Birkirkara defeats Hamrun
by Ayrton Galea - 4th March 2012
Birkirkara ended the second round of the Premier League on a positive note as earlier this afternoon they defeated Hamrun Spartans with a 3-1 score.
It was not the best performance for Birkirkara but still it was quite an acceptable one and the score could have been even bigger as several fine goal scoring chances were lost. On the other hand, Hamrun also gave a satisfactory performance as they defended quite well especially in the first half, and after reducing the gap they tried everything to equalise but it was Jorge Santos Silva who closed the goal with the third goal for Birkirkara and the second one for himself.
The attacking department composed by Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, Shola Shodiya and Jorge Santos Silva had another positive match especially the last two thanks to their fast runs on the wings. Shola Shodiya scored the second goal in four matches while Jorge Santos Silva scored three from the last four.
In the midfield department, all three players namely Ryan Scicluna, Shaun Bajada and Paul Fenech had a fine performance, with Shaun Bajada despite not having the best match was an assist on the first two goals while serving Shodiya another fine pass for the third goal which was scored by Jorge Santos Silva.
The defence department which was formed by Angus Buhagiar and Joseph Zerafa as side backs, and Nikola Vukanac and Gareth Sciberras as the central defenders had quite a fine match with the side backs continually performing fast overlaps. Goalkeeper Reuben Gauci had a very solid performance thanks to his well timed outings.
The First Half
The first half saw Birkirkara building a two goal lead scoring an early first goal and the doubled the score eight minutes from the half time whistle.
Birkirkara made their intentions clear right from the start. A first minute shot by Ryan Scicluna ended over.
On the third minute, a dangerous low cross from the left was parried by Gauci. On the other side of the pitch, one minute later, a shot by Jorge Santos Silva ended wide.
Birkirkara took the lead on the 5th minute when in a combination between Jorge Santos Silva and Shaun Bajada, was followed with the latter's perfect pass to Jorge Santos Silva who beat Omar Borg from a close range.
On the 7th minute, a very powerful run by Shola Shodiya which almost covered three quarters of the pitch, serving Shaun Bajada whose shot ended over.
Reuben Gauci punched the ball away on the 10th minute with a defender clearing the danger.
Hamrun had their first attempt on the 28th minute when Kevin Sammut's volley was saved by Gauci. One minute later, Birkirkara replied with a low shot by Jorge Santos Silva was saved by Omar Borg in two attempts.
On the half hour mark, a freekick by Shaun Bajada was headed wide by Shola Shodiya.
Gaetan Spiteri had a shot from outside the box on the 33rd minute ending wide.
On the 36th minute, another fine freekick by Shaun Bajada failed to be hit by Nikola Vukanac.
Birkirkara made them two on the 37th minute, when Shaun Bajada advanced on the right, served Shola Shodiya who anticipated goalkeeper Omar Borg and hit home.
In the last action of the first half, on the 44th minute, Daniel Zerafa for Hamrun headed wide following a fine cross from the left.
The Second Half
After pulling one back in the middle of the second half, Hamrun put everything forward with the aim to equalise but it was Birkirkara who scored the third goal and win three precious points.
Birkirkara could have increased the lead and closed the game when just one minute in the second half, Jorge Santos Silva served Shaun Bajada who back-heeled the ball to Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza who lost a golden chance by putting the ball over the bar.
A Massimo Grima's long distance freekick on the 48th minute was saved by Reuben Gauci.
Massimo Grima tried his luck with another long distance shot on the 53rd shot which Gauci saved without problem. In the same minute, Hamrun missed a fine opportunity when Gaetan Spiteri's pass inside the box failed to be hit well by Kevin Sammut with the ball ending in a goal kick.
On the 55th minute, Jorge Santos Silva's effort was deflected into a corner kick by the defender following a cross by Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.
Mr. Paul Zammit utilised the first substation on the 61st minute when Moises Avila Perez replaced Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.
A long distance shot by Daniel Zerafa on the 64th minute ended wide.
Hamrun pulled one back on the 65th minute when off a cross from the right, Anderson Mendes Riberio headed past Reuben Gauci.
Shola Shodiya's fine pass toward Jorge Santos Silva on the 66th minute saw the Brazilian winger's effort ending wide from a diagonal position.
Hamrun's coach, Mr. Stefan Sultana, utilised the first substitution on the 66th minute as Gianluca Calabretta was replaced by Glen Azzopardi.
A long distance shot by Joseph Zerafa ended wide on the 67th minute.
Birkirkara were unlucky and denied from the third goal on the 68th minute. First a fine shot by Jorge Santos Silva was saved by Borg and turned into a corner kick by the defender. From the following direct corner, Shaun Bajada hit the post and the ball was then cleared by the defence.
On the 73rd minute, Birkirkara had another good chance to regain the two goal lead when from a fine cross from the back, Paul Fenech beat the offside trap, advanced in the box but concluded wide.
In the second substitution for Hamrun, Rupert Mangion was replaced by David Camilleri on the 74th minute.
Birkirkara regained the two goal lead on the 74th minute, when Shaun Bajada's perfect pass saw Shola Shodiya rounding Omar Borg and Jorge Santos Silva tapped in for his second personal goal.
On the 78th minute, both sides performed a substitution. For Birkirkara Shola Shodiya was replaced with Rowen Muscat. For Hamrun, the youngster Ryan Spiteri replaced Gaetan Spiteri in their the last substitution
Substitute Ryan Spiteri was unlucky not to reduce the gap for Hamrun on the 80th minute when his powerful shot inside the box was denied by the crossbar.
A long distance powerful shot by Massimo Grime on the 83rd minute was turned in style into a corner kick by Reuben Gauci.
Daniel Zerafa's effort ended wide on the 90th minute.
Youngster McCalister Clinch made his debut for Birkirkara as he came on for Jorge Santos Silva on the 91st minute in the last substitution by Mr. Zammit.
In the last action of the match, Reuben Gauci performed a good save on a header inside the box.
The full time whistle found the Birkirkara supporters applauding the players for this important win. Birkirkara will start the 2nd phase with eighteen points, level with Sliema Wanderers, and just three points under 3rd placed Floriana.
BIRKIRKARA: Reuben Gauci, Angus Buhagiar, Gareth Sciberras, Nikola Vukanac, Joseph Zerafa, Ryan Scicluna, Paul Fenech, Shaun Bajada, Jorge Santos Silva (90+1' McCalister Clinch), Shola Shodiya (78' Rowen Muscat), Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (61' Moises Avila Perez)
HAMRUN SPARTANS: Omar Borg, Gianluca Calabretta (66' Glen Azzopardi), Matthew Gauci, Ronni Hartvig, Massimo Grima, Rupert Mangion (74' David Camilleri), Daniel Zerafa, Gaetan Spiteri (78' Ryan Spiteri), Dene Shields, Kevin Sammut, Anderson Mendes Riberio
Yellow Cards: Daniel Zerafa (Hamrun), Angus Buhagiar (Birkirkara)
Scorers: Jorge Santos Silva 5', Shola Shodiya 37', Jorge Santos Silva 74'
Man of the match: Jorge Santos Silva
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