Return to home turf brings win for Gibraltar against Andorra

Gibraltar 1-0 Andorra
Venue: Europa Point Stadium

Gibraltar’s head coach had the opportunity to give Lincoln Red Imps player Dan Bent a chance to play. It was no surprise that the player, who originally arrived from Canada but was born in England, and has recently been nationalized, making him eligible to play for Gibraltar, was debuting against Andorra. Just 24 hours earlier, head coach Julio Ribas had confirmed that he had been in discussions with the player over the past three years, encouraging him to nationalize so that he could play for Gibraltar.

It was a young team that Julio Ribas fielded as his starting eleven. Returning to the lineup was Graeme Torrilla, who had missed most of last season due to injury. Importantly, the first eleven had a fresh feel, with more players having experience playing outside Gibraltar than those who had honed their skills domestically.

The presence of youngster James Scanlon, holding a professional contract with Manchester United, now joined the likes of Liam Walker, whose career has taken him through England, Greece, and Spain. Also playing was Louie Annesley, who has played for Blackburn, Tjay De Barr, who has played for Oviedo in Spain and Wycombe Wanderers in England before returning to Gibraltar, and Jayce Olivero, who has played in Denmark. Lopes, originally from Portugal, has experience playing in Portugal and Spain.

This was Gibraltar’s first home match since 2022, having been forced to play the Euro qualifier group matches in Portugal. The fully packed Europa Point Stadium was a welcome sight, ironic as the location was initially rejected as the site for Gibraltar’s national stadium.

Gibraltar started the match offensively, with Walker floating a free kick into the penalty area within the first two minutes, only for Torrilla to smash it over the bar. Although small in size, the Europa Point pitch met international standards, leaving no room for complaints from opponents. However, the characteristics of the location meant that the stands were closer than usual for a match in Gibraltar. The constant breezy nature of the site created a challenging atmosphere for those unaccustomed to the conditions.

With the summer sun still shining down on Europa Point, the match was bright and well-lit, making it ideal for spectators, as the floodlights were unnecessary. The game began with an intense pace, resulting in a start-stop first ten minutes. Gibraltar showed they were very much on par, playing confidently against Andorra, who were ranked 34 places higher but had a similar reputation.

Andorra began to settle into the match faster, dominating possession early on. However, Gibraltar’s disciplined and composed defense prevented any early opportunities. A quick break attempt from Andorra in the 10th minute was well handled by Lopes, who tracked back effectively, delaying the Andorran pass and allowing Gibraltar’s defense to reposition.

In the 12th minute, De Barr combined with Scanlon, enabling a run down the flank that required Andorra’s keeper to come off his line to prevent Bent from collecting in the middle, with the debutant running in unmarked.

De Barr earned a free kick in the 14th minute, trying to curl the ball into the goalmouth from a tight angle. This was his first opportunity to test the keeper, using the prevailing breeze to aid his shot.

Having been pinned back for about ten minutes, Gibraltar began to take the offensive. In the 16th minute, Liam Walker floated a free kick in front of the goal. Andorra’s clearance didn’t go far, and the ball was lobbed back in. Bent read the ball well, turned on his marker, and forced the ball past the keeper, scoring Gibraltar’s first goal since 2022 within his first twenty minutes of playing for the team.

Gibraltar continued to apply pressure on Andorra, with Britto attempting a shot after combining well with Lopes and Walker. Receiving the ball at the top of the penalty area, Britto took a shot on the run. The hard work of players like Torrilla, Scanlon, and Bent in midfield was paying off, as Gibraltar earned free-kick opportunities and created chances. However, Andorra remained a threat.

Despite the intense heat, the referee did not grant a water break. A commanding presence from Bradley Banda in the goalmouth ensured that, for the first half-hour, Andorra’s crosses into the area were comfortably dealt with. Banda made a good stop in the 31st minute when Andorra had a shot at goal after a cross was not fully cleared. The resulting corner was wasted by Andorra, curling out at the near post, with the unpredictable breeze working in Gibraltar’s favor.

Graeme Torrilla, who had received a yellow card, exchanged words with Pujol after a tough challenge. The free kick into the area saw Scanlon driving the ball in, but it was blocked. De Barr was fouled within seconds, providing Gibraltar with another opportunity to test Andorra’s defense.

Andorra struggled to clear the ball, which fell to De Barr, who attempted a first-time shot that went wide over the bar, signaling another warning to Andorra’s defense as the match entered the final ten minutes of the first half. Although Gibraltar was now showing greater confidence and starting to take the game more into Andorra’s half, the visitors continued to pose a threat. Claims for a handball were dismissed in the 40th minute.

Within seconds, De Barr created a chance at the other end, receiving the ball on the right, making a run into the middle, and turning on his marker to strike, with his shot hitting the crossbar. Unfortunately, the rebound didn’t fall kindly for another attempt, ending in a corner. The delivery to the far post was headed goalward by Lopes but blocked by a clearly raised arm, resulting in another corner. Gibraltar was denied a clear penalty.

In the 44th minute, a strong challenge by Lopes earned Andorra a free kick. However, with no pace in the attempt, the floated cross fell comfortably for Banda to collect.

The constant rumble and chants from a small section of the crowd made for a lively atmosphere, contrasting with the typically quieter crowds at Victoria Stadium. Europa Point proved to be a small but good venue for football.

The first half ended with Gibraltar leading by the narrowest of margins, 1-0, although they displayed a positive and bright approach. This highlighted that against sides of a similar level, Gibraltar was very much capable of competing for a win.

The second half started with the same intensity as the first, with Andorra making early changes. Andorra pressed in the early minutes, testing the defense with a couple of blocks. A third defensive block, after just ten minutes, saw the ball dip just over the crossbar as Andorra threatened to level the score. Gibraltar endured over ten minutes pinned in their half without a response.

It wasn’t until the hour mark that Gibraltar found their way into Andorra’s half, but it didn’t last long, as Andorra regained possession and pressed Gibraltar back into their half. Pujol, who had been troubling Torrilla, De Barr, and Scanlon, received a yellow card after a high tackle on De Barr. At the same time, Jolley, recently returned from injury, required treatment and was helped off the field by the physios.

Ribas used the opportunity to make changes, bringing on Valarino and Casciaro, with the Manchester United youth player Scanlon also being substituted. This marked Valarino’s return to the national team after a season out due to injury.

Casciaro made an immediate impact, getting the ball within seconds of coming on. However, a throw-in from him was affected by the wind, providing Andorra with a chance to test the defense again. Their final attempt sailed over the bar from distance, as Gibraltar closed down well.

In the 71st minute, San Nicolas received a yellow card after a blatant foul on Bent. Within a minute, Walker was fouled by Fernandez, whose high stamp on Walker led Ribas to bring on De Haro for Bent, who had just been the target of a similar challenge. Fernandez received a yellow card, as the visitors’ challenges seemed more intent on causing damage than going for the ball.

Before Bent was replaced, Walker sent a great corner into the goalmouth, forcing a second corner. His next attempt ended with another clearance on the line, but Bent conceded a foul inside Andorra’s goalmouth.

As the match entered its final ten minutes, play was mainly centered in the middle third of the pitch, with both sides canceling each other out. This favored Gibraltar, who were protecting a narrow lead. The experienced Joseph Chipolina came on for the final minutes, with Ethan Britto rested. On the field for the last ten minutes were three players who had played in Gibraltar’s first international matches under UEFA: Casciaro, Chipolina, and Walker.

Defending deeper and closing down in front of goal, Gibraltar protected their lead and continued to search for counterattacks, with De Barr as the sole forward for the final minutes.

Casciaro’s short spell saw him booked for a shoulder barge just meters above the top of the penalty area, providing Andorra with a free-kick opportunity, which was skied well over the crossbar to the dismay of their head coach. Seven minutes of injury time saw Gibraltar continue to defend deep.

Andorra came close to leveling the score with the ball going across the goal in the 96th minute. Just a minute later, García sent a shot just over the top corner as the final whistle blew.

Gibraltar secured their first victory in two years as they returned to playing on home turf. A 14th-minute goal by debutant 28-year-old Daniel Bent against Andorra provided Gibraltar not only with their first victory in two years but also with their first goal in the same period. Gibraltar is preparing for the start of their Nations League D campaign against Liechtenstein this Sunday, and the match provided a positive display.

Entering the Nations League D campaign as favorites in a group including San Marino, Gibraltar will be looking to repeat this performance. Gibraltar’s home matches will be played at Europa Point, the location ironically first rejected for the national stadium after their acceptance into UEFA and FIFA.