Lincoln Red Imps become league champions after dramatic draw with St Joseph

Lincoln Red Imps 1-1 St Joseph's

The match was billed as the ultimate showdown, garnering as much interest, if not more, than the cup final itself. Lincoln Red Imps versus St Joseph was to determine the ultimate victor on the final matchday, with Lincoln holding a two-point lead but the title still up for grabs. St Joseph, having defeated Lincoln twice this season, had already proven that there were no clear favorites.

From the outset, it promised to be a tense affair, with robust physical challenges keeping referee Seth Galia busy. The young referee made it clear, both on and off the field, that he wouldn't hesitate to penalize players to maintain control. Despite friendships and even familial ties among the players, the match lacked camaraderie.

Cousins battled each other fiercely, matching aggression blow for blow. The first twenty minutes were tense, demonstrating that both sides were evenly matched.

Both clubs, steeped in rich history, rallied their supporters, creating an electric atmosphere surpassing even that of the cup final. The west stand, brimming with spectators, testified to the match's significance.

Although not without its share of fouls from both sides, none resulted in capitalizing on mistakes. Clear scoring opportunities were few and far between.

In the 25th minute, a dangerous position led to the third yellow card, with Walker surprisingly sending the ball high. Two minutes later, Jolley found himself in free space on the right after a steal by St Joseph, crossing the ball for Pablo Garcia to slot home after Lincoln's keeper failed to clear the danger.

Now trailing, Lincoln had to adopt a more offensive approach to salvage their hopes of lifting the trophy.

Buoyed by the goal, St Joseph continued to assert dominance, with the match intensifying further. Seth Galia maintained zero tolerance for escalating tensions, swiftly issuing a yellow card to Britto following a minor altercation.

While St Joseph had earlier opportunities to extend their lead, Lincoln began to press and created some chances of their own.

Yellow cards were handed out liberally, with the tally reaching double digits by the 39th minute.

The first half ended with St Joseph holding a solitary goal advantage, leaving fans on edge, contemplating the possibility of witnessing history. Since Gibraltar's UEFA affiliation, only two clubs—Lincoln Red Imps and Europa—had clinched the league title. St Joseph, without a league title since 1996 and having missed out on European competitions last season, were eager to change their fortunes under new ownership. Despite leading for much of the season, they were now trailing Lincoln by two points as they entered the final match.

The second half commenced with the same intensity as the first, with both teams feeling the pressure and tensions running high. Seth Galia wasted no time in cautioning captains about the physicality early on.

However, the usually confident, fluid play of Lincoln Red Imps was absent in this encounter. St Joseph once again proved to be their nemesis this season, frustrating Lincoln's attempts to settle on the ball. In fact, Lincoln had created only one clear chance in the first 50 minutes of the match.

Approaching the hour mark, St Joseph began to exhibit signs of settling into their own game, exuding confidence as they circulated the ball, adding pressure on Lincoln Red Imps.

With just a solitary goal advantage, St Joseph lived on the edge, knowing that a single goal from their opponents would be enough to snatch the trophy away.

In the 60th minute, St Joseph made a crucial change, bolstering their frontline by bringing on Aznar for Borge. The latter had struggled to find space due to Lincoln's solid defense. At the other end, St Joseph's defense demonstrated why they had made it to the final.

Pushing their lines forward, Lincoln also took risks as they sought the equalizer, aware of St Joseph's ability to launch quick counters.

Claims for a penalty were dismissed by Seth Galia in the 67th minute as St Joseph exposed Lincoln's vulnerabilities by pressing for the equalizer.

On the 70th minute, Lincoln Red Imps earned a free kick just outside St Joseph's penalty box. Walker's low driven shot was cleared behind the defensive wall by vigilant defenders.

Walker received a deserved yellow card for a tactical foul as Aznar broke away on a quick counter, though fortunate not to be the last man.

Lincoln's task became even more challenging as Sosa was sent off in the 83rd minute following a second yellow. A free kick at the far corner of the penalty box added pressure, prompting Lincoln to replace Ayew with Julian Valarino, injecting pace into the frontline. Lee Casciaro, a veteran player who had been with Lincoln since two years after St Joseph last won the league, had already been brought onto the field.

Playing with ten men in the final five minutes of official time, Lincoln had to mount pressure on St Joseph. Valarino proved to be one of the key players, testing St Joseph with his pace and energy.

The pressure eventually paid off for Lincoln Red Imps. A long throw-in by Nano saw St Joseph fail to clear, and Pena Garcia capitalized, thumping the ball through St Joseph's defense to score the equalizer. This came just moments after St Joseph's scorer had been replaced.

Nine minutes of injury time were added, providing St Joseph with an opportunity to regain their composure, although the goal had dealt a significant blow from which the blue and whites couldn't recover.

Key players like Roy Chipolina and Lee Casciaro pushed Lincoln to go for a second goal, adding to the pressure on St Joseph.

The equalizer by Pena Garcia secured Lincoln Red Imps the point they needed to top the table and claim yet another league and cup double. St Joseph, who had been moments away from making their own history, had to settle for knowing they had pushed Lincoln to the very end and would be playing in the UEFA Conference League this season.

St Joseph v Lincoln Red Imps, 10th May 2024
Pic by Christian Correa

St Joseph v Lincoln Red Imps, 10th May 2024
Pic by Christian Correa

Pic by Christian Correa

Images by Christian Correa