vs
1	-	1
28' Elton Vella		37'  Kenneth Mercieca

Xewkija Tigers fail to make three in a row, yet they extend their unbeaten run to 7 matches this season as they were held by SK Victoria Wanderers on a 1-1 draw.  It was a very tight match between the two sides, which in parts resembled the Independence Cup Semi-Final between the two sides, which could have gone either way, where the two teams created enough scoring opportunities to feel unlucky not to have got more than a single point.  However, one negative point throughout the match was the control by the officials whose decisions left a mark on the final score line.

Xewkija recovered back for the starting line up, Chris Camilleri and Franklee Galea while they lacked Manuel Xerri who was suspended following the dismissal in the previous match against Victoria Hotspurs.  The Wanderers started the game on an aggressive note and went close in the opening minutes through Edison Sanchez whose effort ended just wide.  In the fourth minute a free kick by Eman Bugeja ended high with Xewkija's reply arriving just one minute later through John Camilleri who shot wide from an ideal position.  In the 10th minute a long ranged effort by Franklee Galea was saved with some difficulty by goalie Vella and on 20 minutes the Tigers opened the score through an excellent free kick by Elton Vella which effort wrong footed the Wanderers' goalie to end in the back of the net.  

SK regained composure and attacked with more insistency and they were rewarded on 37 minutes, when goalie Grima managed to deflect an effort by Edison Sanchez, with the Xewkija defenders failing to clear their lines before Kenneth Mercieca intercepted to put the ball in an empty net.  Before the restart Vella was sent off for SK Victoria Wanderers for dissent and two minutes later Xewkija could have found the new lead through Rodney Buttigieg but his attempt ended wide.  On 42 minutes goalie Grima made a very good save to deny Eman Bugeja from a direct free kick.

In the eight minute of the second half the Wanderes went close to gaining the lead when Kenneth Mercieca failed from an ideal position after heading towards goal unmarked.  Xewkija started to gain more control of the match creating one occasion after another.  On 57 minutes goalie Vella saved with difficulty a cross shot by Rodney Buttigieg and on 63 mintues Xewkija had a goal disallowed when John Camilleri was unexplainably flagged offside.  One minute later goalie Vella had to save his team once again from another Buttigieg effort on goal and five minutes later a shot by Chris Camilleri ended high.  On 83 minutes Xewkija's substitute Mark Camilleri went close but his effort hit the side netting and the Tigers' last chance to secure the three point arrived one minute from time when Elton Vella's low cross in front of an open goal failed to find any of the Xewkija attackers with the ball ended out of play.

Photos and videos uploaded later on.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 October 2011 20:54 )