Nadur Youngsters -4- Kercem Ajax -0-

25.11.07 Gozo Stadium

Nadur Youngsters easily swept aside the challenge offered by Kercem Ajax and with 4 goals in the first half they, the cruised to victory. Nadur are now sole leaders with 4 victories from as many League matches and has yet to concede a goal. Nadur totally dominated the match and scored on regular basis during the first half, which was very aggressive. During the second half Nadur controlled with easy and even created some scoring opportunities without increasing the score. Kercem, on the other hand, tried to minimise the danger and were dangerous a couple of times.

Nadur came out looking form that early goal to take command of the match and from a J. Buttigieg cross, J. M. Portelli’s powerful shot was saved well by L. Camilleri. The Greens had a good effort by J. P. Mizzi which Xuereb did well to turn over for a corner. A G. Conti cross shot just missed the crossbar. Nadur went forward and on the 9^th minute they opened the score. A good cross by C. Hili from the left provoked havoc in the Kercem area and Joseph M. Portelli had no difficulty burying the ball into the corner of the net from close distance. Kercem’s reaction was immediate and a free kick by J. P. Mizzi was well saved by Xuereb. The same Xuereb had to be at his best again to deny E. Nkwocha. A good action between D. Odavic and C. E. Nwankwo ended with A. Portelli missing the ball from a good position. J. M. Portelli tried to force his way through, and succeeded, but his shot was saved by Camilleri. Nadur were in total command and the second goal came on the 21^st minute. A cross from the right by A. Portelli was headed into the back of the net by the unmarked Chidi Eric Nwankwo. This second goal proved decisive as Kercem lost all concentration and the Champions were playing with ease. A long range effort by the Youngsters Captain A. Portelli went centimetres wide. Nadur increased their lead on the 27^th minute. Serbian D. Odavic long cross from the right was met by Chidi Eric Nwankwo who calmly placed behind Camilleri for his second personal goal. Odavic once again provided a perfect cross only to be headed by A. Portelli just wide. The 4^th goal was in the making and it really came on the 36^th minute. Josef Buttigieg’s cross shot ended inside the top angle much to the surprised Camilleri. This was where the story ended even though a C. Camilleri through pass into the patch of J. Buttigieg ended with the latter shooting high over the top.

At the restart, Nadur came out playing calmer football and their pressing lost much of its intensity. The Champions continued to combine well and went close to increase their lead through efforts by C. E. Nwankwo, J. M. Portelli and C. Camilleri. A. Portelli should have done better but his try from the edge of the box ended well wide. Kercem tried to get at least a consolation goal when a nice action involving J. Debrincat and J. P. Mizzi was continued by E. Nkwocha, but the latter shot high when he had only Xuereb to beat. L. Camilleri in the Kercem goal did very well to stop a C. Hili try. Nwankwo’s cross saw J. M. Portelli’s try deflected to a corner and soon after Camilleri save Nwankwo’s into a corner. A corner by A. Portelli was headed just over by S. Attard. The same S. Attard did well to stop J. Grech from concluding with a neat tackle. 3 minutes from time, Kercem ended with 10 men as the referee had no hesitation in showing the red card to Dejan Stojanovic for retaliation on C. Hili. There was time only for another header by Nwankwo that Camilleri save with difficulty.

Referee:Duncan Sultana