Birkirkara Bounce Back With Valletta Shutout

Birkirkara secured a confident three points with a 3-0 victory over Valletta. Erica Bispo got things going early on, before Raina Giusti delivered a brace in the second half to wrap up the win. Birkirkara’s number thirteen was also denied the hat-trick by the woodwork.

Team Selections

Valletta’s Gabriella Grima continued her stay in goal. Eduarda Martins Souza returned in defence, in the company of Sabrin Blihi and Monique Sultana. Captain Anna Aloisio and Eunice Micallef started as wing-backs. Marcelle de Oliveira Julio operated in midfield alongside Ylenia Grech, with Suzanne Farrugia Sacco also coming into the fold in the centre of the park. Sarah Fenech supported Laura Muscat in attack.

Birkirkara’s Maya Cachia continued her stay in goal, protected by a four-piece defence consisting of Mariah Cardona, Valentina Rapa, Charlene Zammit and Calista Schechinger. There were no changes in midfield, with Gabriella Zahra continuing to pull strings with Yuna Hazekawa and Luana Vitoria Cabral. Alishia Cassar continued to captain the side, starting in attack with Erica Bispo and Raina Giusti.

How It Unfolded

Birkirkara took hold of possession early on and nudged themselves forward through Erica Bispo with just eight minutes played. The Brazilian’s run was well picked by an intelligent ball from compatriot Luana Vitoria Cabral, with Bispo keeping a cool head to place low into the far corner of the net to break the deadlock.

Valletta kept themselves in the match by seeing out further threat from set-pieces, before trying to counter in search for an equaliser. However, Mariah Cardona read play before sending the Stripes back on the charge.

Seeing his team struggle against the balance of play, Jean Lopes made several rotations, returning Monique Sultana in midfield, while Eunice Micallef slotted in the centre-back trio. Sarah Fenech and Suzanne Farrugia Sacco were trusted on the wings, while Anna Aloisio was deployed up front.

City pushed up, earning themselves a corner which was well defended by the Stripes. However, the Birkirkara train continued pushing forward. Gabriella Grima was kept busy, using her feet to save a shot by Raina Giusti, before making a block against Erica Bispo who was well found by a cut-back from Calista Schechinger.

Valletta responded with a surge of their own, attempting to release Laura Muscat on the counter-attack, but Charlene Zammit showed her experience to dispossess. However, there were some tense moments with Birkirkara playing themselves into trouble at the back, with Zammit and coach Vince Galea both urging focus from the team. City also managed to loop a shot from distance but Maya Cachia watched it closely.

Luana Vitoria Cabral also delivered a swerving shot from a cut-back from Erica Bispo, but saw it veer just above the crossbar. Gabriella Zahra also made a surge forward, released by Luana Vitoria Cabral, but had her shot saved by Gabriella Grima, before Eunice Micallef blocked the rebound from Erica Bispo.

The Stripes continued creating chances, peppering the box with crosses and trying their luck from corners. However headers by Charlene Zammit and Luana Vitoria Cabral were both off-target.

Half-Time Score: Valletta 0 – 1 Birkirkara

Valletta’s Jean Lopes made one change at the break, bringing on Lisa Vella in defence, who replaced Marcelle de Oliveira Julio. The change caused a shift with Eunice Micallef slotting as the right wing-back, while Suzanne Farrugia Sacco moved into midfield.

The Stripes were denied an early restart with an off-the-line clearance by Eduarda Martins Souza in the 47th minute. The Brazilian slid in just in time to clear the effort from Erica Bispo which was lazying into the net.

However, Birkirkara doubled their lead in the 52nd, courtesy of Raina Giusti. Birkirkara’s number thirteen beat Gabriella Grima with a slightly lifted effort into far right corner of the goal to earn her first goal of the season and give the Stripes a more comfortable lead.

Jean Lopes made another switch on the hour mark bringing on Megan La Rosa in attack, while Suzanne Farrugia Sacco gave way. The substitution resulted in Laura Muscat retreating into midfield.

However, the Stripes kept pushing forward, wiht Eduarda Martins Souza making another crucial block to deny them. Raina Giusti drifted inside before spreading it wide to Calista Schechinger who made the forward run. The American shifted it onto her right foot, but the effort was blocked by Eduarda Martins Souza who shuffled across to make the block once more.

Birkirkara’s Raina Giusti continued to cause trouble with her pace, released on the run shortly after but wayward with the finish. The forward was again in the mix of things to cross a low ball into Yuna Hazekawa who arrived at the edge of the box. However, the Japanese’s effort to curl it into the top right corner curved just wide of the mark.

Despite this, the Stripes grabbed the third goal of the night in the 68th minute, with Raina Giusti found in space once again on the left side. She cut onto the right, before curling it into the top right corner of the goal.

The forward was denied the hat-trick just a minute later, found by a cross from Alishia Cassar, but seeing the effort tipped into the crossbar. Luana Vitoria Cabral attempted the rebound, but the shot lacked the necessary curl to find the far corner of the net. The Stripes’ Valentina Rapa was also well picked at the far post from a corner by Calista Schechinger, but the header was wide of the mark.

Substitutions ensued for either side as Alicia Mifsud replaced Laura Muscat for Valletta, while Birkirkara exhausted all available subsitutions as the final fifteen to ten minutes approached. Raina Giusti and Mariah Cardona were first to leave the pitch, replaced by Francesca Chircop and Martina Fenech, respectively. Calista Schechinger was replaced by Izabella Camilleri shortly after, while Erica Bispo annd Alishia Cassar gave way to Ruth Steer-Chetham and Lara May Azzoppardi in straight swaps. Gabriella Zahra took the skipper’s armband.

Valletta’s Ylenia Grech worked hard on the left wing, managing to pick out Eunice Micallef. However, her effort from distance was easily gathered by Maya Cachia. Eduarda Martins Souza ventured forward to inject belief into the side, but her attempt to release the forwards was well read by Charlene Zammit.

Birkirkara continued to create more opportunities at the close, but neither Francesca Chircop nor Luana Vitoria Cabral could convert the crosses. A late attempt to release Francesca Chircop was snuffed out by Lisa Vella.

Full-time Score: Valletta 0 – 3 Birkirkara

Next Matches

Birkirkara secure a strong victory over Valletta to get their title defence back on track, while Valletta will seek better showings. The Stripes return to action against Mtarfa on Thursday 10th October at the Centenary Stadium (20:15).

Meanwhile, Valletta will seek to return to winning ways against San Gwann on Friday 11th at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, starting at 20:30.

Until then, the sixth matchday continues tonight, with the encounter between Mgarr United and Lija Athletic, to be played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium starting at 20:30. Tomorrow presents a double-header at Mgarr Ground, as Hibernians welcome San Gwann (15:00), before Mtarfa meet Swieqi United (17:30).

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