Mons Calpe secure fourth place in the league

Lynx 2-2 Mons Calpe

It was an intense start to what was an important encounter for both Lynx and Mons Calpe where a fourth place finish in the league could provide either a chance to play European club football.
The latter just needed to secure the one point from the match to ensure that Lynx would not be able to catch up with them. Lynx needed the three points if they were to have any chance of gaining fourth place in the last match of the season.
Preparations for the match had been intense with both training in Gibraltar on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s match.
The first fifteen minutes saw both sides taking offensive postures with the gameplay going from end to end. Although neither side was to provide any real threat on target.
As the minutes ticked on Mons Calpe, knowing they just needed to secure that Lynx did not win started to close up more at the back and started to settle with a more defensive posture. This ensuring that Lynx were given few options towards goal.
Calming the game down, Mons Calpe were able to find their route to Lynx’s goal on the eighteenth minute of the match. Working the ball down the right a hanging cross into the box was met by a header from Ayoub.
With Lynx now needing to find a goal Mons Calpe sat back and closed ranks, pressing on them in the centre of the park as they looked to expose the gaps opened and looked for their own second goal.
As the match neared the first half hour Lynx were struggling to find a route past the top third of Mons Calpe’s half. The fluorescent kitted Mons Calpe closing Lynx down well.
Lynx did not get a chance at goal until past the half hour when a free kick floated into the area was well collected by Power. His shot only a half chance at goal after being well blocked.
The yellow cards started to come out as challenges and tensions started to play their part in the game. With the sun now set and the chilly breeze setting in Lynx’s hopes of finishing fourth were becoming colder by the moment as their pathway to goal was being well halted by Mons Calpe.
With just five minutes left of the first half it was Mons Calpe who had a crack at goal, with the ball flying just over the bar after Lynx had been unable to clear their lines.
Lynx responded with a chance by Valdivia well blocked by Mons Calpe’s defence after they had been unable to scramble the ball away from their penalty area. Valdivia finding himself just metres from the six yard box when he collected a headed pass to him.
Mons’ response was to break forward, with Lynx again making a defensive error that provided the ball back to Mons Calpe. Diaz who received behind the defence from a cross from the right wing provided an assist to El Hmidi who struck a low drive to the post far from Banda’s reach for the second goal just before the half-time whistle.
With a 2-0 deficit Lynx had no option but to open up their game and go on the offensive. This providing Mons Calpe the opportunity to try and break fast. Lynx defence responded well and stayed firm in their task.
Cutting an attack, Lynx on the fifty second minute broke forward fast themselves with the ball reaching Duran as he run into the six yard box to slot past Fraiz cutting the deficit.
The goal spurred Lynx on who continued to pile pressure on Mons Calpe’s defence. Fraiz was tested on the hour mark with a shot from well outside the penalty area. The keeper had to reposition himself as he parried as the shot tried to surprise him off his line.
Mons Calpe were dealt a further blow with thirty minutes to go as they were reduced to ten men as Lynx continued to pile on the pressure. Losing control of possession Mons Calpe started to look vulnerable as Lynx penned them back.
Weathering the surge Mons Calpe regrouped and started to take some control of possession and push Lynx momentarily back onto their half. This giving them some breathing space to settle down after watching Lynx score and then the subsequent sending off. Lynx continued to mount pressure although against a more settled Mons Calpe defence.
Caravaca’s was to miss a great opportunity when he was unable to control in front of goal with only Fraiz to beat.
It was Mons Calpe who had the next chance but at a cost as their player on turning the defence somehow injured himself but still managed to put in a shot, even though it went well wide over the bar. The same player immediately going to the ground and needing to be stretchered off.
Lynx struck another blow to Mons Calpe with substitute Santos De Matos, who had just stepped on the field, heading in the equaliser as Mons Calpe’s player was still being treated on the stretcher outside the playing field at the other end of the pitch. Tensions on the stands also increasing among the small handful of fans.
With the score now level Lynx still required to look for a winning goal and maintained their momentum. It was backs to the wall for Mons Calpe in the final five minutes as Lynx looked for the winner. Mons Calpe kept their composure and managed to halt Lynx holding out for the draw.
The result means that Lynx are now unable to catch up with Mons Calpe with both just having one match left to play.
Mons Calpe will be finishing fourth in the table and will be looking at a possible chance to play in European club competition if Glacis United are beaten in the Rock Cup final.
The opponents of Glacis United in the Rock Cup final is expected to be known by the end of this week once an Appeal Board decision is reached over circumstances surrounding the Europa versus Lincoln Red Imps semi-final. Both Europa and Lincoln Red Imps have both qualified to at least the Europa League and would provide fourth placed Mons Calpe with a chance to play in European football if they were to win the cup.