Birkirkara Rebound With Victory Over Lija Athletic

Birkirkara got themselves back into winning form with a 4-0 victory over Lija Athletic. Goals were scored by Marta Grosso, Arianna Del Moral, Raina Giusti and Francesca Chircop. Despite the loss, Lija Athletic will be encouraged by a much more cohesive defensive display, reducing the scoreline significantly from the first match of the season.

Line-Ups

Lija Athletic’s Christiana Pisani started in goal. Jethron Azzopardi stuck with the partnership of Nell Zarb Cousin and Sarah Caruana in the centre of defence, while Mariah Schembri and Rachel Mifsud occupied the wide positions. Samira Bouzid started in midfield alongside captain Simone Buttigieg, while Vanessa Honorio Carneiro returned to the starting eleven in a retreated midfield role. Instead, it was Daniela Camilleri who led the line, with Elisa Xuereb and Katryna Grech providing the width.

Janice Xuereb continued her stay in goal for the Stripes.Valentina Rapa partnered captain Stephania Farrugia in the absence of Charlene Zammit. Ann-Marie Said and Alishia Sultana occupied the full-back roles. As hinted by coach Jose Borg in the lead up to the match, there were quite a few changes in the midfield and attack from the mid-week Swieqi United encounter. Gabriella Zahra started as the pivot in front of the defence, while Marta Grosso and Edith Garcia Falero occupied the more forward roles. Raina Giusti and Arianna Del Moral started on the wings, while Francesca Chircop led the line.

Lija Compact, But B’Kara Find The Way

There was no doubt that Birkirkara would attempt to starve Lija Athletic of the ball as from the start, in search of a confident victory. They had to be patient for openings earlier on, however Arianna Del Moral and Raina Giusti increasingly found space on the width. Giusti registered the first strike by winning the ball high up the pitch and cutting inside for the shot which veered off-target.

Meanwhile, Lija Athletic’s Sarah Caruana set the standard early on with an excellent sliding tackle on Marta Grosso to deny her the opportunity to cross. Despite this, the Stripes recovered the ball and Ann-Marie Said whipped a ball into the box, with the delivery brushing the top of Arianna Del Moral head.

Birkirkara earned the first corner close to ten-minutes into the match. Raina Giusti delivered into a good area but no one attacked it, before Marta Grosso struck the ball from the edge of box but saw her attempt also lack the accuracy to test Christiana Pisani.

Lija Athletic did well to arrest Birkirkara’s momentum by winning free-kicks in midfield throughout the match, while also using the offside trap to good effect. Captain Simone Buttigieg earned her team the first opportunity to deliver after drawing a foul from Gabriella Zahra. However, the delivery was well read by Stephania Farrugia.

Meanwhile, Birkirkara’s Francesca Chircop continued to display her work ethic and excellent hold-up play to win the ball in midfield and find Giusti out wide. She played a quick combination with Grosso before having her run up the wing halted by Lija Athletic’s Sarah Caruana. The corner ended much in the same way as the first, with no end product despite a pinpoint delivery, in became a repetitive and somewhat frustrating situation for the Stripes.

Despite this, Marta Grosso put her team in the lead in the 23rd minute, making a timed run behind enemy lines before finishing low into the bottom of the net. The Stripes kept piling forward, with Arianna Del Moral’s run being halted by Nell Zarb Cousin to deny her a shooting opportunity a few moments later. Alishia Sultana also combined well with Grosso, before seeing her strike rise above the crossbar.

The Stripes had opportunities to add to their tally from a few free-kicks too. Stephania Farrugia almost got her name on the scoresheet taking one from right on the sideline on the right wing, but was denied by the crossbar. A few minutes later, Ann-Marie Said struck a free-kick from a central position but saw her effort fly above the crossbar.

Del Moral and Giusti Extend Lead

Having been bright in the match, Arianna Del Moral got her name on the scoresheet for the second goal of the afternoon just a minute shy of the half-hour mark. She was picked out by Edith Garcia Falero, before Del Moral struck toward the far post, having some luck as the ball hit the post on its way to the back of the net.

Seeing the Stripes earn so much space out on that right wing, Jethron Azzopardi swapped Katryna Grech with Mariah Schembri. Birkirkara were onto another good chance by working a short free-kick before Ann-Marie Said delivered another cross into the box. However, Elisa Xuereb was well positioned to deny Alishia Sultana the chance to strike at the far post. Ann-Marie Said also connected with a cross from Raina Giusti, but the full-back was off target with the header. The Stripes also forced a number of saves from Pisani who was determined to keep her former team out as much as possible.

Despite this, Raina Giusti netted the third goal on the stroke of half-time, converting a cross from Arianna Del Moral.

Lija Athletic had one final opportunity after Elisa Xuereb drew a foul in the final third. Simone Buttigieg delivered toward the near post with Vanessa Honorio Carneiro darting inward to get a flick. However, Janice Xuereb was first to the ball to hold on to her clean sheet.

Half-Time Score: Lija Athletic 0 – 3 Birkirkara

Birkirkara Finish The Fourth

Lija Athletic went into the half nursing two injuries, to Nell Zarb Cousin and Elisa Xuereb. While Xuereb was deemed fit enough to continue, Jethron Azzopardi was forced to replace Nell Zarb Cousin. Edera Marmara’ took to the field in her stead, with the number ten taking the central striking role. Daniela Camilleri shifted to the right-wing role, while Samira Bouzid slotted in the centre of the defence instead of Zarb Cousin.

Lija Athletic continued executing their tactical plan, with Vanessa Honorio Carneiro’s hold up play often drawing fouls from the Stripes. However, Azzopardi’s side could not convert the opportunities into goals. At the other end, Birkirkara kept searching for more. Alishia Sultana and Arianna Del Moral continued their partnership on the right wing, with the latter cutting back to Raina Giusti who forced a save from Christiana Pisani within the second minute of the half.

A minute later, Gabriella Zahra dinked a pass from the byline right into Francesca Chircop who could not sort out her feet in time but instead deflected the ball into the path of Giusti, who saw her effort saved by Pisani once more. The Stripes’ Ann-Marie Said tested Pisani with a direct free-kick but the goalkeeper was untroubled by the central strike.

However, the goalkeeper was ultimately beaten by Francesca Chircop who converted the cross from Arianna Del Moral. Having said this, there may have been a case for Del Moral having been in an offside position when receiving the ball. Gabriella Zahra showed good strength to fend off a challenge in midfield before sending the team forward on the right wing in the build-up to the goal.

Lija Athletic remained steadfast to limit the goal tally. Mariah Schembri made an important interception to deny Alishia Sultana from picking out a teammate in the box, before Vanessa Honorio Carneiro made an attempt to counter, only to be pulled back by Raina Giusti.

Jose’ Borg looked to his bench in the 57th minute, making three straight swaps. Raina Giusti, Marta Grosso and Francesca Chircop all left the field, directly replaced by Stella Francalanza, Amelia Vassallo and Ruth Steer-Chetham.

Amelia Vassallo went straight in on the action, rebounding an initially saved effort from Alishia Sultana. However, the youngster saw her laced shot rise above the crossbar. Meanwhile, Lija Athletic won two consecutive free-kicks but with the opportunity to put the ball into the box, Sarah Caruana opted for a strike toward the near post which Janice Xuereb had covered.

Jose’ Borg gave an early rest to Ann-Marie Said in the 65th minute, who was replaced by Izabella Camilleri. She slotted in the centre-back role, while Valentina Rapa moved into the left-back position. Jethron Azzopardi responded with a change of his own just a couple of minutes later, bringing on Leanne Micallef in the central striker role, while Samira Bouzid left the pitch. The change resulted in another shift in positions, with Edera Marmara’ moving into the right-wing, while Mariah Schembri shifted to the centre of the defence.

Lija’s Rachel Mifsud made an important interception to deny Ruth Steer-Chetham the chance to convert another of Arianna Del Moral’s deliveries. Meanwhile, Edith Garcia Falero appeared to strike the woodwork from a corner delivery into the final twenty minutes of the match.

At the other end, the team in black attempted to make the most of another of the set-pieces. Play developed into an opportunity for Simone Buttigieg to strike from the edge of the box, but Janice Xuereb was equal to the shot once more.

Meanwhile, Birkirkara’s substitutes appeared to link well, with Ruth Steer-Chetham and Stella Francalanza often combining to make advances on the right wing. However, Sarah Caruana continued her stellar defensive performance to deny Steer-Chetham twice in the running and Edith Garcia Falero later in the match. Alishia Sultana also fizzed two low crosses in the final ten minutes of the match, both of which begged for a finish that no one delivered.

Full-Time Score: Lija Athletic 0 – 4 Birkirkara

Next Matches

The win ensures that Birkirkara maintain their place in third, just one point adrift of Swieqi United and Hibernians, while having a game in hand over the two. The defending champions will next seek revenge for the defeat suffered last week, as they meet Swieqi United again on Thursday 16th November at 20:00 at the Centenary Stadium.

Despite the loss, Lija Athletic will be encouraged by having reduced the scoreline significantly from their opening match of the season against the Stripes. They prepare themselves for another highly-anticipated direct encounter against San Gwann, who are level pegging with them on points and matches. The two open next Saturday’s double-header at Dingli Ground (13:00).

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