Hotspurs Hit Seven Past Gharb Rangers

Hotspurs Hit Seven Past Gharb Rangers

GFA 2nd Division Challenge Cup (MD 3) – Sat 23 Sept 2023 – Kercem Stadium
Gharb Rangers FC – FT (0-7) – Victoria Hotspurs FC

2’ (0-1) Joseph George Vella
20’ (0-2) Joseph George Vella
35’ (0-3) Wellington Valentim De Sousa
43’ (0-4) Shaun Attard
49’ (0-5) Lucas Farrugia
72’ (0-6) Wellington Valentim De Souza
89’ (0-7) Wellington Valentim De Souza

Victoria H:

K. Barbara, L. Grima (G. Borg 57), O. Cremona, J. Azzopardi (J. Buttigieg 62), L. Atzori (L. Farrugia 46), S. Attard, D. Farrugia, J. Grech (A. Camilleri 62), D. Mercieca (E. Xiberras 57), J.G. Vella, W. Valentin De Sousa.

Victoria Hotspurs obtained a convincing win over Gharb Rangers and with the points obtained, they remain at the top of the table so they are very close to securing qualification for the final of this competition.

The outcome of this encounter was never in contention. The Hotspurs as expected dominated over their opponents and they put their minds at rest from the three points with four goals scored during the first period. Gharb tried hard to neutralise Victoria’s superiority but they compromised the possibility of keeping a respectable score by committing mistakes in their defence.

Timeline:

The Hotspurs had an excellent start as they opened the score in their first attempt towards Gharb’s goal so that they maintained pressure on their opponents and practically the Citizens put their minds at rest from the win before the end of the first half.

2’ (0-1) The Hotspurs opened the score when Gharb’s goalie Andre Micallef failed to hold an attempt directly from a free kick from an angled position by Joseph George Vella and the ball ended in the upper corner of the goal.

9’ The Hotspurs could have doubled the score when Lorenzo Atzori entered Gharb’s area but his low shot was blocked by Gharb’s goalie.

21’ (0-2) The Hotspurs increased their lead through a strike by Joseph George Vella, after receiving a short corner by Shaun Attard, which ended out of the reach of the goalkeeper.

32’ The Hotspurs were again dangerous through a low drive towards the far post by Wellington Valentim De Sousa following a personal action that ended just wide.

35’ (0-3) Victoria’s Wellington Valentim De Sousa made up for his previous mistake and added another goal for his side when he headed in the net following a cross from the right by Oliver Cremona.

43’ (0-4) Victoria increased their lead with a goal that arrived directly from a free kick by Shaun Attard that was not held by Gharb’s goalie.

HT (0-4)

Second Half

The match lost much of the interest after the break but the Hotspurs continued to put pressure on Gharb’s defence so that they also managed to obtain the win with a larger margin.

3’ Victoria’s Wellington Valentim De Souza missed an open scoring opportunity when he entered Gharb’s area with a personal action and turned around the goalkeeper but his shot from close distance ended wide.

4’ (0-5) The Hotspurs however scored their fifth goal that arrived with a close-ranged shot by substitute Lucas Farrugia following a corner kick by Shaun Attard.

9’ Gharb’s goalie Andre Micallef denied the Citizens from scoring when he blocked a close-range shot by Lucas Farrugia.

27’ (0-6) The Hotspurs made it a half a dozen through Wellington Valentim De Souza who entered the area with a personal action and netted with a low drive as the goalkeeper left his position in an attempt to block the danger.

32’ Gharb went closest to scoring a consolation goal through a strike by Michael Tabone that was well saved by Victoria’s goalie Kyle Barbara.

44’ (0-7) Victoria Wellington Valentim De Souza registered a personal hat-trick and sealed the win with the seventh goal when he entered Gharb’s territory with personal action, turned around the goalkeeper and deposited the ball into an open goal.