg was forced to palm the ball away to safety following his high cross in the area, at the other end, Gabriel Farrugia served Gabriel Diego Farrugia in the area and a defender cleared the ball to a corner and after it was taken by Jake Grech the ball was headed away by a defender.

Gozo regained the initiative and created two actions in a row. Lorenzo Atzori was fouled in midfield and after the free kick by Malcolm Azzopardi the ball was cleared away with difficulty and Christian Camilleri dribbled past an opponent outside the area and Buttigieg saved his hard drive from the distance.

In the 32nd minute Gozo opened the score when Matthias Said pounced on a defensive indecision in the area and scored with a hard low drive.

Two more actions were then created by Gozo. After a flag kick by Said the ball was headed away and the same player then served Atzori with a square pass just outside the ara and Buttigieg saved his shot and Balzan created the last action before the break when Gabriel Diego Farrugia dribbled past two opponents and as he entered the area Gozo keeper Aiden Debono had to come out of his charge to kick the ball away to safety.

A minute after resumption Balzan equalised as they won a corner kick on the right flank which was well-taken by Grech and the ball was cleared to another corner and  the same player scored direct from the flag kick with a high and hard screw shot.

In an effort to regain their lead Gozo created three actions. Atzori was fouled in midfield and after the free kick by Azzopardi the ball was cleared away. Camilleri was then fouled outside the area and Atzori drove slightly over the bar from the free kick and Camilleri was again fouled outside the area and Buttigieg saved the hard drive from the free kick by Grech.

Three actions were then created by Balzan. Grech pounced on a loose ball just outside the area and he missed the upright by inches. Gabriel Diego Farrugia served Aiden Mallia with a square pass in the area and he missed the upright by inches with Debono completely beaten and Grech was fouled well outside the area and Debono saved the hard drive from the free kick by Rees Demicoli.

In a Gozo action a well-taken flag kick by Said was headed away with difficulty and in the third minute of added time Gozo scored the winner when Atzori took possesion of the ball well outside the area, he out-sped two opponents before entering the area and scored with a low diagonal shot to make it 2-1.

Balzan:  M.Buttigieg, C.Borg, S.Berman, D.Sujak, R.Demicoli, Z.Bartolo, J.Grech, G.Cacciatore, A.Mallia, G.D.Farrigia, G.Farrugia

Gozo:   A.Debono, J.Cassar, S.Grech, M.Azzopardi, M.Said, C.Camilleri, L.Atzori, T.Agius, C. Axiak, N.Mifsud, N.Said

Player of the match:  Christian Camilleri (Gozo)

Referee: Slawomir Olucha