Women's Team keeps marching on

by Ayrton Galea - 7th January 2015

Birkirkara FC Women's Team maintained their momentum in the BOV Women's League when they gave a five-star display to brush aside Kirkop United FC with a comfortable 5-0 score, for their ninth win from nine matches.

With Hibernians beating Raiders, the pressure was on the Stripes, but the latter showed great attitude and they demolished Kirkop, thanks to four goals inside the second half after ending the first half with a narrow one-goal lead.

It was an excellent team-effort, but scorers of a brace each, Stephania Farrugia and Maryrose Cardona, stole the limelight thanks to their outstanding performance.

Thanks to this victory, the Stripes kept their three-point cushion on Hibernians while they are now eighth points over Raiders. The first-round commitments will come to an end next week when the Stripes take on Pembroke Athleta.

In the absence of Martina Cilia and Hanna Tegelmann, Mr. Johann Scicluna fielded a 4-1-3-2 formation and made two changes from the last outing. Rebecca Chircop, back from an injury was given the nod to start, replacing Cilia while Gabriella Zahra filled the gap of the German midfielder.

Janice Xuereb defended the posts, with Yasmeen Vella and Rebecca Chircop as central backs, while Kirstie Vella and Maryrose Cardona patrolled the side-backs. Melania Bajada was deployed in front of the defence supporting midfield trio Gabriella Zahra, Stephania Farrugia and Kim Parnis. The forward line was composed of the tried and trusted duo of Alishia Sultana and Raina Giusti.

The First Half

Birkirkara came out better and they produced their first scoring opportunity on the twelfth minute. Kirstie Vella sent an inviting through-ball in the path of Raina Giusti who raced forward but had her shot ending over the bar.

Kirkop, also had their first scoring opportunity on the fifteenth minute thanks to a typical long-distance drive by Jade Flask, that was saved by the Birkirkara goalkeeper, Janice Xuereb, without any particular difficulty.

The Stripes threatened again two minutes later, when from a free-kick by Kim Parnis, Stephania Farrugia did well to avoid her marker, but her effort ended wide. Parnis had a shot parried by the goalkeeper just moments later.

Birkirkara were enjoying most of the possession thanks to the hard-working midfielders. Yet, Kirkop were giving a very good account of themselves by defending in numbers.

Just before the half-hour mark the Stripes surged ahead. It was once again a free-kick from Kim Parnis that failed to be dealt with Kirkop's rear-guard, and Stephania Farrugia headed past goalkeeper Sharon Costantino.

Boosted by the opening goal, the Stripes settled down and they almost doubled their lead. First it was a shot from inside the box by Kirstie Vella that failed to hit the target, and then, ten minutes from half-time, Gabriella Zahra had a powerful shot from outside the box ending over.

On the fortieth minute, Jade Flask made an excellent solo-action down the left flank and had an excellent shot from distance that was parried by an alert Xuereb. Maryrorse Cardona replied a minute later for the Stripes, with a fierce strike that ended wide.

The Stripes could have made them two just one minute before half-time. Raina Giusti's excellent first touch found Maryrose Cardona unmarked down the right wing, who advanced but her close-range shot was blocked by Costantino.

The referee's half-time whistle found the Stripes heading to their dressing room with a very deserved one-goal lead thanks to Farrugia's opener just before the half-hour mark.

The Second Half

Kirkop went out better and they could have levelled the score five minutes into the second half, when Jade Flask beat the offside trap, but the Birkirkara goalkeeper blocked her effort. On the other side of the pitch, Gabriella Zahra served Alishia Sultana who had her shot turned into a corner kick.

Birkirkara increased their performance and made them two eighth minutes into the second half. A free-kick by Parnis was turned into a corner and from the corner kick, Sultana sent the ball in the path of Kim Parnis, who hit home from close-range.

The Stripes took only three minutes to make them three. A short clearance from the Kirkop's rear-guard saw the ball bouncing in the path of Maryrose Cardona, who hit a thunderous first-time strike that gave no chance to Costantino.

Coach Johann Scicluna made the first substitution on the hour mark. Melania Bajada was replaced by Kelly Agius Pace, who was making her return from an ankle injury. The substitution led to some tactical adjustments, as Pace was included in the forward line with Giusti deployed behind the strikers.

The Stripes almost made them four on the sixty-second minute, thanks to a powerful run by Raina Giusti but Costantino rushed out to deny the Birkirkara striker.

In an identical action of the first goal, Kim Parnis delivered a free-kick on the first post that Stephania Farrugia headed past Costantino on the sixty-fifth minute.

In the second substitution, Kirstie Vella, who also enjoyed an excellent match on the wing thanks to her fighting spirit and determination, was replaced by Mariah Sciberras.

Four became five on the sixty-eighth minute as the Stripes were all over their opponents. Another free-kick by Parnis created havoc inside the box and Farrugia served Maryrose Cardona, who fired home from close-range for her second personal goal.

This was Cardona's last action as she was replaced by Charlene Schembri, with Cardona receiving a very-deserved applause from her team-mates and supporters. Five minutes later, Mr. Johann Scicluna included two promising youngsters namely Alexia Galea and Giulia Micallef who replaced Alishia Sultana and Raina Giusti.

The final minutes were just a procedure for the Stripes who just struck the ball around while waiting for the Referee's final whistle to take another three points and extended their winning streak to nine matches.

BIRKIRKARA: Janice Xuereb, Maryrose Cardona (70' Charlene Schembri), Rebecca Chircop, Yasmeen Vella, Kirstie Vella (66' Mariah Sciberras), Melania Bajada (60' Kelly Agius Pace), Stephania Farrugia, Kim Parnis, Gabriella Zahra, Alishia Sultana (75' Alexia Galea), Raina Giusti (75' Giulia Micallef).

Scorers: 30' Stephania Farrugia, 53' Kim Parnis, 56' Maryrose Cardona, 63' Stephania Farrugia, 68' Maryrose Cardona.

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