Champions Narrowly Defeated 

18.09.08                                                                                                         Gozo Stadium 

         Champions Nadur Youngsters were defeated by Victoria Hotspurs in their first match of this season’s campaign, with a goal scored in stoppage time.  Nadur were ones again on the receiving end, as they were denied a clear penalty in the closing stages of the match.  The Youngsters were without 3 of their regular players, Josef Buttigieg and Aleksandar Simoncic, suspended, and Joseph M. Portelli, injured.  Hotspurs were expected to have a comfortable afternoon, but the Youngsters played their heart out, gave everything they had and were only denied the satisfaction for this hard work in the dying minutes.  Debutant Jonathan Said left a very good impression while Steve Sultana had another good performance in goal.    

          The Reds started the match with aggression, and as expected, went all out to get that early goal to settle their nerves.  Nadur rearguard was kept busy, even though without much danger to their keeper.  Play was mostly in midfield and the first real danger came on the 9th minute, when from a corner kick, M. Vella saw his header saved in extremis by P. Buttigieg with Sultana beaten.  Nadur had a shot by S. Attard that ended just above the bar.  F.P. Azzopardi went close for Nadur, but after a nice personal action, his shot went just wide.  Sultana did well to save a J. Mizzi shot and then deny F. Bassi by saving his well taken free kick.  Nadur were now playing with more ease as the Hotspurs were getting nervous, and N. Borg should have done better when he failed to connect with a corner kick for the citizens.  Nadur had a S. Muscat shot ending just over and soon after A. Portelli try had the same result.  In the dying minutes of the first half, Hotspurs were unlucky when first Bassi and Ribic failed to find the way to goal, and later a header by D. Farrugia was stopped by the bar.                

          Victoria Hotspurs started the second half with 3 strikers as they introduced M. Cordina to try to break the deadlock.  Sultana made a superb save when he turned a powerful shot by Ribic into a corner.  Nadur were now gaining confidence and an A. Portelli shot just missed the bottom corner of the post.  A. Portelli then turned provider, when he passed to I. Ginev, whose shot was well saved by Grima.  On the other side, Sultana ones again did well to save on a Ribic shot.  M. Cordina then went into a solo action only to find Sultana well placed to turn his low curling shot into a corner.  Nadur were now playing better and took the initiative to Hotspurs.  They were attacking more and created a lot of danger to the Spurs rearguard.  A. Portelli’s shot went high from a good position.  Hotspurs were lucky when a shot by I. Ginev was stopped by the bar with Grima beaten.  Then came the most incredible event of the match,  when A. Tramboo was seen handling the ball (basketball style) in the center of the area with the referee only a few feet away waving play on.  If this was no penalty, I doubt if I have ever seen one.  In vain were the protests by the players in White and their supporters.  The decision stood, and to make matters worst, Victoria Hotspurs found the winner in the 91st minute, when from a corner taken by J. Portelli, Michael Vella shot past a lot of players into the back of the net.  There was practically no time for the depleted Youngsters to react.  It’s a pity that this match between 2 hopeful title challengers had to be decided in this way.  Nadur should feel disappointed by the result but proud with their performance. 

Referee: Anton Zammit

Nadur Youngsters Formation: Steve Sultana; Jeffrey Meilak; Saviour Attard; Peter Buttigieg; Jonathan Said; Frank Paul Azzopardi; Branislav Timotic; Ivo Ginev; Shaun Muscat; Anthony Portelli; Karol Mifsud.