Women's Team beat Kirkop United

by Ayrton Galea - 9th January 2014

Birkirkara Women's Team gave a superb performance on Tuesday evening to outclass Kirkop United with a score of 3-0, to register their fourth consecutive win in the BOV Women's First Division League.

With three straight wins at their back, the Stripes were wary of the challenge of Kirkop United, who were coming from a string of satisfactory performances.

The Stripes found a tough obstacle, as Kirkop defended deep in their half, and they sought to close all the gaps right from the start. However, the Stripes' strong performance was too much for the newly-promoted side.

The score could have been even bigger for the Stripes, who created countless opportunities, but goalkeeper Costantino was in a brilliant form.

The First Half

Birkirkara made their intentions clear in the opening stages of the match, as they threatened after just two minutes. Rachel Cuschieri released Alishia Sultana on the left flank who had a fine shot from a diagonal angle ending wide.

They kept their early momentum and went near just past the fifth minute mark. Rachel Cuschieri's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Sharon Costantino, and from the rebound Raina Giusti sent an inviting low cross, but Martina Cilia saw her close-range shot deflected into a corner kick.

Kim Parnis threatened again for Birkirkara on the eighth minute, but her fierce shot from a diagonal angle, was parried by Costantino.

The Stripes should have taken the lead on the tenth minute. An excellent cross from the right found Rachel Cuschieri on the far post, but the midfielder mishot her effort and the ball ended wide.

Just a minute later, Kim Parnis penetrated inside the box and had her shot pushed away into a corner kick by Costantino.

Kirkop, who survived the firing start of the Stripes, began to settle down and show better ideas. Their bold defensive display enabled them to cancel the Stripes' early efforts as they were seeking to get out of their half.

However, it was the Stripes who continued to dictate matters as they created another fine scoring opportunity on the twenty-first minute. Raina Giusti sent an intelligent through-ball in the direction of a running Kim Parnis, but her shot went wide off the far post.

Raina Giusti was in action just two minutes later when her brilliant shot from distance was blocked by goalkeeper Costantino. Costantino was the protagonist of keeping the score level by deflecting into a corner Kim Parnis' effort from the rebound.

Kirkop created their first opportunity on the twenty-sixth minute as Kristie Attard drifted inside Birkirkara's box. Stephania Farrugia tackled her just before the Kirkop striker could conclude.

On the half-hour mark, Raina Giusti served Rachel Cuschieri who released Alishia Sultana down the left flank and the promising youngster saw her first-time shot saved by goalkeeper Costantino in two attempts.

Birkirkara's superiority inside the first half continued to be evident as they continued to assault Kirkop's rearguard. Despite struggling to keep the Birkirkara forwards at bay done, they did enough inside the first thirty-minutes to keep the score level.

The Stripes, desperately looking for the opener, went close once again ten minutes from half-time. Following a long range drop-kick by Janice Xuereb, Raina Giusti headed the ball in the path of Rachel Cuschieri, who had a powerful drive blocked by goalkeeper Costantino.

On the other side of the pitch, Jade Flask of Kirkop had a fine free-kick from outside the box ending over.

Birkirkara were rewarded for their efforts on the thirty-ninth minute. Rachel Cuschieri delivered an excellent far-post corner kick and Stephania Farrugia rose high to head home from close range.

Boosted by this deserved goal, the Stripes continued to attack with all guns blazing. Gabriella Zahra brought out the best of goalkeeper Costantino, who saw her in-swinging brilliant shot blocked with a fine save.

With Kirkop failing to make any sort of reaction, Birkirkara comfortably administered their lead, before the referee brought to an end the first forty-five minute.

The Second Half

Kirkop tried to change the story of the match, and they threatened early in the second half by a long distance shot from Kristie Attard, which was well parried by goalkeeper Janice Xuereb.

However, the Stripes were quick to settle down again and restore their superiority. Three minutes in the second half, Kim Parnis served Martina Cilia who managed to conclude, despite being marked by two players, but her effort was parried by goalkeeper Costantino.

They were quick to threaten again on the fiftieth minute, as Kim Parnis served Rachel Cuschieri, who had her shot turned into a corner kick. From the resulting corner-kick taken by Rachel Cuschieri, Stephania Farrugia headed wide.

In the first substitution for Birkirkara, on the fifty-third minute Martina Cilia was replaced by Tara Attard.

The Stripes doubled the lead ten minutes in the second half with a wonderful strike. A corner-kick by Rachel Cuschieri was short-cleared, Alishia Sultana passed the ball to Raina Giusti, whose superb first-time strike left goalkeeper Costantino staring as the ball hit the net.

Kirkop, who saw their hopes of getting something from the match fade out, failed to settle down. Their woes continued to increase three minutes later, when the Stripes scored their third goal. It was once again a corner-kick taken by Rachel Cuschi, that saw Kim Parnis hitting a powerful header to beat goalkeeper Costantino.

Birkirkara latter continued to torment Kirkop's rearguard on the sixty-third minute, when Rachel Cuschieri had a deflected shot parried by Costantino.

The Stripes went close to adding their fourth goal on the sixty-fifth minute. From another corner-kick taken by Cuschieri, Stephania Farrugia was denied from goal when her attempt was cleared off the goal-line.

Coach Johann Scicluna ordered a double substitution on the sixty-eighth minute. Kelly Agius Pace and Stephania Farrugia were replaced by Charlene Schembri and Chantal Fenech.

Birkirkara protested for a penalty fifteen minutes from time when Raina Giusti was tackled inside the box, but the referee had a different opinion, and he ignored the claim.

Gabriella Zahra for Birkirkara had a powerful free-kick from distance sailing over the bar on the eightieth minute.

The final ten minutes were a formality for the Stripes. Kirkop were down and out, and they were unable to make any sort of reaction. The Stripes threatened again in the final minutes thanks to Rachel Cuschieri, when she dribbled past a player and hit a powerful shot which was blocked by a great save of goalkeeper Costantino.

The referee's full-time whistle found Birkirkara clinching their fourth straight victory, to gear-up for the clash of the season against Hibernians, which is scheduled to be played in two weeks time. The Stripes will be involved in the next match on Tuesday 14 January, when they will take on Raiders FC.

BIRKIRKARA: Janice Xuereb, Kelly Agius Pace (68' Charlene Schembri), Alishia Sultana, Stephania Farrugia (68' Chantal Fenech), Kirstie Vella, Rebecca Chircop, Gabriella Zahra, Kim Parnis, Rachel Cuschieri, Martina Cilia (53' Tara Attard), Raina Giusti.

KIRKOP: Sharon Costantino, Karen Lia, Charlene Cassia, Celine Galea, Roxanne Galea, Stacie Caruana, Jade Flask, Donnalise Xerri, Alessia Caschetto, Shona Zammit, Krystie Attard.

Scorers: 39' Stephania Farrugia, 55' Raina Giusti, 58' Kim Parnis.

comments powered by Disqus