Author Archives: FootballGib

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Lincoln put eight past College

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Four goals from Kike helped Lincoln on their way to a comprehensive 8-0 victory against College 1975.

Photo (C) Lincoln / Neil Wilson

New Lincoln manager Mick McElwee went with a strong side, giving a league debut to Scott Wiseman, while Kyle Casciaro captained the side. For College, their team was quite young, but with a few additions, including former Europa player Jonathan Parragues, and ex-Phoenix midfielder Nito.

It took nine minutes for Lincoln to take the lead, with Tjay De Barr slotting the ball past Mark Warwick in the College goal, before a mistake from the keeper allowed Kike to get his first of the night two minutes later.

College would make Lincoln wait until the 34th minute for their next goal, with Bernardo Lopes scoring it, but it was 4-0 at the break as Kike got his second of the evening, rounding the keeper and rolling the ball in.

There was no respite for College in the second half, as Kike got his hat-trick three minutes into the half, before Lopes got his second of the night. With 15 minutes to go, Kike got his fourth from a Jack Sergeant cross, before Kyle Casciaro wrapped up the scoring with four minutes to go. To College’s credit, they kept trying, and thought they had scored at the death, but the linesman’s flag denied them their consolation goal.

Lineups:

College 1975: Warwick; Sanchez (Pacheco, 72), Hughes (C), Matto, Ruiz (Callejon, 67), Franco, Parragues, Nito, Victor (Gonzalez, 60), Urenda (Ruh Dos Santos, 45), Gallardo

Unused Subs: Migge, Field, Da Costa

Lincoln: Soler; Wiseman (Sergeant, 58), Lopes, Torrilla (Ronan, 54), K. Casciaro (C), De Barr (Valarino, 72), Toscano, Gamiz (Britto, 58), Moreno, Kike, Coomes

Unused Subs: Goldwin, Azopardi, Wilson

Yellow Cards: Sanchez, Ruiz

Red Cards: None

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Europa leave it late to win

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Two late goals from 17-year old debutant Dylan Borge ensured Europa got their season off to a winning start with a 3-1 victory over Brunos Magpies.

Liam Walker had a chance in the first ten minutes go wide with Europa starting the game strong. The Greens would have a few more half chances but nothing troubling the Magpies goalkeeper.

The referee blew for half-time with the scores locked at 0-0 in what was a tight game.

Magpies stunned Europa by taking the lead in the 46th minute courtesy of Jaron Vinet. Things went from bad to worse for the Greens after Olmo received his marching orders for a second bookable offence, leaving his side with 10 men on the hour mark.

Three minutes later and Europa got their equaliser thanks to Jayce Olivero’s deflected shot, hitting Alejandro Carrascal and beating David Zamora. After an injury worry which left him hampered, Magpies keeper would make a smart save in the 88th minute to prevent Europa from taking the lead.

With time running out and the scores at 1-1, Europa would find their winner in the 90th minute through debutant Dylan Borge’s tapping in a rebound to give the Greens a 2-1 lead.

Second-half substitute Federico Catarouzzolo would later be sent off on his debut for Magpies while 17-year old Borge would wrap up the game with his brace to make it 3-1 to Europa.

Lineups:

Magpies – Zamora; Garcia, Gallardo, Diaz (Cataruozzolo, 71), Zuniga, Vinet, Lopez (Livingstone, 81), Bent, Parker (Victory, 73), Ruiz, Rubo

Unused Subs: Martin, Assumpcao, Catania, Oliveira

Europa: Romero (Lopez, 58), Jolley, Olmo, Juampe (Bautista, 90), Gallardo, Walker, Yome (Borge, 87), Olivero, Badr (Poku, 58), Carrascal, Polaco

Unused Subs: Ayew, Alvarez, Gibson

Yellow Cards: Gallardo, Bent, Parker, Ruiz, Cataruozzolo, Livingstone; Jolley, Olmo, Juampe, Aviles

Red Cards: Cataruozzolo, Olmo

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Boro & Juanfri score in Saints win

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Boro and Juanfri both got on the score-sheet in St Joseph’s 3-1 win over Boca this afternoon.

After a nearly fifteen-minute delay which saw a Boca player removed from their team-sheet due to testing complications, the game got underway on a sunny afternoon at the Victoria Stadium.

It took eighteen minutes for St Joseph’s to take the lead, Domingo Ferrer Lopez latched onto a through ball and fired his shot past Jack Atkinson. Saints finished the half strongly with Boro and Juanfri scoring to make it 3-0 to Saints.

Boca was awarded a penalty on the 75th minute which Luke Wall dispatched to make it 3-1. Saints held on for the remaining fifteen minutes and secured themselves the three points on the opening day of the season.

Lineups:

St Joseph’s: J. Robba; Serra, Boro (Juanma, 61), Nano, Hernandez, Pecci, Juanfri (Guirado, 61), Villar, Pons, Ferrer (Loren, 61), Mouelhi

Unused Subs: Mateo, Chipolina, Carrasco, K. Robba

Boca: Atkinson; Gilbert, Perez, Parkinson, Wall, Marquez, Peacock (Ramundo, 65), Santos, Coombes (Clinton, 45), Armstrong, Sammartino

Unused Subs: Proctor, Juel-Saleh, Drudu, Daniele

Yellow Cards: Perez, Peacock

Red Cards: None

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Lynx win comfortably despite two red cards

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Despite two late red cards, Lynx won comfortably 3-0 against Europa Point in the second part of today’s double header.

Lynx started the better and went ahead after three minutes, with a cross from Michael Ruiz being turned into his own net by a Europa Point defender. While Lynx dominated most of the first half, goalkeeper Bradley Banda, who made 17 saves for the Gib U21s this week, had to be kept busy to ensure Europa Point did not equalise in the 27th minute.

Just before half time, Lynx struck a hammer blow, as Dylan Hernandez, who proved to be a good threat for the club last season, doubled his sides lead, helping Albert Parody’s side on to eventual victory.

Lynx controlled most of the second half, and eventually wrapped up the game in the 82nd minute, as Aritz Hernandez headed past former Europa youngster Daniel Tudela to make it 3-0, which should have made it an easy end to the game.

However, Lynx somehow managed to pick up two late red cars, to locals Brad Power and Javan Parody, to ensure that despite the victory, there would be some negatives for the team to work on.

Lineups:

Lynx: Banda; Damia (Rodriguez, 76), Power, D. Hernandez, A. Hernandez (Huart, 83), Gonzalez (Parody, 76), Torres, Ruiz (Garcia, 60), Chuky (C), Victory, Bauti

Unused Subs: Vinales, Atienza

Europa Point: Tudela; Moulds (C), Arjona, Bado, Pomares, El Yettefti, Ramirez, Hammond (Chrayeh, 77), Serralvo, McCarthy, Caravante (Martinez, 60)

Unused Subs: Mustafa, Stewart, Brennan, Dixon

Yellow Cards: Power, Ruiz, Parody, Gracia; McCarthy

Red Cards: Power, Parody

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Caravaca brace ensures Lions breeze past Manchester

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Two goals from Alberto Caravaca ensured Lions beat Manchester 62 4-0 this afternoon in the first of a double-header on Saturday.

Photo (C) Daniel Ferro

In a game which saw 12 Gibraltarians start, it was Manchester who made the brighter start – only a save from Borja Valades and a block from Shea Breakspear stopped them scoring after two minutes of the game. After that, Lions went and took control of the match.

A header from Breakspear went over – later on Lions took the lead – Caravaca ended up finishing off a free kick from Pecino to ensure Lions went into the break one goal up.

A sub in the second half break proved vital – 17-year-old Kadrian Verjaque came on for Kaylan Rumbo, and after 63 minutes, the teenager doubled Lions lead to give them some breathing space.

From there, David Wilson and his Manchester side could do nothing to stop his former club – Verjaque set up Caravaca for his second and Lions third after 70 minutes, and three minutes from time, Jared Buhagiar’s cross found Abraham Pomares who got Lions fourth – a comfortable win for Albert Ferri’s side.

After the game, Manchester 62 manager David Wilson had this to say:

Lineups:

Manchester 62: Borge; P. Sardena (Ballester, 70), Pereira (Thomas, 56), De Los Santos, Ballantine (C), Fortuna (Sanchez, 80), Montovio (C. Sardena, 56), Edzez, Farmer, Clenahan, Garcia (Mifsud, 80)

Unused Subs: Chichon, Green

Lions: Valades; Tovar, Bosio, Breakspear, Rumbo (Verjaque, 45), Cintas, Pomares, Caravaca (C) (Jimenez, 76), Buhagiar, Ruiz (Thorne, 85), Hastings

Unused Subs: Victor, Cortes, Grech, Benitez

Yellow Cards: Fortuna; Breakspear, Cintas

Red Cards: None

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El Andaloussi strike enough to beat Glacis

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A first half goal from Naoufal El Andaloussi was enough for Mons Calpe to secure a 1-0 win vs Glacis United on the opening night of the season.

In what was the first game for either side since February, both sides had a different look to how they lined up before the termination of the league last season. The new HGP ruling ensured that a minimum of 10 Gibraltarians were also on the pitch at all times, meaning there were starts for the likes of Sam Yeo, Hatim Smith and Ashley Rodriguez across both teams.

The match almost started off with a flyer – Glacis missed a great chance through Joshua Kozuh after 20 seconds, as his header went wide of the Mons goal. That early scare settled Mons somewhat, who grew back into the goal and kept Glacis new keeper Ruben Fluxa Cano relatively busy.

It would be Mons who would score after 20 minutes, which proved to be the winner, with Gibraltar futsal international Naoufal El Andaloussi scoring from inside the box, leaving Fluxa unable to stop his effort.

From there, Mons became the team in more control of the game, and they could have made it two had someone been on the end of Ayoub El Hmidi’s flashed effort across the goal line.

The second half was somewhat less eventful – understandably given match fitness for both sides – with the best chance being a clever backheel from Diego Diaz, which Fluxa saved. Otherwise, the game kind of petered out to a finish, despite Glacis attempts to freshen things up by utilising the increased substitutions role, using five in the 90 minutes.

For Mons, it is a good start to the season, while for Glacis, they won’t be overly down-heartened by their performance from a young team – they will have an idea of where they need to improve though.

Summary:

Glacis – Fluxa; Londero (C), Derkson (Di Piedi, 89), Evans (Byrne, 89), Brinkman, Borghi, Witbreuk, Castle (Poggio, 89), Smith, Yeo (Flores, 71), Kozuh (Gallo, 46)

Unused Subs: Moreno, Picardo Peralta

Mons Calpe – Fraiz; Dos Santos, Santos, Rodriguez, Bernardes, El Hmidi, N. El Andaloussi (Ballester, 85), Caballero, Diaz, Sendin (Ojeda, 79), Ronco

Unused Subs: McCarthy, Pinero, M. El Andaloussi, Thorne, Mallemaci

Goals – N. El Andaloussi (Min. 20)

Yellow Cards – Evans, Castle, Smith; Fraiz, El Hmidi, Caballero

Red Cards – None

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Santos: “The preparation at the club has been good for pre-season”

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Ahead of Mons Calpe’s match with Glacis tonight, we caught up with defender Ethan Santos to talk about the match, his recent games with the Gibraltar U21s and more.

Photo (C) Black & Burst

Santos played in the game vs Portugal U21s earlier this week, so how did he feel the game went? “Overall I think I can say it’s been a good two weeks of international football from our U21 lads. Based on the game on Tuesday a 3-0 defeat was hard to take considering that we were at home, but as David Ochello says the result was never a matter for us.

Our game plan was for all the players to go into the game relaxed and confident to have time on the ball and to start plays, build up from the back work out ways out to enjoy the game more and it’s what we did we came out to the war, fighting with everything we had to give we left nothing behind on that pitch.”

Pre-season has been unique for all clubs – how has it gone for Mons? “The preparation at the club has been good for pre-season – we had a minor set back with our manager during the time of Covid, but that is not a problem anymore.

I think the team have worked hard and long enough during the period we have had and we are all hungry to get back out onto the pitch again and see what we’ve all been working hard together to achieve.”

Tonight Mons get the season underway against Glacis – how does the defender feel his team is going into the game? “First game of the season I would like to hope that all our team, if focused and concerned, that we stay positive on the match. The first 3 points we can pick up from a game which if controlled the way we want should be coming home with us.”

Finally, what does the 21-year-old hope to achieve this season? “My main achievement this season is to be in Julio’s starting eleven for the senior squad. There’s a lot of sacrifices I have to make as a team player and I know a lot of hard work and dedication is needed, but if the work is put in and shown I’m sure doors this season will eventually start to open for me.”

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Lynx make a strong statement about restrictions imposed on the league by Public Health

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Lynx FC released a press statement last night, warning that “Football in Gibraltar might never return fully to the way it was before 2020” after Public Health protocols applying to the league became public knowledge.

Photo (C) William Gracia

After comments in the Gibraltar Chronicle yesterday by Public Health Director, Dr Sohail Bhatti, revealed that football was the only sport on the Rock being subjected to mass testing, due to football being “a business” in his eyes, Lynx released the statement, highlighting hypocrisies in the mass testing approach to football as a ‘business’, compared to other such ‘businesses’ in Gibraltar.

Lynx CEO, Jonathan Costa, who wrote the statement, went on to say: “Dr Bhatti will not be in a position to speak for what is best for Football but what we can say is that Smaller clubs are not in a position to sustain.” He also points out that: “Dr Bhatti’s plans to do ‘mass testing’ of players and officials on the sidelines of tournaments is impractical at this stage.” He finally warned that: “

“With Football constantly running the risk of being cancelled or postponed until further notice, there has been a concern that lower-ranked teams who depend on competition will be financially hit.

If we continue with this trend, Football in Gibraltar might never return fully to the way it was before 2020.”

The statement comes after it was revealed that Gibraltar’s league has been placed under arguably the strictest rules in Europe – only ONE positive test for a player or official is required for a game to be postponed, and clubs would stand to lose significant sums of money should this happen. Meanwhile, clubs can only have 25 people at matches, which includes the squad of up to 18 players, plus coaching staff. It was also revealed in the Chronicle that Public Health asked if football could reduce the number of players on the pitch – a request which was denied on the grounds that football is obviously an 11-a-side game.

The full Lynx statement can be read here.

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GNL 2020/21 Preview: Part Three

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Part Three of our Gibraltar National League preview sees us take a look at Lynx, Manchester 62, Mons Calpe and St Joseph’s.

  • Name: Lynx FC
  • Next game: Europa Point (17/10/2020)
  • 2019/20 League finish: 4th

Given the budget they have compared to the likes of Magpies and those above them, Lynx definitely punched above their weight last season, and finished in a deserved 4th place.

The challenge this season will be to build upon last year’s efforts, and ensure that they weren’t a one-off. As always, Albert Parody has reinforced his side with new signings, but it will be some of the longer term players who could carry them back to another top 6 finish.

Bradley Banda will hope to play as well for Lynx as he did for the Gib U21s the other day, while up front Alberto Valdivia could prove crucial in tight games.

  • Name: Manchester 62
  • Next game: Lions Gibraltar (17/10/2020)
  • 2019/20 League finish: 9th

Last season didn’t end how Manchester would have liked it, with an 11-1 defeat to Mons, but they will be looking for more stability in the managerial department this season, and David Wilson should be able to ensure that.

A top 6 finish admittedly seems unlikely, but unlike most teams in the league, they will have no problem fulfilling their HGP requirements – the clubs focus on developing young, local talent, even if it is at the expense of results sometimes, has to be applauded.

Michael Negrette has returned from a short spell at Lincoln and adds a bit extra to the team, while this could also be a big season for Scott Ballantine, who showed his versatility after returning to the club last season.

  • Name: Mons Calpe
  • Next game: Glacis United (16/10/2020)
  • 2019/20 League finish: 7th

Very much the underachievers last year before Christmas, Mons will hope to build on a good 2020 in the league and cup, to try and push for a top 6 finish this time out.

HGP’s have always been an issue for Mons, but this summer they have seemingly kept the core of their locals, while also adding experience in the shape of former Gibraltar keeper Jordan Perez.

The main issue for Mons Calpe will be ensuring off-pitch issues are kept to an absolute minimum, and the ones that are currently there need sorting as soon as possible – if they don’t, they will not finish in the top 6 this time out.

  • Name: St Joseph’s
  • Next game: FC Boca (18/10/2020)
  • 2019/20 League finish: 2nd

Saints had a great season last time out, pushing Europa all the way while also keeping Lincoln an arms length away. They were unlucky not to get a result in Europe vs B36, but the signs showed another good season awaits.

Saints squad stability has been a key factor in their success, and again this season they have only added a small handful of players, including Gib international Erin Barnett and former Gib United midfielder Carlos Carrasco.

The only real challenge for Saints and Raul Procopio will be adapting his side to the new HGP rules – he will have to be sensible around rotating when needed as a couple of local injuries could hurt them.

Up front though, the pairing of Juanfri and Boro remains, and should be as potent as ever in winning games for the side, while new signing Pedro Fernandez looked promising in his cameo in the Europa League – that front three could prove difficult for even Europa and Lincoln to handle at times.

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Gibraltar go down fighting against Portugal

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Portugal U21’s beat a resilient Gibraltar U21 side 3-0 at the Victoria Stadium with Bradley Banda making a whopping seventeen saves.

David Ochello returned to the side-lines after time away from football and made four changes to the side which lost to Netherlands last week. James Parkinson, Jayce Olivero, Kian Ronan and Tjay De Barr replaced Ethan Thorne-Llambias, Michael Negrette, Kieron Garcia and Evan De Haro.

Bradley Banda had his work cut out from the start, making four important saves in the opening fifteen minutes to keep the score at 0-0. Portugal finally got their goal in the 17th minute courtesy of Jota.

Gibraltar had a chance shortly after, Andrew Hernandez’s free-kick found the head of Jayce Olivero whose effort was saved by Luis Maximiano. Excellent defending from Gibraltar kept Portugal at bay and the score remained 1-0 to the visitors at half-time.

Six minutes into the second half and Portugal made it 2-0 through Pote, the Sporting Lisbon midfielder capitalised on a mistake and fired a shot into the top corner from outside the box.

Midway through the second half David Ochello would make three substitutions with Evan De Haro, Leon Clinton and Dylan Borge replacing Tjay De Barr, Jack Breed and Ayoub El Hmidi.

Pote got his brace and Portugal’s third on the 80th minute. Bradley Banda made a terrific double save a minute later to deny Portugal from scoring a fourth.

Ochello made two more substitutions on the 83rd minute with Kevagn Ronco and Cecil Prescott replacing Ethan Santos and Julian Valarino. Portugal saw out the final few minutes to secure a 3-0 win at the Victoria Stadium.