Blue first team to earn three points

St Joseph 2-1 Mons Calpe

St Joseph versus Mons Calpe, the first league match of the season for both sides, was never likely to be a quiet encounter.

It did not take long for the first yellow card to be shown, with a foul after just four minutes seeing the referee immediately stamp his authority on the match.

For Mons Calpe, this was their first domestic fixture of the season, having not played the previous weekend. The Blues, meanwhile, were looking to make a positive start to their league campaign after suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Lincoln Red Imps in the Pepe Reyes Cup the previous weekend.

In the eleventh minute, a sweeping passing move by St Joseph was halted by an offside decision as they worked their way into the six-yard box with some quick, incisive football.

Although not the most disciplined of starts from St Joseph, they nevertheless showed their intent from the opening whistle, pressing Mons Calpe and pinning them back for much of the opening ten minutes.

St Joseph’s dominance in possession finally paid off after 37 minutes, with Borja pushing the ball in from close range inside the goalmouth. It was one of the few occasions in which St Joseph’s superiority in possession had translated into a clear opportunity in front of goal.

Mons Calpe had maintained a compact defensive shape and continued to do so even after falling behind.

Ayala later had an opportunity for Mons Calpe following a powerful run forward on the counter-attack, but St Joseph were quick to regain control and continue their momentum.

Mons Calpe started the second half in a much more attacking fashion, although their more adventurous approach opened up spaces which also benefited St Joseph.

The Blues had an effort on goal in the 55th minute, although it was too weak to trouble Banda.

As the match approached the hour mark, Mons Calpe were beginning to grow into the game, while St Joseph appeared to be struggling to rediscover the momentum they had enjoyed earlier. Cortijo, the former St Joseph coach and now in charge of Mons Calpe, could be seen guiding his team as they grew increasingly confident.

The Blues eventually found a way to slow the tempo, forcing Mons Calpe back into their own half. However, Mons Calpe soon returned to the attack and began mounting sustained pressure on St Joseph.

Their pressure finally told in the 69th minute as Mons Calpe levelled the scores. The Blues once again showing some of the vulnerabilities they had displayed in the Pepe Reyes Cup when placed under sustained pressure.

St Joseph were forced to raise their tempo as Mons Calpe began pushing them back.

The Blues responded with a shot in the 75th minute which forced a save for a corner. The resulting set-piece then produced an excellent header which required another good save. It was a clear signal from St Joseph that, despite having been pushed back, they remained a genuine threat.

The Blues did put the ball into the net in the 76th minute, but the goal was ruled out after a push in the back before the header was delivered.

St Joseph then struck the woodwork in the 79th minute as they broke free into the goalmouth. The final effort was pushed onto the post rather than struck cleanly, with the goalkeeper doing enough to put the attacking player off as he prepared to shoot.

Banda was tested in the 82nd minute as Mons Calpe swept through a string of passes into the penalty area before managing to get a shot through the wall of defenders. The St Joseph goalkeeper did well to make the block.

There was a growing sense of urgency in the play of both sides as each sought to become the first team of the season to earn three points. The previous four matches in the Gibraltar Football League had all ended in draws, and with this encounter still level as the clock reached 90 minutes, both sides knew that a late goal could propel them to the top of the early league table.

Just when it looked as though the match would also end in a draw, St Joseph won a free-kick on the edge of the box. The ball was floated into the area and met by a thumping header which beat the Mons Calpe goalkeeper with just a minute remaining before the final whistle.

St Joseph therefore became the first team to secure three points in the Gibraltar Football League this season, claiming a dramatic late victory to begin their 2026/27 campaign.