Saint Josephs took all three points against Mons Calpe in the Premier Division on Friday evening, winning 2-1 at home. It was the second round of the regular season and the result sees the hosts move straight into a positive place after their opening fixture. Mons Calpe, meanwhile, start the campaign with a defeat.
By then the picture was fairly clear. Saint Josephs had shown enough to justify their position in fifth place the previous season and took the lead in the first half. Mons Calpe pushed back and found an equaliser, but Saint Josephs held firm and added a second to seal the win.
And here's the thing — this is only game one for both sides, so the table tells us very little yet. Saint Josephs sit fifth with three points from one match. Mons Calpe are eleventh, still on zero. They lost their opener and now they know exactly what it feels like to come away empty-handed.
To be fair, Mons Calpe will have felt they had the game in their control when they levelled. But Saint Josephs have a habit of seeing things through, and that's what they did here. They didn't panic when the score was even and they found the response when it mattered.
The recent form of both teams adds context. Saint Josephs have been inconsistent — a 0-0 draw with Bohemians, then a 3-3 with Lions Gibraltar, followed by a 2-3 loss to Europa. Mons Calpe had a better run in April, beating Europa 4-1 and Lions Gibraltar 3-0 before drawing 0-0 with Saint Josephs themselves. This result doesn't change those records, but it does set the tone for how both teams approach the season.
What it means is simple. Saint Josephs are on three points and have started well at home. Mons Calpe are on zero and will need to bounce back quickly. The gap is small, but the difference in confidence could be significant.