Late goals put Birkirkara back on track

by Ayrton Galea - 21st September 2014

Two late goals by Ryan Camenzuli and Rafael Ledesma enabled Birkirkara to their fourth victory in the BOV Premier League, by defeating the resilient side of Qormi FC.

It was turning out to be another frustrating evening for the Stripes who could not find a way through. Enjoying most of the possession was not enough to break down the resilient Qormi side, who played their hearts out throughout the whole ninety minutes but a superb strike by Ryan Camenzuli and another goal by Rafael Ledesma helped Birkirkara to regain their winning touch.

Following a balanced first half, where Birkirkara went close on two occasions, the match came into life in the second half. Birkirkara continued to press forward while Qormi where always a threat on the counter. With the match heading to a stalemate, Camenzuli broke the deadlock and Ledesma sealed the issue.

Eager to return to winning ways, the first-eleven selection featured three changes by Birkirkara's Coach, Mr. Paul Zammit. Club's latest signing, Vyacheslav Shevchenko made his debut with our Club by replacing Eliandro Gonzaga. Antoine Borg had a memorable evening by being given the green light to start the match from the start with the senior team, by replacing the injured Edward Herrera. In the third change, Alejandro Mendoza replaced Rafael Ledesma.

The 3-4-1-2 formation featured Haber defending the posts while the three-line defence was formed by Muscat, Vukanac and Mendoza. Ryan Camenzuli and Antoine Borg patrolled the wing-backs with Fenech and Bissi composing the midfield. Scicluna had a roaming role behind the two central strikers Shevchenko and Morais.

Goalkeeper Ini Akpan and Edmond Agius made their way back with the eighteen-man squad but Gareth Sciberras and Edward Herrera were still unavailable for the Stripes.

The First Half

Following their last match, Birkirkara went out aggressive and dictated matters right from the start. Just past the fourth minute, Borg supplied an inviting through-ball, with Ellinton Morais sprinting past his marker but his low shot ended wide.

Birkirkara threatened again just one minute later. Morais had an in-swinging free-kick which Qormi's defence failed to deal, but goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia punched the ball into safety. Five minutes later, from a second-post cross by Ryan Camenzuli, Antoine Borg had a fine first-time volley parried by the Qormi goalkeeper.

The Stripes might have started their match brightly, but their superiority began to fade as soon as Qormi continued to settle-in and gain more momentum as time went by. Birkirkara were enjoying possession in every department but they could not break the resilience of Qormi's defence for long stretches. Then Shevchenko headed wide off a cross by Morais.

The match was not offering much in entertainment value, as scoring chances continued to be rare. On the half-hour mark, Birkirkara's most dangerous player, Ellinton Morais who was always a threat for the Qormi defence, had his shot turned into a corner kick by goalkeeper Farrugia.

Qormi called Birkirkara's goalkeeper Justin Haber into action for the first time on the thirty-second minute. Joseph Chetcuti took possession of a loose ball in Birkirkara's midfield and raced forward. However, the Qormi player fumbled the last touch, and Justin Haber rushed out and neutralised the danger.

Birkirkara created the most dangerous scoring opportunity on the thirty-six minute. In a well-taken corner kick by Morais, Matheus Bissi had a splendid header somehow blocked by the Qormi goalkeeper before the ball was cleared into safety.

This scoring opportunity however was not enough to spark up anything in the match, as both sides failed to create any notable action till the end of the first half, and both sides headed to their dressing rooms with a goal-less draw.

The Second Half

Qormi's Coach, Mr. Josef Mansueto introduced Alfred Effiong off Pietro Vigliani, as he aimed to give his forward line fresh ideas and to be more dangerous on the counter.

On the fiftieth minute Matheus Bissi took change of a long-range free-kick, that saw his powerful effort saved by goalkeeper Farrugia. Just a minute later, on the other side of the pitch, Albert Bruce had a shot ending wide, following a good move by Temile on the left side.

Ten minutes inside the second half, Mr. Paul Zammit effected his first substitution as Antoine Borg was replaced by Leighton Grech. Borg received a well-deserved applause for his performance.

The Qormi fans cheered for what seemed the opening goal of the match on the hour mark when Bruce, undoubtedly one of their best players, served Anderos Santos who beat Haber. However, his goal was disallowed for an offside position.

The intensity of the match had increased and both teams stepped-up to search for the opening goal. Matheus Bissi was once again the closest for Birkirkara on the sixty-second minute when his header was parried by Farrugia off another well-taken free-kick by Morais.

Fifteen minutes from time, Mr. Paul Zammit made his second and third change. Rafael Ledesma and Kurt Zammit took the place of Vyacheslav Shevchenko and Ryan Scicluna respectively. Ledesma took his usual roaming role, while Zammit joined Morais in the forward line.

Zammit was quickly involved in the action and he could have put his team ahead just two minutes after entering the field. Following a dangerous cross by the speedy Leighton Grech, his effort went wide from inside the box.

Qormi were holding strong but seven minutes from time, their efforts were unravelled. In a fast transition from the defence to the forward line, Ledesma skipped past his marker before serving Ryan Camenzuli who unleashed a thunderous low strike from distance that beat goalkeeper Farrugia, to put Birkirkara in the lead.

With six minutes of added time, Qormi put everything forward and they left huge gaps in their defence, and this condemned them to concede the second goal on the ninety-second minute. It was yet another fast counter-attack by Birkirkara with Morais serving Rafael Ledesma whose powerful strike past goalkeeper Farrugia sealed the issue.

The full-time whistle was met by a huge sigh of relief by the Birkirkara clan who returned to winning ways thanks to the late two strikes.

Brazilian Matheus Bissi was named the BOV Player of the Match.

BIRKIRKARA: Justin Haber, Matheus Bissi, Ellinton Morais, Nikola Vukanac, Vyacheslav Shevchenko (75′ Kurt Zammit), Alejandro Mendoza, Paul Fenech, Zach Muscat, Ryan Scicluna (75′ Rafael Ledesma), Antoine Borg (55′ Leighton Grech), Ryan Camenzuli.

QORMI: Matthew Farrugia, Bjorn Bondin, Anderson Michele Quatrochi Santos, Joseph Chetcuti (62′ Ryan Micallef), Duncan Pisani, Roderick Sammut, Steve Agius, Zoran Levnaic, Albert Bruce, Pietro Viggiani (46′ Alfred Effiong), Frank Temile.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Chris Francalanza.

Additional Assistant Referees: Fydor Zammit, Malcolm Spiteri.

Fourth Official: Sammy Attard.

Yellow Cards: 73' Nikola Vukanac, 85' Matheus Bissi (Birkirkara), 42' Albert Bruce, 52' Bjorn Bondin, 90+2' Alfred Effiong (Qormi).

Scorers: 83′ Ryan Camenzuli, 90+2′ Rafael Ledesma (Birkirkara).

BOV Player of the Match: Matheus Bissi.

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