Women's Team edge closer towards the title

by Ayrton Galea - 21st February 2017

Birkirkara FC Women's Team moved further closer to winning the BOV Women's First Division League, when they registered their biggest victory in this league campaign with a very comfortable 6-0 score against Gozo FC. The Stripes now need just two victories from the last five matches.

In a match of two halves, Birkirkara produced a dominant performance in the second-half by scoring five goals to build on their narrow one goal lead of the first-half and end the third-round commitments on a very satisfactory note.

The Stripes were all over their opponents right from the start but at the end of the first half, they had only a goal by the team's new top-scorer Kelly Agius Pace to show for their superiority. However, four goals in the opening twenty minutes of the second half put the victory in no doubt before the Stripes scored the sixth and final goal five minutes from time.

Kelly Agius Pace and Raina Giusti stole the limelight on the day as they scored a hat-trick each. Agius Pace extended her brilliant form as she has now scored in five consecutive matches while added her tally to nine goals in this league. On the other hand, Giusti returned on the scoring sheet after five matches by completing a hat-trick with a dazzling performance.

Coach Shawn Meilak variated his selection by making four changes from the last match. Goalkeeper Rosemarie Baldacchino, Cassie Camilleri, Sarah Urpani and Leanne Micallef replaced Janice Xuereb, Mariah Sciberras, Alishia Sultana and Gabriella Zahra respectively.

The First Half

Birkirkara made their intentions clear right from the start and they went close twice to take an early-lead in the opening five minutes. After just one-hundred-twenty seconds, Kelly Agius Pace missed the target with a close-range header while Leanne Micallef saw her accurate header scratching past the far post from an excellent cross by Kim Parnis.

The Stripes deservingly surged ahead after seventeen minutes. Target forward Kelly Agius Pace, served by Raina Giusti, did well to turn past her marker and kept her cool with a well-placed shot. This goal confirmed her rich-form in-front of goal as she scored in each of the last five matches.

Agius Pace was in action again when she stole possession off the Gozo goalkeeper and served Tracy Teuma, but her shot was cleared off the goal-line mid-way through the first half. Kim Parnis had a powerful low shot ending wide while Sarah Urpani had a fine effort ending over moments later.

Raina Giusti had a powerful shot blocked by the goalkeeper just past the half-hour mark and nine minutes from half-time, the Birkirkara winger was unlucky yet again. Agius Pace served Giusti on the run who hit a fierce strike that smashed against the crossbar.

Giusti had another good effort on goal again three minutes from half-time but her shot ended over as the first half ended with a narrow one-goal lead for the Stripes.

The Second Half

Coach Shawn Meilak utilised his first two substitutions for the start of the second half. First-team regular players Alishia Sultana and Gabriella Zahra replaced Sarah Urpani and Kim Parnis.

Birkirkara doubled their lead five minutes inside the second half. Tracy Teuma produced a fine solo-action that saw her drifting inside the box before serving Raina Giusti on the left and the Birkirkara forward slotted home with a diagonal shot.

Raina Giusti was in action again when she made them three on the hour mark. Agius Pace was quick to play a short corner-kick towards Giusti who did well to turn and hit a wonderful curling strike that gave the Gozo goalkeeper no chance.

Birkirkara made them four on the sixty-second minute. Kelly Agius Pace did well to attack through the gaps of the Gozo defence and scored her second personal goal with another well-placed shot.

Birkirkara's superb second-half start was too much for the Gozitans and they made them five just two minutes later. Substitute Gabriella Zahra provided an excellent through-ball in the direction of Giusti who drilled home from inside the box to complete her hat-trick.

The inclusion of Zahra proved to be one of the key factors of Birkirkara's improvement in the second-half. The towering midfielder was in action once again by supplying an excellent through-ball towards Agius Pace raced forward but was unlucky to see her shot denied by the wood-work.

Kelly Agius Pace crowned another top-notch performance by completing her hat-trick five minutes from time. Leanne Micallef, switching from the side to behind the striker in the second half, did well to serve Agius Pace and the latter hit past the Gozo goalkeeper.

In the last moments of the match, Gozo hit the crossbar with a long-distance free-kick but goalkeeper Rosemarie Baldacchino was alert and in position to ensure her first clean-sheet with our Club.

BIRKIRKARA: Rosemarie Baldacchino, Ann-Marie Said, Kim Parnis (46' Gabriella Zahra), Stephania Farrugia, Tracy Teuma (68' Samantha Zarb), Leanne Micallef, Cassandra Camilleri, Raina Giusti, Sarah Urpani (46' Alishia Sultana), Yasmeen Vella, Kelly Agius Pace.

Scorers: 17' Kelly Agius Pace, 50' Raina Giusti, 60' Raina Giusti, 62' Kelly Agius Pace, 64' Raina Giusti, 85' Kelly Agius Pace.

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