Stripes demolish St. Andrew's to register perfect start
by Ayrton Galea - 19th August 2016
Birkirkara FC registered the perfect start in the BOV Premier League when three late goals added gloss to a comfortable 4-0 victory over St. Andrew's thanks to a goal each by Srdjan Dimitrov, Edward Herrera, Ryan Scicluna and James Brincat.
The Stripes gave a fine performance in the opening fixture despite struggling at some moments in the second half but were strong enough to kill the game in the crucial moments as their counter-attack attributes produced three late goals to add gloss to their first victory in the new league campaign.
Dimitrov fired the Stripes ahead after fourteen minutes to end the first-half in the lead. St.Andrew's enjoyed more possession inside the second-half but two quick goals by Herrera and Scicluna dashed their hopes before debutant Brincat added the fourth and final goal just before the final whistle.
Mr. Drazen Besek fielded a 4-3-1-2 formation. Predrag Jovic, Srdjan Dimitrov and Dejan Djordjevic made their Premier League debut as they were given the nod from the start. James Brincat and Matteo Desira Buttigieg started on the substitutes' bench but Shaun Bajada and Edmond Agius were unavailable.
Kopric defended the posts, Bubalovic and Jovic began as centre-backs while Attard and Zerafa started as side-backs. The midfield trio was composed of Andelkovic, Scicluna and Sciberras as Dimitrov was given an advanced role roaming behind forwards Dejan Djordjevic and Vito Plut.
The First Half
The Stripes made their intentions clear and they went close after two minutes. Djordjevic penetrated the defence and drifted inside the box before serving Vito Plut who fired over from an ideal position.
Four minutes later, Dimitrov produced an eye-catching back-heel to unzip the defence and set Djordjevic inside the box who continued to ball to Scicluna. The Birkirkara midfielder had his first shot blocked by defender Che and from the rebound; the same Scicluna had his effort ending wide by inches.
The Stripes surged ahead on the fourteenth minute. It all started from an excellent run down the right flank by Cain Attard before supplying an excellent cross to Dimitrov who headed past goalkeeper Jake Galea to open his scoring account in the BOV Premier League.
Dimitrov could have added his second goal just six minutes later. Plut powered himself inside the box before serving Dimitrov who fired over from inside the box. Moments later, Plut had his close-range effort turned into a corner kick following s fine save by goalkeeper Galea.
The Stripes threatened to double the lead again on the thirty-seventh minute. Scicluna served Dimitrov whose second-post cross found Djordjevic who failed the target with a fine header while two minutes from half-time, Darmanin tested Kopric with a header but the goalkeeper saved well.
Just before half-time, off a short-clearance from a corner kick taken by Dimitrov, Jovic had a powerful first-time shot blocked by goalkeeper Galea as the Stripes ended the first-half leading thanks to Dimitrov's goal after fourteen minutes.
The Second Half
For the start of the second half, Matthew Guillaumier replaced Mislav Andelkovic. Guillaumier was included in-front of the defence.
Srdjan Dimitrov was denied the second goal seven minutes inside the second-half when he struck a wonderful free-kick that forced goalkeeper Galea to dive full stretch and produce an excellent save to turn the ball into a corner kick.
St. Andrew's stepped-up their level. Their piled-up the pressure as the Stripes looked erratic in their passes. Nenad Belacevic and Felix Udoh were proving the most dangerous players for the Saint who however they hardly tested goalkeeper Kopric.
Belacevic was the protagonist in producing St. Andrew's most dangerous scoring opportunity twenty minutes inside the second half when he struck a wonderful shot from outside the box which ended wide by inches, after it took a slight deflection by the Birkirkara defender.
In Birkirkara's second substitution on the sixty-eighth minute, Dejan Djordjevic who failed to impress was substituted by Edward Herrera on the sixty-ninth minute. Herrera joined Plut in attack as there were no tactical changes by Besek.
Technical midfielder Srdjan Dimitrov gave another prove of his free-kick attributes when he produced another excellent free-kick which this time beat goalkeeper Galea but was denied by the crossbar and ending over.
Dimitrov's game had to come to an end as following suffering a knock, he was substituted on the seventy-sixth minute. James Brincat was handed the debut as the youngster replaced Dimitrov in the third and final change.
Birkirkara put their minds at rest with the second goal on the eighty-first minute. In a fast counter-attack, Plut raced forward before serving the unmarked Herrera who kept confidence and slotted the ball between the legs of Galea.
Two became three just a minute later. It was an identical action from the counter-attack, this time with Plut sending Attard a through-ball who sprinted forward before squaring a pass to Scicluna who hit home from close-range.
The Stripes sealed the issue with the fourth goal three minutes on added time. Another fast-counter attack found Herrera serving Scicluna who had his curling shot blocked by Galea but from the rebound, Brincat controlled well before drilling home a low shot to add further gloss to the victory.
Scorer of the first goal, Srdjan Dimitrov was voted the BOV Player of the Match.
BIRKIRKARA: Miroslav Kopric, Cain Attard, Christian Bubalovic, Predrag Jovic, Joseph Zerafa, Gareth Sciberras, Ryan Scicluna, Mislav Andelkovic (46' Matthew Guillaumier), Srdjan Dimitrov (76' James Brincat), Dejan Djordjevic (69' Edward Herrera), Vito Plut.
ST. ANDREW'S: Jake Galea, Michael Johnson, Karlo Kesinovic, Bong Won, Felix Udoh, Godwin Mckay (67' Daniel Brandle), Dale Camilleri (79' Ivan Paz), Joseph Farrugia, Nenad Belacevic, Kyrian Nwoko, Ryan Darmanin (61' Jacob Walker).
Referee: Glen Tonna.
Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Peter Abela.
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri.
Yellow Cards: 25' Godwin Mckay (St. Andrew's).
Scorers: 14' Srdjan Dimitrov, 81' Edward Herrera, 82' Ryan Scicluna, 90+3' James Brincat (Birkirkara).
BOV Player of the Match: Srdjan Dimitrov (Birkirkara).
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