New Rovers vs GLASGOW AFGHANS UNITED
3 - 5
23 March 2025 · SCOTTISH UNITY LEAGUE<br>
Home league match played on 23 March 2025.
Kicked off at 3:30 PM
3-5
vs GLASGOW AFGHANS UNITED
Home league match
A depleted Rovers team made an excellent high tempo start to this fixture which would almost certainly decide the league winners, going two goals up in the first twelve minutes. Making his debut, HAMZA EBEID opened the scoring with virtually his first touch - a powerful right foot strike from the edge of the box then ANDREA EKUASE added a second from close in, with Rovers driving forward purposefully and pinning their opponents back.
However a few minutes later an arguably harsh refereeing decision saw Rovers depleted further when Abdul Alsahar was shown a red card for pulling back an attacker who was driving towards the box - and to add insult to injury, Afghans scored from the resulting free kick.
Rovers defended successfully until the interval - though down to ten men - and still looked dangerous going forward but as the second half progressed, Afghans managed to score twice - their third goal from a really dubious penalty - to take the lead but, still showing a great attitude and desire to get back into the game Rovers grabbed an equaliser in 87 minutes when Harald Martins’ deep corner was driven home by the lively BOSHARA IBRAHIM at the back post. With a draw favouring Afghans, in terms of final league placings, Rovers, with Johnny Greenwood up front and leaving man-for-man defending at the back, were putting Afghans under real pressure, with the score remaining at 3-3 after ninety minutes- but the necessary gamble failed to bring the vital goal and Afghans scored twice in injury time, the second goal with the last kick of the ball.
Credit is very much due for the team’s 100% commitment - and decent play - throughout. The eventual Back 4 - Harald Martins, who was excellent at right back, Michael Semirimu, who had been dictating play in midfield before having to replace Alsahar at centre back, Nabil Al Humaidi and the outstanding Johnny Greenwood performed very effectively until late on when they were desperately charging forward looking for the winner. Joe Martin gave a great display in midfield on his first 90 minute involvement and there were great shifts from Andrea Ekuase and Jebril Abdulrahman, with both having to drop back into midfield, and from Hamza Ebeid, making a hugely promising debut and goalscorer Boshara Ibrahim who gave his best showing of the season so far.
In spite of the disappointing final result- following a contentious ordering off and a doubtful penalty award - a strong Glasgow Afghans side are virtually assured of the league title- though the overall performance of the players who showed up today was highly commendable, excellent to watch and reminiscent of the recent second half comeback against ATM.
Team:
Zalewski; Martins, Alsahar, Greenwood, Al Humaidi; Byfanzi (Ibrahim), Martin, Semirimu, Ekuase, Ebeid; Abdulrahman