Stripes return to winning ways

by Ayrton Galea - 27th September 2015

Birkirkara FC returned to winning ways and moved to the fourth place of the BOV Premier League when two goals in the first half were enough to beat Qormi with a 2-1 score.

In a match that the Stripes dominated for long stretches, all seemed to be going well for them after building a comfortable two-goal lead in the first-half and easily administrating their lead in the second half but a late goal by the Yellow-Blacks put the Stripes under pressure in the final moments of the match.

With Hibernians dropping two points in a draw against Pembroke Athleta, the Stripes made the best out of the situation as they narrowed the gap to three points. They are now fourth with eleven points, three under joint-leaders Balzan and Hibernians and one point under Valletta.

Mr. Giovanni Tedesco made five changes, in which two were forced while he switched his side to a 4-3-3 formation. Central-back duo Mazzetti and Vukanac were unavailable as Mazzetti was serving his first match ban while Vukanac was injured. Marcelina formed the central-backs with Zach Muscat while Cain Attard and Joseph Zerafa patrolled the side-backs, replacing Herrera and Camenzuli respectively.

Sciberras, given the nod from start, joined Rowen Muscat and Paul Fenech in composing the midfield department while Miccoli regained a starting call by replacing Temile as he started on the left wing, Plut as central striker and Morais on the right.

The First Half

The Stripes created the first scoring opportunity after just one hundred twenty seconds. Miccoli, picking possession of a short corner, delivered a cross inside the box and Zach Muscat had his header ending over.

Birkirkara threatened again three minutes later. Morais drifted to the middle from the right and served Fabrizio Miccoli who had his low shot ending wide from outside the box. Moments later, Marcelina was over and wide with an over-head kick.

The Stripes were enjoying large swatches of possession but with Qormi defending with five at the back, they were struggling to penetrate. On the twentieth minute, Miccoli shot wide after served by Plut.

With Qormi continued with their defensive approach of having ten players behind the ball, the Stripes turned on their abilities of long-distance shooting and Paul Fenech saw his powerful drive scratching past the far post.

Birkirkara broke the dead-lock in their next attack on the twenty-seventh minute. Cain Attard surged down the right flank before his low-cross delivered across the goal and Plut slotted home from close-range.

One goal down, Qormi tried to made a sort of reaction but they looked weak and inferior to the discipline Stripes who continued to turn the ball around before trying to penetrate in the final third of the possession.

The Stripes went close on double their lead two five minutes from time. Miccoli and Morais exchanged possession with the latter serving Miccoli who had his shot blocked by the goalkeeper before he was tackled down inside the box but the referee waved play on.

Birkirkara doubled their lead three minutes later. Sciberras served Miccoli who was about to serve Morais but his pass was blocked by a hands-ball inside the box and the referee ordered the penalty. From the eleven-metre spot, Miccoli made no mistake to put the Stripes two up till the break.

The Second Half

Qormi introduced Terence Vella off Carlo Monti at the start of the second half as Mr.Jesmond Zerafa sought to improve his attacking department. They had a shot ending over two minutes inside the second half.

Qormi went close again on the fifty-second minute when had a shot ending wide by inches. Birkirkara replied with a powerful shot by Miccoli which was turned into a corner kick by goalkeeper Vella after served by Plut.

In Birkirkara's first substitution on the sixty-sixth minute, Fabrizio Miccoli was replaced by Edmond Agius

An uneventful game remained just that as the minutes passed with Birkirkara retaining the upper-hand. With nine minutes remaining, Edmond Agius's corner from the right reached Liliu but the Brazilian saw his effort ending over.

The match looked over as a contest but a mistake of lack of communication gifted Qormi a goal. There seemed no danger when Marcelina allowed the ball to run to Haber but Nilsson capitalised on the latter's hesitancy as he anticipated the goalkeeper and deposited the ball into an empty net.

In stoppage time, Birkirkara should have killed the game when in a swift break Edmond Agius headed the ball into the path of substitute Juan Barraso but he over-hit his pass towards Rowen Muscat.

Midfielder Paul Fenech was named the BOV Player of the Match.

BIRKIRKARA: Justin Haber, Cain Attard, Zach Muscat, Emerson Marcelina, Joseph Zerafa, Gareth Sciberras, Paul Fenech, Rowen Muscat, Fabrizio Miccoli (67' Edmond Agius), Ellinton Morais, Vito Plut (84' Juan Quero).

QORMI: Andreas Vella, Alessio Cassar, Ousmane Sidibe, Noah Olawale Ojuola, Steve Agius, Billy Velo Bernttson, Kurt Magro (75' Gillmore Azzopardi), Carlo Gordon Monti, Clifford Gauci, Ryan Micallef (46' Terrence Vella), Alexander Nilsson.

Referee: Iwan Griffith (WAL)
Assistant Referees: Jan Bryant, Ian Bird (WAL)
Fourth Official: Ryan Stewart (WAL)

Yellow cards: Cain Attard (Birkirkara), Ousmane Sidibe (Qormi)

Scorers: 28' Vito Plut, 43' Fabrizio Miccoli (Birkirkara), 87' Georgios Alexander Nilsson Likourentzos (Qormi).

BOV Player of the Match: Paul Fenech (Birkirkara).

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