Birkirkara Lift Twelfth Title Following Trickier Campaign

Birkirkara sealed off their league commitments with a 3-0 victory over Hibernians. A second-half brace from Sara Saliba got the Stripes going, while an own goal completed the score. Below is a review of the campaign with some of the key moments in achieving their twelfth league title, including comments from coach Jose’ Borg, club captain Stephania Farrugia and club top-scorer Marta Grosso.

Sealing Things Off With A Win

Birkirkara lifted the title with 54 points, a total of 17 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats. Donning an all red, personalized kit, for the final matchday, the Stripes’ had to wait some time before they got the party started against Hibernians. Despite the band playing in full swing, things truly kicked off in the 73^rd minute as Sara Saliba headed home the opener, after Veronique Mifsud struck the crossbar with a free-kick.

The team doubled the lead late on as Marta Grosso’s corner delivery was palmed into the net, before Sara Saliba converted a low cross from Alishia Sultana to finish things off in injury time. Celebrations ensued in front of a sizeable crowd of supporters who made their voices heard.

Club captain Stephania Farrugia summed up the campaign as a hard-fought one, “I think clubs improved a lot this season so I think it was one of the toughest seasons that I’ve played in, but I am happy to have achieved this win with the team once more.”

Asked whether there were moments of doubt, Farrugia replied, “I think after the defeat to Hibernians at the end of the second round, I knew we were united and that we would fight for it as a team. However, it meant that we were under even more pressure for the final round to seal it off.”

Meanwhile, Marta Grosso takes the mantle as the top scorer this season for the club with 17 goals. Asked about the success of the season and winning her second league title with the club, she said, “It’s a good feeling to win the league and it was one of my aims to score more goals this year. I may have scored them but ultimately it is thanks to also the team who helped me throughout. I’m also very happy with the contribution today. Overall, I’m proud of these achievements not just for me, but for the whole team.”

The Italian was heavily involved in creation and scoring, alongside summer signing Arianna Del Moral  (12), Alishia Sultana (10), Veronique Mifsud (8). Raina Giusti and summer-signing Francesca Chircop also netted 7 goals apiece. Overall the team scored a total of 87 goals and conceded just five goals in the whole campaign. The defence often featured Janice Xuereb in goal protected by Stephania Farrugia, Charlene Zammit, Valentina Rapa and Ann-Marie Said. Caitlin Rogers was often deployed to break up attacks in front of them, together with Gabriella Zahra.

The Story of A Season

While it is the seventh consecutive league title, and twelfth overall, it was a league campaign that tested the Stripes to new levels.

The first real test arrived in the form of Valletta, in the fourth match of the league, who frustrated the Stripes for much of the match. However, Marta Grosso rose to the occasion in the 80^th minute, before Alishia Sultana sealed the victory two minutes from time.

Birkirkara then overcame their first top clash against Mgarr United by 2-0. Once again Marta Grosso nudged the team forward. It remained the only goal separating the two for much of the match, before Ann-Marie Said sealed it in injury time.

Things took a dive as Swieqi United dealt the first defeat of the campaign with a late goal. It also marked the end of the unbeaten streak in the league, which had lasted across seven seasons. However, the Stripes held on to a goalless stalemate with Swieqi United just a week later.

The side still had games in hand due to their UEFA Women’s Champions League commitments and amassed a strong string of performances to shut out all opposition for the following weeks to take themselves top of the table following victory against Hibernians. They extended their lead to four points in style with a 13-0 romp against Mtarfa just before Christmas.

However, the new year brought round the league split, which as expected took the challenge for consistent points to a new level. Birkirkara overcame the threat from Mgarr and Hibernians in the opening round, but were held once more by Swieqi United. It was once again Marta Grosso that cancelled Swieqi’s initial lead, before the team held on to ensure the point.

Mgarr United proved frustrating opponents in the second round, managing to dock points from the Stripes for the first time in the season. The Greens captured an early lead, which Valentina Rapa cancelled twenty minutes from time. However, despite piling forward for the complete comeback, the Stripes had to walk away with a point.

Another test of character awaited in the next match, with Birkirkara surging with a 3-1 victory over Swieqi United. However, the topsy-turvy season continued as a late penalty dealt the second defeat of the league season, this time against Hibernians. It was the first match that could have sealed the title, had other results also gone their way.

Jose Borg weighed in giving a picture from inside the dressing room at the time, “I think there were moments (that tested us). Following the last international break, I think a lot of the players were suffering from physical and mental fatigue and in fact we lost many points in that second round of the final phase. We conceded goals when we had not conceded so many in a season, and Swieqi United capitalised to get closer. However, then we did our job in the direct confrontation against them to seal the title.”

Indeed, Birkirkara rose to the challenge once more in the next match. Marta Grosso put the team one up against Mgarr early on and the side held on to the victory despite falling to ten players. With just one point needed to seal the title in the penultimate match of the season, Birkirkara downed their direct contender Swieqi United to seal the twelfth title, courtesy of goals by Arianna Del Moral, Marta Grosso and Alishia Sultana.

The Future

Celebrations of the league title ensued as any such achievement should bring. However, the Stripes are not done yet with the domestic season, and Jose Borg confirmed that there is one more space in the cabinet that they want to fill this season.

Speaking of the upcoming Assikura Women’s Knockout, Borg said, “Our aim for the season was always to bring home the three titles. We may have a slightly easier pathway to the final, but our aim remains to win all the matches and finish the season with the three trophies in hand.”

The team will break off for the international period, before taking to the pitch in the quarter-final against Lija Athletic in the Assikura Women’s Knockout on the 12^th April at 20:30 (Victor Tedesco Stadium).  

Lead Image: Lara Schembri

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