Lions knock St Joseph out of Rock Cup in shootout

St Joseph’s FC 1
Lions Gibraltar FC 1
Lions Gibraltar FC win 2 - 4 on penalties

A brave but well-timed challenge in the fourth minute stopped a Lions attack that had broken through the defense. Moments later, St Joseph gave away a free kick. Surprisingly, no defensive wall was set up, but Lions didn’t shoot directly at goal. Instead, the ball was floated in and went across the goal, narrowly missing three players who couldn’t get a final touch.
The St Joseph vs. Lions quarterfinal was tense from the start. Lions needed the Rock Cup to keep their hopes alive for European qualification, having fallen out of contention for the top two league spots.
It was a tough encounter, with Lions giving St Joseph little room to play through. Lions were the first to break the deadlock in the last quarter of an hour of the first half and continued to push for a second goal.
St Joseph tried to mount a comeback but struggled to attack in numbers, wary of the threat posed by Lions on the counterattack.
Lions were gifted a chance in the 45th minute when Gibson gave away the ball, allowing Gillespie an opportunity to shoot after the misplaced pass.
However, Lions conceded in injury time after a late challenge at the far post resulted in a penalty. Lions’ keeper faced Pena Garcia, who smashed the ball past him, bringing St Joseph level just before the break.
The second half was intense, with both teams creating chances. End-to-end action heightened as they approached the final minutes, each team searching for a decisive goal while risking defensive gaps as they pushed forward.
St Joseph came close to winning in injury time when Perez sent the ball crashing against the crossbar in the final seconds before the whistle.
With the score tied, a penalty shootout would decide who advanced to the semifinals. It was a dramatic showdown featuring a former Gibraltar international keeper and the current national number one.
Perez, who had come on as a substitute for Lions, faced Banda, who took the first penalty. Stretching to his limit, Banda punched the ball away, making the first save.
The pressure shifted to Perez. He guessed correctly but watched as St Joseph’s penalty went wide.
Banda was sent the wrong way, conceding the first goal as substitute Encoling scored. Perez then scored, putting Lions in the lead, before saving Pons’ kick by diving the right way.
Flynn doubled Lions’ lead by sending Banda the wrong way. St Joseph’s captain then stepped up and narrowly beat Perez, the ball slipping past his fingertips and the post.
Lions converted their third consecutive penalty, sending the ball into the top corner.
With pressure mounting, Gibson confidently struck down the middle, keeping St Joseph in the game. However, with three penalties already conceded, Banda allowed a soft low ball to slip under him, giving Lions their fourth goal and securing their place in the semifinals.
St Joseph’s hopes for European qualification now rest solely on their league campaign.