Birkirkara Sink Valletta With Late Goals

The Stripes were frustrated for long durations but managed a 2-0 victory over Valletta, thanks to late goals by Marta Grosso and Alishia Sultana. The Stripes’ Arianna Del Moral was denied by the woodwork twice, while Grosso also saw one of her efforts clip the crossbar. Valletta’s Georgiana Mifsud also cleared two chances from the line.

Team Selections

Janice Xuereb started between the sticks for Birkirkara. The familiar partnership of captain Stephania Farrugia alongside Charlene Zammit was fielded, but the two swapped the usual positions, with Zammit occupying the right side for much of the first half. Alishia Sultana and Ann-Marie Said provided the width but were pushed up for most of the match. In midfield, Caitlin Rogers continued to partner Gabriella Zahra. Veronique Mifsud and Marta Grosso attempted to orchestrate the attacks, while Francesca Chircop led the line alongside Edith Garcia Falero.

Valletta’s goalkeeping woes saw Sabrin Blihi continue her stay in goal. Denis Guerra fielded a back-five, with Eduarda Martins Souza slotting between Georgiana Mifsud, and Michela Bonello Ghio in the centre of defence, while Gaia Antonelli and captain Anna Aloisio stood in the wider positions. The midfield was occupied by Francesca Bartolo, Ylenia Grech and Laura Muscat. Miriana Conti provided support to Marcelle de Oliveira Julio.

Valletta Deny Birkirkara Clear Chances

The match kicked off to Birkirkara’s band playing in the background which gave the match a different atmosphere. It also did well to drown out the increasing sense of frustration that plagued the Stripes as the match wore on, since Valletta were very much set up to hold the fort and stay as compact as possible.

Valletta’s tactic worked extremely well for long periods of the match, with the Stripes forced to go long. Charlene Zammit delivered a number of long-balls on the right wing toward Marta Grosso and Alishia Sultana, in attempt to bypass the crowded midfield. However, anything slightly too long or central enough peaked Sabrin Blihi’s interest, who was happy to come off her line to meet them.

Valletta did manage a good attack against the run of play twenty-three minutes into the match. Ylenia Grech did well to win the ball in midfield before making her way up the wing and crossed into Miriana Conti, who laid it for Marcelle de Oliveira Julio. She recycled to Grech, who tried to open up the space for the shot before returning the Brazilian who struck low toward the bottom left corner. However, Janice Xuereb was equal to the strike.

At the other end, the Stripes kept up the attacks with Gabriella Zahra opening wide to Alishia Sultana who crossed into the box. Blihi punched away before Garcia Falero looped a header in which the goalkeeper collected.

Birkirkara threw more bodies forward in attempt to crowd the box and overthrow the five-player defensive line. However, despite finding space in the wings, there was little trouble for Valletta in the box. One of the best chances in the first half saw the Stripes’ Marta Grosso launch a cross toward Francesca Chircop, but Sabrin Blihi got enough on it to deny them the opening goal. However, at the other end, Miriana Conti and Marcelle de Oliveira Julio cut lonely figures, finding it difficult to get much going in attack for their team.

Frustration grew for the defending champions, with a number of errors by the referees also getting thrown into the equation. Ann-Marie Said was the first to go into the book following a foul on Gaia Antonelli on the stroke of half-time.

Half-Time Score: Birkirkara 0 – 0 Valletta

Offside Goals, On The Line Clearances and Three Crossbars Pile Frustration For the Stripes

Denis Guerra made one change in the break, bringing on Monique Sultana instead of Laura Muscat in the centre of the park. Birkirkara appeared to have found their golden ticket as Grosso placed into the net a minute into the half, but she swiftly saw her goal erased by the offside flag.

Five minutes later Edith Garcia Falero lobbed the rushing Sabrin Blihi, but this time Georgiana Mifsud was ready to keep her team in it by making a last ditch clearance for a corner. Ann-Marie Said delivered toward Stephania Farrugia who was stationed at the far post, but her finish ended on the wrong side of the goal. The captain attempted to dink a ball toward Veronique Mifsud who was the next to try to make a run behind in the 54th minute, but Michela Bonello Ghio rose to intercept it.

A few minutes later Blihi got into trouble away from her goal, but Birkirkara dawdled and by the time the strike was eventually unleashed the goalkeeper had recovered her position. Another half-chance ebbed away as Alishia Sultana released Marta Grosso behind the line, who delivered a cross into the box which was inches away from the arriving Francesca Chircop.

Jose Borg opted for his first change after an hour of play, bringing on Arianna Del Moral in replacement of Francesca Chircop. Del Moral slotted on the right wing, while Marta Grosso pushed to the left, with Veronique Mifsud stationed behind Edith Garcia Falero centrally.

The Stripes’ Caitlin Rogers was next to try her luck following a loose ball from a corner. However, her strike had a bit too much height and sailed just above the crossbar. Valletta did manage to win a free-kick on the right wing which Marcelle de Oliveira Julio directed goalward, but Janice Xuereb was untroubled. A few minutes later, Francesca Bartolo glided forward in midfield, before attempting a strike from distance on noticing Xuereb off her line. However, the goalkeeper shifted well to collect the looped ball.

Having settled into the match, Arianna Del Moral struck a lob against Blihi, which Edith Garcia Falero attempted to follow through on. However, Valletta’s defence worked together with Michela Bonello Ghio forcing the Uruguayan into a weak header, before Georgiana Mifsud cleared close to the line once more.

Sensing the Stripes getting closer, Valletta attempted to slow down the match but Del Moral struck the crossbar for the first time in the 74th minute. Gaia Antonelli showed some determination to get her team forward shortly after, dribbling herself out of the defence before launching a ball toward Miriana Conti. However, the side could not capitalise and it did not take long for the Stripes to come back.

Del Moral rattled the crossbar a second time, two minutes away from the first. The team won another corner, which saw Marta Grosso be the next to come close a minute later. The Italian met the loose clearance on the edge of the area, where she struck with the laces, but saw her effort also clip the crossbar, in what was Birkirkara’s third time in three minutes.

Jose Borg opted to bring on Martina Fenech instead of Edith Garcia Falero at this point. Fenech slotted as the right-back, while Alishia Sultana pushed into the central striker role.

Relief For The Stripes

Having been denied time and time again, the Stripes finally got their reward on the 80th minute. Charlene Zammit launched a ball for Marta Grosso to chase. Smart to Sabrin Blihi’s sweeping, the Italian took a touch to take it away from the goalkeeper, before tapping into the gaping net to finally break the deadlock.

Denis Guerra responded with two substitutions shortly after. Eunice Micallef replaced Gaia Antonelli, while Suzanne Farrugia Sacco took to the pitch instead of Marcelle de Oliveira Julio.

Alishia Sultana doubled Birkirkara’s lead in the 88th minute through dogged pressing, blocking a clearance from Sabrin Blihi, before following through on the loose ball to place it into the net.

Valletta attempted to get something back with a ball launched into the box, but Janice Xuereb commanded her area. Jose Borg made two late changes bringing on Valentina Rapa and Amelia Vassallo in straight swaps with Ann-Marie Said and Veronique Mifsud, respectively, to see out the match.

Full-Time Score: Birkirkara 2 – 0 Valletta

Next Matches

Thus, Birkirkara head into the international break with another three points, lifting themselves into second place behind Mgarr United and with a game in hand. The Greens are the next opponent for the Stripes, where the two will meet on the 4th November following the international break. Meanwhile, Valletta will return against San Gwann on the same day.

However, before then, there is still more football to be played this weekend. Mtarfa will welcome Lija Athletic tonight at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (20:15). A double-header is scheduled on Saturday at Mgarr Ground, where San Gwann meet Hibernians (15:00), before another crucial clash between Swieqi United and Mgarr United (17:30).

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