Xagħra United 0
Xewkija Tigers 1
Xewkija Tigers beat Xagħra United 1-0 to win the BOV GFA Cup last weekend and make this a memorable season after their championship success the week before.
This was the eighth GFA Cup title for the Tigers and the fourth piece of silverware they’ve won in 2011-12. Xewkija will be aiming for a clean sweep of honours tomorrow when they meet Xagħra United again in the Super Cup.
The two GFA Cup contestants had booked their place in the final following hard-earned wins in midweek.
Xagħra eliminated Division Two champions Kerċem Ajax with an Ejo Nkwocha brace in extra-time while Rodney Buttigieg scored Xewkija’s only goal in a narrow win over Sannat Lions.
Xagħra created the better scoring opportunities during the first half of Sunday’s final but Xewkija keeper Joseph Grima did well to deny Michael Bezzina and Daniel Attard.
The Tigers looked more motivated after the break and scored the decisive goal on 59 minutes when John Camilleri lobbed the ball into the net.
Xagħra looked jaded and failed to stage a reaction. They suffered another setback on 73 minutes when Mark Buhagiar was sent off for a second caution.
Yet, Xagħra’s best chance to level matters came minutes after Buhagiar’s red card only for Nkwocha and Bezzina to see their attempts at goal blocked by the Xewkija rearguard.
Xewkija could have made sure of victory earlier as they went close through efforts by John Camilleri and Chris Camilleri.
This was not Xagħra’s day and their woes increased in stoppage time when Simon Sultana was dismissed, leaving his team with nine men.
After the match, BOV manager Jack Theuma presented captain Joseph Cefai with the winners’ trophy in the presence of high-ranking officials from the Gozo FA and the jubilant Xewkija supporters.
XAGĦRA: M. Vella, M. Azzopardi, S. Sultana, J. Bartolo, D. Attard, M. Buhagiar, M. Bezzina (D. Bartolo), E. Efjor, S.F. Bajada, J. Xerri, J. Scerri (A. Farrugia).
XEWKIJA: J. Grima, M. Xerri, J. Vella, P. Buttigieg, J. Cefai, M. Hrubsa, E. Vella, C. Bugeja, R. Buttigieg (C. Camilleri), J. Camilleri, M. Camilleri (F.L. Galea).
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
Hotspurs safe
Victoria Hotspurs retained their Division One status with a 3-1 win in the promotion/relegation play-off against Oratory Youths, the runners-up in Division Two.
The Hotspurs stormed into a two-goal lead during the opening half with goals from Daniel Farrugia (10) and Antoine Camilleri (27).
On the half-hour, Oratory pulled one back when Joseph Grech netted the rebound after a Josef Achokwu penalty was partially saved by keeper Mark Grima.
The Hotspurs were reduced to 10 players four minutes from the break when James Farrugia was sent off for a double booking.
Oratory tried to make the extra player count but the Hotspurs never yielded an inch.
Two minutes from time, an effort by Oratory substitute Andre Debrincat was stopped by Grima as the Hotspurs secured victory with a third goal scored by Antoine Camilleri in stoppage time.
Kerċem on song
Kerċem Ajax ended a successful season on an excellent note after trouncing Munxar Falcons 7-0 in the Super Cup contest for Division Two clubs.
Kerċem thus won all three competitions for this category and only conceded one defeat during the season – the GFA Cup semi-final upset to Xagħra.
Against Munxar, the Ajax opened an early three-goal lead with goals from Marlon Mamo (8), Jean Paul Mizzi (11) and Malcolm Vella (13).
Munxar’s task became more difficult when goalkeeper Damien Spiteri was sent off on 52 minutes for a penalty foul. However, his substitute, Felix John Cassar, stopped the spot-kick from Leonard Camilleri.
That failed to demoralise the Ajax though as they added four more goals through Camilleri (61), Malcolm Vella (67) and a brace by Marlon Mamo (78, 79).