Girls Under-16's downed by Mosta

by Ayrton Galea - 16th November 2014

Birkirkara Girls Under-16's Team were defeated 2-1 by Mosta FC, albeit another satisfactory performance on a sunny Sunday morning.

With Mosta taking maximum points in the first three matches, the Stripes might have started as the underdogs in the match, but their efforts were not inferior to the Blues', despite the latter emerging as winners thanks to two goals inside the first half.

Mr. Johann Scicluna's first-seven selection featured Anthea Enriquez as goalkeepers, with Maria Fenech and Nicole Zammit as central backs. The Midfield trio featured Guilia Micallef as central midfielder and Mariah Sciberras and Alexia Galea on the wings. The forward player for the Stripes was Michela Felice.

The First Half

Birkirkara produced the first action of the match when a free-kick by Mariah Sciberras was parried by the Mosta goalkeeper. Five minutes later, the Stripes threatened again thanks to a fine combination between Captain Guilia Micallef and Michela Felice with the latter's shot hitting the side netting.

Mariah Sciberras played an intelligent low corner on the eleventh minute which saw Guilia Micallef hitting over from inside the box while Mosta replied two minutes later with a fine shot that was saved by the Birkirkara goalkeeper, Anthea Enriquez.

The match produced two goals in three minutes, one for each side. Mosta surged ahead on the fifteenth minute. Celeste Grech received a pass down the right side and cut inside the middle of the pitch to hit a powerful strike past goalkeeper Enriquez. However, Birkirkara levelled matters two minutes later, when Guilia Micallef connected with another low intelligent corner by Mariah Sciberras.

Mosta had the last laugh in the tale of three, when they scored what was to be the winning goal, on the twenty-first minute. Kylie Pantellersco was left unmarked and the Blues player advanced before having her powerful low shot ending past the Birkirkara goalkeeper.

The end of the first half found the Stripes chasing the score with a 2-1 score for the Blues.

The Second Half

With the Stripes a goal down, Mr. Johann Scicluna affected the first substitution as he withdrew Alexia Galea and included Sarah Urpani. Urpani was included in the forward line with Michela Felice deployed off the substituted Galea.

Mosta went close twice in the first ten minutes of the second half. After two minutes, they had a free-kick ending over, and eighth minutes later, a powerful shot hit the foot of the post.

Birkirkara tried to make a reaction, but the Blues showed great resilience at the back. Six minutes from time, the Birkirkara goalkeeper saved a shot from the left and just a minute later, Enriquez was the protagonist once again with another fine block off a shot from the right.

The referee's full time whistle found the Stripes on the losing side, but walking away from the Gharghur Grounds with heads held high thanks to another determined performance.

BIRKIRKARA: Anthea Enriquez, Maria Fenech (42' Sarah Cassar), Nicole Zemmit (36' Alanis Cardona), Alexia Galea (26' Sarah Urpani), Guilia Micallef (48' Janine Harmsworth), Mariah Sciberras (45' Adele Calleja), Michela Felice (28' Samantha Zarb)

Scorers: 17' Guilia Micallef (Birkirkara), 15' Celese Grech, 21' Kylie Pantellersco (Mosta).

comments powered by Disqus