by Birkirkara secured a 7 – 2 victory against San Gwann in a match that challenged momentum for either side despite the ultimate score. The Stripes kicked off effectively with four goals in the opening half, while San Gwann had pulled one back. San Gwann’s resurgence was on the cards with an early reply in the second half. However, a serious injury and penalty struck against the post stunted momentum before the hour mark, with Birkirkara pushing through three further goals for a confident score.
Team Selections
San Gwann’s Justyne Caruana stayed in goal, fronted by a back-four consisting of Kirstie Vella, Lisa Vella, Naomi Blundell and Kirsty Paris. Captain Annabelle Rapa and Rhea Borg started in front of the defence. Rabab Mhalli operated on the wing, while Chaimaa Tourki and Morena Fanega orchestrated alongside her. Hailey Russell led the line.
Likewise, Janice Xuereb continued her stay in goal for Birkirkara. Lara May Azzopardi and Haruhi Sekura operated out wide, while captain Stephania Farrugia and Izabella Camilleri continued their centre-back partnership. Amy Busuttil returned to the starting eleven together with Gabriella Zahra, with the two keeping company with Momo Ueda. Maya Pellegrini and Mariah Cardona operated on the wings, while Patricia Lamanna continued to spearhead the attack.
How It Unfolded
The story of the match began before the whistle, with the teams forced to warm up in the five-a-side pitch due to the congestion of requirements on the Charles Abela pitch. Despite the tight spaces in a five-a-side pitch, the match began just five minutes later from the initial intended kick-off time.
Birkirkara did not take long to show their intent, with the defence pushed, high and Stephania Farrugia leading from the back to push the team into attack. Lara May Azzopardi delivered a cross onto Gabriella Zahra’s head inside the opening two minutes. However, San Gwann blocked the attempt.
Despite this, the Stripes were celebrating in the 6th minute. Maya Pellegrini delivered a corner deep to find Patricia Lamanna who directed it home to mark her first goal on her return and send the team into the lead.
The side doubled their lead exactly six minutes later, with another first goal. Haruhi Sekura arrived late to meet a cut-back from Maya Pellegerini with the Japanese full-back slicing a left-foot to send the ball flying straight into the top right corner of the net. The goal was spectacular, with Stephania Farrugia again key in pushing the side forward to aid the attack.
San Gwann struggled to get out, with the hold-up play not transpiring as Birkirkara continued to be effective in suffocating the ball. The Birkirkara train kept humming along. The side were almost in on the third with a direct ball to Patricia Lamanna from midfield. The Canadian controlled and shifted onto the right, but pulled the effort wide of the mark.
However, the team still earned the third, courtesy of Izabella Camilleri who continued to add to her reputation for audacious efforts. The defender lined a free-kick from the centre of the pitch, placing it toward goal, with the ball finding the back of the net despite Justyne Caruana’s effort to get behind it, with the goalkeeper’s disappointment evident.
Frustration started to stir in San Gwann as the attempts to effectively switch defence into attack eluded them. It paid off to instigate the team to go on the front foot and get a goal back. Morena Fanega dispossessed Izabella Camilleri, with the Argentinian lifting it over Janice Xuereb who attempted to close in, finding the top left corner in the 25th minute.
San Gwann grew more willing to step into midfield as the Stripes attempted to play out, with the approach working to good effect to pressure the midfield. However, there wasn’t enough of a quick reaction to punish further.
At the other end, Birkirkara were seeking more. Kirstie Vella blocked an initial delivery, before the ball was fed in once more toward Momo Ueda. She caught it cleanly, but Justyne Caruana was alert to make the stop. Despite this, San Gwann were picking the ball from the net in the 37th minute, following a freak goal following an initial block on an attempt by Maya Pellegrini, with the awkward bounce on the synthetic turf wrong-footing Justyne Caruana.
Half-Time Score: San Gwann 1 – 4 Birkirkara
San Gwann opened the second half determined to go for it and found dividends on a comeback in the 48th minute. Morena Fanega was well found with a square pass completely unmarked in the box. The Argentinian caressed a left-footed effort into the bottom right corner of the net.
The Yellows were searching for more, with a quick transition working well to get Hailey Russell on the chase behind the defence. However, the American was denied the chance to turn on the right, resulting in a direct effort toward Janice Xuereb who was ready to collect.
The resurgence took a turn as Morena Fanega delivered a dangerous free-kick into the box from the wing, with Chaimaa Tourki ending up needing to be stretchered off the pitch while going for the ball against Janice Xuereb. Hailey Russell stepped up, but the ball bounced off the right post, with the Stripes clearing. Meanwhile, Fatma Al Girbi replaced the Moroccan.
Birkirkara’s Billy Mock made a double switch, bringing on Amelia Vassallo and Ylenia Grech in swaps with Amy Busuttil and Maya Pellegrini.
Mariah Cardona compounded the disappointment for San Gwann with the winger cutting inside and firing a right-footed effort from the edge of the box to power it straight into the near side of the net.
Further changes ensued from both teams. Birkirkara’s Eunice Micallef replaced Lara May Azzopardi at right back. Janice Xuereb also gave way to Julia Zarb in goal late on, while Maia Gauci also swapped with Mariah Cardona for the final throes.
San Gwann also had a late triple switch, with Rodianne Zerafa, Martina Vassallo and Amy Abela Spiteri all replacing Hailey Russell, Kirsty Paris and Rabab Mhalli.
The link between Ylenia Grech and Micallef worked to good effect with Grech willing to burst forward, taking on three players before delivering the cut-back. However, Gabriella Zahra’s shot was blocked. Micallef arrived late to fire a shot from a clearance, but could not get the accuracy to trouble Justyne Caruana.
However, the Stripes found two further goals to seal off the win. Gabriella Zahra picked Patricia Lamanna with the Canadian flicking it over Justyne Caruana to find the far corner of the net from the tight angle. Lamanna also delivered the square pass from the far post for Izabella Camilleri to fire into the roof of the net from close range to finish off the scoring.
Final Score: San Gwann 2 – 7 Birkirkara
Standings & Next Matches
The Stripes put some daylight between them and San Gwann, taking their tally to six points in fourth place. The two teams return next week to kick-start the second round, with Birkirkara facing Valletta on Friday at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (20:30), while San Gwann will meet Hibernians on Saturday at the Charles Abela Stadium (18:00).
However, before then, tonight will close off the first round with the fixture between Swieqi United and Valletta. The two will meet at Dingli Ground at 19:00.
Assikura Women's League - Standings
Lead Image: Michael Azzopardi
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