Women's Team battle past Raiders

by Ayrton Galea - 28th October 2015

Birkirkara FC Women's Team produced a satisfactory performance and registered an important victory in a hard fought match when they defeated Raiders FC with a 2-1 score thanks to a goal in each half by Kelly Agius Pace and Kim Parnis.

It have been tensed weeks for the Stripes after losing the second match against Hibernians but they turned on the heat yesterday evening with a superior and more determined performance to win the three precious points.

The match turned out as expected as it was anything than plain-sailing. Under the guidance of the former Birkirkara Coach, Mr. Johann Scicluna, Raiders gave all their best but it was the Stripes who came on top at the end of the match. Kelly Agius Pace surged the Stripes forward mid-way in the first half but Tracy Theuma levelled matters for Raiders before Kim Parnis notched the winning goals just few minutes later.

Mr. Jean Portanier made two changes from the 2-1 defeat against Hibernians as Melania Bajada and Kelly Agius Pace were awarded starting slots by replacing Maryrose Cardona and Kim Parnis but kept trust in the 4-4-1-1 formation.

Xuereb defended the posts with Stephania Farrugia and Yasmeen Vella forming the central-backs while Melania Bajada was drifted in quite a surprising side-back position on the right-side while Oriaina Bedingfield retained her left-back starting slot. Gabriella Zahra and Catherine Campbell started in midfield with Alishia Sultana and Raina Giusti patrolling the wings. Heidi Kjaer started as a shadow striker roaming behind Kelly Agius Pace.

The First Half

The match went off on a high note as both teams went close on taking an early lead in the opening ten minutes.

It was the Stripes who went close first on surging ahead. Heidi Kjaer supplied an excellent pass in the path of Raina Giusti to send the latter through inside the box but Giusti's shot from a diagonal position was saved by the Raiders goalkeeper, Marie Anne Mumford.

With Birkirkara down to ten men as Heidi had to get assistance by the physiotherapist, Raiders were unlucky not to score the opening goal on the tenth minute. Emma Xuereb served Rodianne Zerafa and the latter's powerful shot was denied by the crossbar.

Birkirkara Coach Mr. Jean Pierre Portanier had to make the first forced substitution as early as the twelfth minute as Kjaer was unable to continue playing. She was replaced by Kim Parnis. The first indications show that Kjaer twisted her ankle but nothing serious.

The Stripes gained superiority as time went by. On the seventieth minute, Melania Bajada sent a brilliant cross behind the wrong-footed Raiders the defence with Kelly Agius Pace picking-up possession outside the box and saw her fierce shot ending just over the bar. Three minutes later, Catherine Campbell had a terrific strike turned into a corner with difficulty by the Raiders goalkeeper.

The match continued by Birkirkara's dominance and on the twenty-third minute, they were rewarded. It was an example of how football should be played as everything started from the feet of goalkeeper Janice Xuereb and following an eye-catching build-up, Raina Giusti set Kelly Agius in the box and the Birkirkara forward hit past the Raiders goalkeeper.

Boosted by the opening-goal, the Stripes remained in command. They grew confidence as they continued to turn the ball around and keep possession while Raiders, lacking from creativity up-front, were unable to get past the solid defensive central-back duo of Stephania Farrugia and Yasmeen Vella.

Farrugia and Vella weren't the only two doing an excellent job for the Stripes as Melania Bajada and Oriana Bedingfield were also enjoying a good game at the back. The midfield duo composed of Gabriella Zahra and Catherine Campbell looked tireless with Zahra winning countless balls while Campbell setting-up a number of passes in the offensive department. Wingers Alishia Sultana and Raina Giusti were giving a headache to the defenders by their speed helping forwarsd Kim Parnis and Kelly Agius Pace.

As the half-time approached, the Stripes threatened to double the lead. Three minutes before half-time, Raina Giusti won possession and the fast player surged forward before having her shot ending over. Minute later, the Stripes were more dangerous as Kelly Agius Pace had a shot turned into a corner kick following an intelligent pass by substitute Parnis.

The Stripes ended the first-half leading thanks to Kelly Agius Pace's goal mid-way through the first half.

The Second Half

Birkirkara left where they continued in the first fourty-five minutes as once again they went out as the most aggressive side and produced the first scoring opportunity. Four minutes inside the second half, Agius-Pace showed great skills to sent Alishia Sultana through but the latter had her shot missing the target from an ideal position.

Trailing by one, a reaction from Raiders was expected and it arrived strongly as the second-half went by. The likes of Ann-Marie Said and Katie Gribbon were giving inspiration in the midfield with Emma Xuereb and Tracy Theuma being the most dangerous players up-front.

With Birkirkara lowering the tempo and struggling to find the first-half's pace, Raiders made the best of the situation and levelled matters on the fifty-seventh minute. Rebecca Bajada made a brilliant interception and surged forward before delivering an accurate cross that saw Tracy Theuma flicking the ball past goalkeeper Janice Xuereb.
It was a matter of character for the Stripes who were in a must situation of picking themselves up and re-group. The players responded perfectly for the continuous encouragement of Coach Mr. Portanier as the Stripes regained the lead in their first attack.

Gabriella Zahra who was enjoying a brilliant match surged forward with the ball before showing a great vision to supply an inch-perfect pass to the unmarked Kim Parnis who the latter had her first attempt hitting the foot of the post but slammed home from the rebound to heave the team a sigh of relief and regains the lead.

Back in the lead, the Birkirkara Coach was quick to introduce a fresh pair of legs. On the sixty-sixth minute, Martina Cilia replaced English player Catherine Campbell who also enjoyed a fine match. By Cilia's inclusion, she was included as a shadow striker of Agius Pace while Parnis was deployed in midfield along-side with Zahra.

As time passed, Raiders were enjoying more swatches of possession as they pressed forward for the equalizing goal but the efforts were falling off as the Birkirkara defenders were easily handling the situation.

With fifteen minutes remaining, Alishia Sultana was replaced by Maryrose Cardona in Birkirkara's third substitution while five minutes later, scorer of the first goal, Kelly Agius Pace was replaced by Isabelle Mazzitelli.

The Stripes were unlucky not to seal the issue five minutes from time. Raina Giusti tormented the defence with a powerful run before drifting inside the box but the technical player was unlucky to her shot smashing against the crossbar and off the goal-line before it was cleared into safety.

The Referee's full-time whistle found the Stripes emerging as winners in a hard-fought match to get back to winning ways.

BIRKIRKARA: Janice Xuereb, Melania Bajada, Yasmeen Vella, Stephania Farrugia, Oriana Bedingfield, Gabriella Zahra, Catherine Campbell (66' Martina Cilia), Raina Giusti, Alishia Sultana (75' Maryrose Cardona), Heidi Kjaer (12' Kim Parnis), Kelly Agius Pace (80' Isabelle Mazzitelli)

Scorers: 23' Kelly Agius Pace, 62' Kim Parnis (Birkirkara), 58' Tracy Theuma (Raiders).

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