Date:
Thursday,
23rd February 2012 Venue: Sannat Ground Goal scorers:Joseph Attard, Jason Portelli (Għajnsielem
F.C.);
Oliver
Farrugia, Julius Emanche (Victoria
Hotspurs)
Cards: Charlon Grima
(yellow) Blacks' line-up:
Richard Sammut,
Robert Grima,
Josef Xerri,
Joseph Buttigieg (c),
Jason Portelli,
Patrick Camilleri, Joseph Attard
(Charlon Tabone),
Jurgen Tashi, Charlon Grima,
Giovann Vella, Manuel Cordina. Unused substitutes:
Joseph Grech, Joseph Azzopardi,
Damon Hili, Glen Cutajar, Stefan
Azzopardi, Simon Spiteri. Referee:
Mario Apap
Għajnsielem F.C. drew 2-2
against fellow cellar dwellers
Victoria
Hotspurs in a match that the
Blacks should have won. The
Blacks took the lead through
Joseph Attard, who tapped home
the rebound from a Josef Xerri
shot following a Jason Portelli
free-kick in the 15th minute of
the match. Hotspurs grabbed a
deserved equalizer through
Oliver Farrugia in the 32nd
minute. The Blacks were the
better team in the second half,
after the Reds very much
dominated the opening session.
Jason Portelli put them on their
way to what would have been a
vital victory when he scored in
the 68th minute, again following
a Josef Xerri shot blocked by
the Reds' defense. Manuel
Cordina, back in black, should have scored when
he was sent in by Jurgen Tashi
in the 77th minute. Jurgen Tashi
earned a penalty for Għajnsielem
five minutes from time, when he
was tripped up by Jason Pace in
the Hotspurs' penalty area.
Everyone expected regular
penalty taker Jason Portelli,
scorer of the late winner from
the spot against Sannat Lions,
to do the honours. But second
half substitute Charlon Tabone
must have felt lucky or maybe
entitled, because he pounced on the ball and assumed the
responsibility to put more
daylight between the Blacks and
their opponents, not only in
this match but also in the
standings. Mark Grima was,
as it were, luckier because he
guessed right and easily saved
Tabone's penalty kick. The
fragile Blacks disintegrated.
The Reds, galvanized by this
turn of events marched upfield
and two minutes from time equalized
through Julius Emanche. In the end of this astonishing
evening the Blacks nearly lost
the match but Richard Sammut
saved Daniel Farrugia's long
range effort.
