St Joseph’s edges Glacis United in narrow 1-0 victory

St Joseph’s FC secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Glacis United in an intense Gibraltar Football League clash on Matchday 3 at Victoria Stadium. The match, played under the scorching evening sun on August 31, 2024, saw St Joseph’s, last season’s runners-up, assert their dominance early on, but it was far from an easy ride against a resilient Glacis United side.
The opening stages of the match were characterized by St Joseph’s taking control, with the small but dedicated crowd of mostly St Joseph’s supporters huddled under the shade of the West Stand, urging their team on. Despite Glacis United’s disappointing form last season, their recent 4-0 triumph over Europa Point seemed to have bolstered their confidence, and they showed early signs of threatening the St Joseph’s defence.
The breakthrough came in the 14th minute when a well-coordinated passing move from the flanks to the centre opened up space at the edge of the box. St Joseph’s forward Rey Vasquez seized the opportunity, unleashing a powerful shot into the top corner, leaving Glacis United’s goalkeeper Stevens helpless as the ball sailed into the net.
Despite the early setback, Glacis United maintained their composure, intelligently keeping two players forward to pressure St Joseph’s defence. This strategy limited St Joseph’s ability to push forward without constantly looking over their shoulders for potential counterattacks. The heat, which tested the endurance of both teams, added an extra layer of difficulty as players struggled to maintain their tempo.
St Joseph’s continued to create chances, with Liam Walker narrowly missing the target in the 23rd minute with a shot that skimmed just wide of the post. Glacis United, meanwhile, showed their bite in attack, with moments of danger coming from their surges down the right flank. St Joseph’s goalkeeper Banda was called into action multiple times, notably in the 34th minute when he bravely came off his line to block a shot with his foot, preventing a potential equalizer.
The first half was not without its physical moments. A collision in the 38th minute between Mascarenhas-Olivero and Glacis United’s defender, Prescott, halted play temporarily as the latter received treatment for a knock to the face. Though the incident lacked any malice, it underscored the intensity of the battle on the pitch.
The second half saw Glacis United push higher up the field, forcing St Joseph’s to defend more resolutely. Glacis United’s persistence earned them a series of corners, but they failed to capitalize, with one notable attempt on the hour mark seeing Banda flap the ball away from under his crossbar. Moments later, a poor effort from close range went sailing over the bar, much to the frustration of the Glacis United bench.
St Joseph’s manager responded by making three key substitutions in the 61st minute, introducing Joelle Aznar Fernandez, Pons, and Peña Garcia in an effort to inject fresh energy into the side. The changes had an immediate impact, with Aznar curling a shot in the 66th minute that beat the goalkeeper, only for Glacis United’s Wilson to heroically block it with a header, sending the ball out for a corner.
As the clock ticked down, the tension mounted. Glacis United nearly snatched a dramatic equalizer in the 90th minute when a blocked shot rolled agonizingly wide of the post. St Joseph’s, however, held firm, their narrow lead proving just enough to see them through to the final whistle.
The match highlighted St Joseph’s resilience as they weathered the heat and Glacis United’s persistent attacks to claim all three points. Despite their dominance in possession and chances created, St Joseph’s will likely reflect on missed opportunities to put the game beyond doubt earlier on. Glacis United, on the other hand, showed promise with their determined performance, even if it did not translate into points on the day.
St Joseph’s now look ahead to building on this hard-fought victory as they aim to challenge for the league title once again. With a well reinforced squad and already showing signs of their intent St Joseph have started the season as one of the firm favorities to try and topple Lincoln Red Imps.
Meanwhile Glacis United will take heart from their performance and aim to improve their finishing in the matches to come. Glacis who have struggled in recent years, especially in the financial side of the game, have once again build a resilient squad under limited budgetary constraints. The team showing it can compete against the top teams in the league.

Teams:

St Joseph’s FC: Banda (GK), Mascarenhas-Olivero (Pons - 61’), Paul Curado, Rosa Blanco (Alvarez - 73’), De Souza Goncalves (Aznar Fernandez - 61’), Bautista Martos, Rodriguez Moreno (Peña Garcia - 61’), Rey Vasquez, Walker, Barnett (C) (Jolley - 61’), Cardozo Tomas.

Glacis United: Stevens (GK), Prescott, Wilson, Banjo (Loen - 50’), Cardoso Queni (Nzuruba - 73’), Parkes (Mallemaci - 50’), Bakare (C), Bakici (Samuels - 63’), Tarrak (Lopez - 73’), Clenahan, Krasniqi.