The saints hammer it home for new boss Cifuentes

St Joseph’s 10–0 Manchester 62

Two minutes in, Cifuentes’ debut as head coach was welcomed with a goal from Marco Rosa against Manchester 62. The latter were in early chaos; after five minutes of play, a head injury to one of their players saw head coach Allen Bula run onto the pitch to attend to him. The Manchester physio did not enter to assist. Instead, it was the St Joseph’s physio—seeing what was happening—who sprinted in, though ultimately he was not required as the player quickly recovered and continued.
Manchester 62, whose U18 side had been expected to play later that evening against St Joseph’s U18s, were forced to cancel that fixture as most of their youth players had been called up for senior duty.
It was a mismatch on the field. While Cifuentes had only been in the job for a couple of days, Manchester 62 were making his debut as comfortable as possible. The Saints looked dominant and eager to secure the points early. Manchester 62 sat deep, closing the gates in the hope of limiting the damage. This worked only until the 17th minute, when an impressive curling effort from outside the box found the top corner and beat the young Manchester keeper.
Although outmatched in strength and experience, Manchester 62’s youngsters showed resilience, forcing St Joseph’s to work hard to break them down. The age gap was stark: most of Manchester’s players were 16 or 17, with only a handful older than 19. St Joseph’s, on the other hand, fielded an experienced side, including three homegrown players who had represented Gibraltar against top European nations such as Belgium, Croatia, and France.
Ironically, while St Joseph’s were top of the table and chasing European football with a reduced number of homegrown players, Manchester 62—amid deep crisis and having lost their senior squad—were now fielding the highest number of homegrown players of any team, almost all of them youths. The situation was far from ideal, but it provided invaluable senior football experience that these players would otherwise never have gained—something that national youth coaches will surely view positively.
St Joseph’s added their third on the half-hour mark with a commanding header from a corner, using their experience and physicality to rise above Manchester’s young defence.
Even after conceding again, Manchester 62 maintained their discipline and shape, undaunted by the overwhelming odds. Bula has bravely taken on the responsibility of guiding a squad made up largely of schoolboys—players who had been in class that same Friday morning before changing into Manchester 62 kits to face seasoned veterans who had played Spanish lower-tier football, international matches, or had spent years as full-time professionals.
The inevitable fourth goal arrived in the 39th minute. Recagno, despite conceding four, produced numerous outstanding saves throughout the first half and remained the standout player for Manchester 62. The half closed with St Joseph’s 4–0 ahead.
This was a match where St Joseph’s could only be clinical; anything less than a commanding win would have been criticised. For Manchester 62, defeat had always been expected, but in many ways they were winners. Their young players not only kept the club alive by taking the field, they gained vital senior minutes. Any defeat was an expected consequence for which they could not fairly be judged.
There were other winners beyond the scoreline—among them interim head coach Allen Bula, who stepped forward when others stepped away. His decision ensured the club survived another week and gave youth players a platform to showcase themselves.
St Joseph’s remained clinical. They added to their tally early in the second half, keeping the gap between themselves, Mons Calpe, and Lincoln Red Imps as expected. Another beautifully struck volley made it 6–0 before the hour mark.
For Cifuentes, who arrived after departing Melilla following a poor run, the final 10–0 scoreline must have felt like an early Christmas gift brought about by Manchester 62’s crisis. His first week in the Gibraltar Football League saw him maintain the momentum left by former manager Adam Paz and keep St Joseph’s at the top of the table.
The young Manchester 62 squad, despite the heavy defeat, cannot be blamed. They were thrust unprepared into senior football, with no experience, yet they still displayed resilience and determination, keeping the club from fading into obscurity for another week.
Their efforts deserve far more praise than they have received from a club with such a long and proud history—one with enough former players and members to fill a stadium, and who one hopes will one day fill it again to applaud these young players for their courage, commitment, and sacrifice under extraordinary circumstances.