| Match
Report:
SK Victoria Wanderers took revenge for
the defeat conceded by Oratory Youths in the second round of the
campaign and obtained the three points at stake with a victory in
this derby match. It was a deserved win for the Wanderers. They
dictated matters for long stretches and took advantage of the fact
that the Youths had a number of regular players missing due to injuries
and suspension. However, the Wanderers were expected to produce
a better performance. It was evident that their strikers are not
in their best form and their defence was often shaky in controlling
Oratory’s rare breaks. Victoria’s protagonist was Ajibade
Adesina who scored three goals that decided the issue.
The Wanderers took command of play from the very beginning but the
Youths were well deployed and Victoria’s striker were very
often frustrated with the pressure form their opponents. The first
serious action arrived in the 15th minute through an angled shot
by Ige Adesina that ended n the side of the net. Oratory replied
with fast breaks and one minute later Victoria’s goalie Marlon
Mercieca had go out of his position to clear danger before Ishaku
Umoru could conclude in goal. In the 25th minute Ajibade Adesina
was unmarked in the area by Ige Adesina, but the former incredibly
concluded over the crossbar in front of an open goal. One minute
later Oratory’s goalie Kenny Grima turned with difficulty
in corner an angled strike by Ajibade Adesina. The Wanderers were
rewarded for their efforts in the 27th minute. Lauran Dimech entered
the area from the right and from his cross Ajibade Adesina placed
in goal from close distance. Oratory’s reaction was sterile
while the Wanderers failed to insist with their pressure in an attempt
to increase the lead.
The score became 2-0 after only 25 seconds of play in the second
period with a shot by Ajibade Adesina following a short clearance
by the defence. In the 51st minute a strike from outside the area
by Chris Sciortino ended just high. Four minutes later oratory’s
skipper Marvin Grech cleared off the line an attempt by Ige Adesina
from a corner action. The Wanderers maintained pressure over their
opponents but the strikers failed to create dangerous actions. On
the other hand the Youths had two opportunities from free kicks
by Marvin Grech that missed the target. Ajibade continued to be
Victoria’s most dangerous player. The striker had a good effort
in the 69th minute that ended just wide and the same player was
unlucky one minute later when his attempt from close distance following
a cross by Ige Adesina hit the crossbar. Ige Adesina was also dangerous
minutes later with two efforts on separate occasions. In the first
occasion his header from a free kick by Ajibade Adesina was well
saved by goalie Kenny Grima and in the second occasion his shot
following a personal action ended wide. The Wanderers sealed the
issue in the 79th minute with a goal by Ajibade Adesina, who registered
a personal hat-trick, to conclude a fine move by Ige Adesina. In
the dying seconds an attempt by substitute Joseph vella ended just
wide. |