Stripes easily cruise to next round
by Ayrton Galea - 4th December 2014
Birkirkara FC cruised to the fourth round of the Malta FA Trophy when they defeated Hamrun Spartans FC with a 7-1 score.
It was an easy match for the Stripes who proved to be too superior for their opponents. Ellinton Morais scored a hat-trick inside the first twenty-minutes to put Birkirkara's minds at rest of qualifying to the next round, before a brace by Ryan Camenzuli, and goals by Shola Shodiya and Paul Fenech rounded off the biggest victory of the season so far.
Mr. Paul Zammit fielded a 4-3-3 formation with the first-eleven selection having no surprises, despite making four changes. Ryan Camenzuli, Leighton Grech, Edmond Agius and Shola Shodiya all made their return to the starting formation, at the expense of Edward Herrera, Eliandro Gonzaga, Gareth Sciberras and Rafael Ledesma.
Haber defended the posts, Bissi and Vukanac formed the central-backs while Camenzuli and Muscat patrolled the side-backs. The midfield trio featured Agius, Fenech and Scicluna while the three-line forward line was composed of Grech, Morais and Shodiya.
The First Half
Birkirkara only took four minutes to surge ahead. Ellinton Morais and Shola Shodiya combined well inside the box with the latter serving Morais whose low shot put Birkirkara ahead.
The Stripes were quick to double their lead, as the team's top scorer, Ellinton Morais scored his second personal goal just six minutes later. A corner-kick by Edmond Agius was headed by Nikola Vukanac in the path of Morais who headed home from close-range to double Birkirkara's lead.
Two goals down, the Spartans tried to make a reaction. On the eighteenth minute, Jake Grech served Luke Grech who tried his luck with a first-time shot which was parried by Haber.
However, the Stripes' superiority was being too much to handle and the sharpness of Morais once again proved to be crucial on the twenty-first minute. Edmond Agius delivered another brilliant corner kick which was deflected by Shodiya and Morais was in the perfect position to head home.
On the thirty-third minute, Camenzuli delivered a second-post cross that saw Leighton Grech having his first-time shot parried by Debattista.
On the thirty-ninth minute, Ryan Scicluna unzipped the Spartans' rear-guard with a brilliant cross from the back in the direction of Zach Muscat, with the latter having his effort parried by the Spartans goalkeeper. A minute later, Edmond Agius had a shot ending over after being served by Zach Muscat.
The half-time whistle found the Stripes leading by three goals thanks to Ellinton Morais' hat-trick inside the first twenty minutes.
The Second Half
The Stripes continued where they left off, and they scored the fourth goal after just two minutes into the second half. Ellinton Morais served Ryan Camenzuli who scored with a wonderful strike from a very tight angle.
Four became five on the fifty-third minute, for Birkirkara. Camenzuli was in action once again, this time by delivering a brilliant second-post corner kick that was met with a powerful first-time shot by Shola Shodiya, that gave goalkeeper Debattista no chance.
Birkirkara's Head Coach, Mr. Paul Zammit utilised his first two substitutions on the fifty-sixth minute when promising youngsters Antoine Borg and Kurt Zammit replaced the foreign duo of Nikola Vukanac and Ellinton Morais.
The Stripes made them six just past the hour mark. Camenzuli, produced a brilliant solo-action by dribbling past two players, drifted inside the box and hit a powerful shot past the Hamrun goalkeeper.
Hamrun had an isolated scoring opportunity on the sixty-eighth minute when Alan Tabone, was served by Ryan Spiteri, who had a low shot ending wide. The Stripes replied a minute later thanks to Shodiya with a shot ending wide.
Birkirlara made the third and last substitutions on the seventy-second minute when Ryan Scicluna was replaced by Gareth Sciberras.
The Stripes continued to turn the up heat and scored the seventh goal on the seventy-ninth minute. A cross from the right was short cleared, and Paul Fenech hit a thunderous first-time strike that left the Spartans goalkeeper staring.
Kurt Zammit thought that he opened his scoring account with the Senior Team two minutes from time. Grech's strike hit the upright, and Kurt Zammit connected and sent the ball into an empty net after, but the assistant referee signalled an offside position.
Hamrun scored a consolation goal just before the referee's full-time whistle when off a cross from the right by Saturday Nanapere, Ryan Spiteri hit a powerful strike that hit past the Birkirkara goalkeeper, Justin Haber.
Birkirkara will now meet BOV First Division's side, Siggiewi FC in the fourth round of the Malta FA Trophy. Fourth round matches are to be scheduled between the 17 and 21 January.
BIRKIRKARA: Justin Haber, Matheus Bissi, Nikola Vukanac (56' Antoine Borg), Zach Muscat, Ryan Camenzuli, Leighton Grech, Edmond Agius, Paul Fenech, Ryan Scicluna (72' Gareth Sciberras), Shola Shodiya, Ellinton Morais (56' Kurt Zammit)
HAMRUN: Jean Debattista, Agatino Sicali, Luke Grech, Melvin Busutill, Aaron Attard, Alan Tabone, Ryan Spiteri, Jake Grech, Evan Briffa, Saturday Nanapere, Chris Cucciatolo.
Yellow Cards: 78' Aaron Attard (Hamrun).
Scorer: 4', 10', 21' Ellinton Morais, 47' Ryan Camenzuli, 53' Shola Shodiya, 61' Ryan Camenzuli, 79' Paul Fenech (Birkirkara), 90' Ryan Spiteri (Hamrun).
comments powered by Disqus
