Under 19 Youth League Section B

St. George`s FC   0 - 8   Lija Athletic FC   [Ht: 0 - 3]

Date: 29-Oct-2006 ~ Venue: Pace Grasso Stadium ~ Kick-Off: 09.00hrs.

On their sixth seasonal outing, Lija Athletic had a plain sailing task as they crushed a depleted St. George's side by scoring no less than eight goals without a reply. Such a massive victory is perhaps historic and unprecedented by any Under 19 team that represented Lija. The Athletic, today wearing a stylish yellow outfit, made up brilliantly to their upset against San Ġwann the previous week, when they swept aside the challenge of a Cospicua side which is currently found lying rock bottom in the standings with absolutely no points at their showing. It was shameful to note that the Cottonera squad arrived late for this match with no less than eight of their regular players missing. The game started fifteen minutes later than scheduled until the Saints, who were constrained to borrow two foreign players to their team, somehow managed to organise their squad making up eleven players. Ironically, St. George's started off as the better team with more open chances of score than Lija. Nonetheless, after 14 minutes had ticked away, the boys in yellow created a good chance. Daniel Cremona hit the upright, and the rebound saw the ball running swiftly all the way across the area with no one at hand to tap in. The Athletic looked much superior now, and on 24 minutes they opened their account with a beautiful goal scored by Daniel Cremona. The team captain received an excellent through-ball from mid-field and unleashed a good drive that hit the back of the net past the St. George's goal-keeper, Darren Camilleri. Two minutes later, Lija threatened again, but this time Daniel Cremona was denied by the Saints' goal-keeper who extended his foot to avert from the danger. On 28 minutes, Lija's Bryan Deguara was unlucky when his shot smacked against the upright, following a fine solo run on the right wing after the player had ably past by two opponents. On the half hour mark, Lija Athletic doubled their lead when following a good Keith Farrugia cross from the right, Daniel Cremona headed home from close by. The Cottonera outfit had a rare shot on goal five minutes afterwards but Kevin Ellul, the Lija Athletic custodian, performed a great save on a distant low drive. Four minutes from the break, it was the turn of the St. George's goal-keeper who ably kept away a powerful shot driven by Bryan Deguara. Lija kept battering the St. George's goal and some time later, Camilleri, the Cospicua goalie was forced to perform another great save when punching the ball high over the bar for a corner, following a menacing volley by Ivan Scicluna. On the stroke of half-time, the Lija youth team all but sealed the whole issue with a third goal. Bryan Deguara from mid-field, supplied an excellent through-ball to the forward line. It was Keith Farrugia who intelligently intercepted the long cross-shot, and later planted the ball inside the net past the Saints' keeper.

[ Half-time: 0-3 ]

The second period followed the same lines of the first, that saw Lija fully dominating proceedings and completely annihilating the Cospicua outfit into scraps. Three minutes after the re-start, Daniel Cremona had a goal disallowed for offside. In the 51st minute, the St. George's goalie saved with his foot a Keith Farrugia low drive, at point-blank. This was the prelude to Lija's fourth goal as barely four minutes later, Bryan Deguara scored a beautiful goal following a powerful angled shot. Deguara deservedly found the net after some hard work for the Athletic outfit. This was also his first goal of the season as well as his first with Lija Athletic FC. On 61 minutes, Lija added a fifth thanks to Keith Farrugia, after the latter had connected well to a fine through-ball. The yellows of Lija kept bombarding their opponents' goal-post with continuous attempts on goal that resembled missiles being fired out of a shot-gun. In the 64th minute the Lija skipper, Cremona missed yet another sitter but two minutes later, defender, Carmel Muscat managed to find the net with a precise and angled lob - 6-0! The Blues were simply exhausted by now and could simply not keep up the pace with the tireless Lija players. After a short break, the boys in yellow were seen pushing forward again. Andrew Agius, who made his debut with the Under 19 side today, also substituted first goal-keeper, Kevin Ellul, to defend the Lija goal. It seemed that Sandro Gatt's boys were still not happy with half a dozen goals! In fact, ten minutes from time, Bryan Deguara scored his personal second and the seventh goal for his side, when he coolly converted an excellent stationary ball after ably dribbling past a posse of St. George's defenders. After breaking free and clear from his markers, Deguara stopped the ball and sent an unstoppable shot that sailed into the corner of the net. A minute later, the Athletic had a second goal disallowed for an offside position of Ivan Scicluna. Four minutes from time, Daniel Cremona notched his personal hat-trick after beating the Saints' goalie once again, this time with a low drive that saw the ball entering inside the net with the help of the upright. This goal, the eighth and last one brought an end to Lija's onslaught on the Cospicua rearguard and posts. Nevertheless, a minute from the final whistle, Lija Athletic came close for yet another time through substitute Martin Grech, however the Saints' goalie saved his side from further blushes after repelling Grech's insidious shot. Referee, Matthew Vella finally brought an end to this one-sided match that saw the Cottonera side breathing a sigh of relief. On the other hand, the Lija clan had grins on their faces as the team is once again well on course for promotion.

[ Full-time: 0-8 ]

Lija Athletic player of the Match: Bryan Deguara.

  << Team Formation >>

<< Kevin Ellul (Andrew Agius) -- Carmel Muscat -- Josef Laferla -- Stephen Tanti (Martin Grech) -- Daniel Gauci -- Daniel Cremona -- Steve Ferriggi -- Ivan Scicluna -- Keith Farrugia -- Andrè Scicluna -- Bryan Deguara >>

Report by Samuel M. Cutajar ©  

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