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MATCH VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

 

Lions double on
Xaghra Utd
 
 

SANNAT LIONS FC ...    (F de Andrade 70’ ; M Muscat 87’)

 
  D Bajada, P Spiteri, F Debono, J Agius, A Debono, K Loughorough, M Muscat, K Mercieca, E Grima (N Micallef), M Cutajar, F de Andrade  
     
  XAGHRA UNITED FC ...  
  D Gauci, A Tramboo, T Borg (J Attard), J Bartolo, L Blanco de Castro, S Galea, L Buttigieg, SF Bajada, M Buhagiar, J Galea (M Scerri), A Mutalib  
     

      Our Lions registered their second consecutive double of the season. After beating Kercem Ajax in their last match, now they defeated for the second time this season Xaghra Utd. Our Lions secured the points in the last quarter of an hour of the match. Although we were dominant during almost all the match, the goals came late. But better late than never. Fernando De Andrade and Mark Muscat scored the two goals of the match. With these three points our Lions consolidated the third spot on the table.

     Sannat took command of play from the early stages going close to scoring through a cross-shot by Fernando de Andrade that missed the target. Xaghra’s Silvan Galea replied with a fine move but was tackled in time before concluding from an ideal position. The Lions could have opened the score in the 10th minute. Errol Grima’s corner kick was blocked with difficulty by goalie Donald Gauci and from the rebound de Andrade’s attempt was cleared form the goalmouth. In the 18th minute Xaghra’s goalkeeper Donald Gauci made two difficult saves to block two consecutive shots by Mark Muscat from a cross by de Andrade.

     In the 32nd minute goalie Gauci was well placed and saved an overhead kick by Kenneth Mercieca following a corner action and one minute later the same goalkeeper saved well a long ranged free kick by Errol Grima. In the 34th minute Xaghra went very close to scoring. Silvan Galea’s through pass arrived to Abdul Mutalib and the latter’s low shot from an angled position was deflected to corner with the goalkeeper beaten.

    The Lions continued to dictate matters after the break but Xaghra’s rearguard was well deployed so that goalie Gauci was not called to make difficult saves. The Blues started the share more play with their opponents and created some panic in Sannat’s defence especially through Silvan Galea and Abdul Mutalib. Xaghra were dangerous in the 67th minute when substitute Johan Attard entered the area from the left but his low cross was concluded badly by Silvan Galea.

   The Lions replied two minutes later with a long ranged shot by Mario Cutajar, who had a good match, which was blocked by goalie Gauci. Sannat opened the score in the 70th minute. Fernando de Andrade entered the area with a solo effort, won a rebound with a defender and placed out of Gauci’s reach with a fine strike. Xaghra replied with a long ranged free kick by Leandro Blanco de Castro that was well saved by goalie Demis Bajada. Later Sannat’s Paul Spiteri had an attempt from outside the area that ended wide.

   In the 79th minute a shot by Silvan Galea was well saved by goalie Demis Bajada. Two minutes later the two teams ended with a player less on the field when Xaghra’s Alex Tramboo was red carded for a foul on goalie Bajada and Sannat’s Frank Debono was sent off for retaliation. The Lions, however, doubled the score and sealed the victory in the 87th minute through Mark Muscat’s angled shot after winning a tussle with the defence in the area.

Referee:         Paul Apap
 
       

MATCH PHOTO GALLERY

Copyright Philip Cassar