Lions through to next round

Lions Gibraltar secured a comfortable victory on Saturday to breeze through to the next round of the Rock Cup.

An early goal from Marques Alvas Silva after just eight minutes set the tone for the match. Their opponents, Manchester 62 — now beginning to see senior players resume their roles after months of absence — were unable to turn the tide as they made an early exit from the competition.

Lions introduced new loan signing Evan De Haro after just 23 minutes of play. Goals from Rebagliati in the 35th minute and Livingstone in injury time ensured they went into the half-time break with a commanding 3–0 lead.

A 51st-minute strike from Njdoli secured a final 4–0 scoreline.

Languishing in the bottom six and now knocked out of the Rock Cup, Manchester 62 appear set for an early end to their season — a situation that may allow the club an opportunity to reset following what has been a disastrous campaign.

For Lions, dreams of European football remain alive, with a top-six finish looking likely this season alongside a continued run in the Rock Cup.

The weekend also saw changes to the Rock Cup itself. Ahead of the matches, the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) announced a new sponsorship agreement with Peninsula, covering Gibraltar’s premier domestic knockout competition.

“The agreement, which marks a strengthening of the established relationship between the GFA and Peninsula, comes into effect immediately and sees Peninsula become the main sponsor of the Men’s, Women’s and Youth Rock Cup tournaments, reflecting a shared commitment to supporting and promoting football in Gibraltar.

“As part of the agreement, Peninsula will assume title sponsorship of the competition, with the new name ‘Peninsula Rock Cup’ taking effect immediately.”

The GFA said it welcomed the continued confidence shown by Peninsula through this enhanced partnership.

John Bassadone, CEO of Peninsula, stated: “Peninsula is proud to deepen our partnership with the Gibraltar FA through the title sponsorship of the iconic Rock Cup. Football plays a role that is deeply rooted in our community, and supporting a tournament with such remarkable heritage is a privilege. We are committed to helping elevate the competition across all levels — men’s, women’s and youth — and to contributing to the continued growth of Gibraltar football both locally and on the European stage.”