B’Kara Dominant Against Debutants Lija Athletic

The Stripes opened their title defence with a commanding 11-0 victory over the newly-formed Lija Athletic. Raina Giusti and Marta Grosso each grabbed a hat-trick. Alishia Sultana chipped in with a brace, while Ann-Marie Said, Veronique Mifsud and debutant Edith Garcia Falero completed the scoring.

Line-Ups

Birkirkara coach Jose Borg opted to give young Erika Muscat her senior debut, ahead of Janice Xuereb in goal. She was protected by a defensive quartet. Charlene Zammit and Izabella Camilleri started at the heart of defence, while Valentina Rapa and captain for the night, Ann-Marie Said, provided the width. In midfield, Gabriella Zahra was partnered by debutant in Caitlin Rogers, while Edith Garcia Falero made her first appearance in the number ten role. Raina Giusti and Alishia Sultana occupied the flanks, while Marta Grosso led the line.

For their first appearance in the league, Lija Athletic’s coach Jethron Azzopardi fielded Christiana Pisani in goal. In front of her, Sarah Caruana partnered Amy Galea Gingell, while Mariah Schembri started in the left-back role and Rachel Mifsud started on the right. The midfield was occupied by captain Simone Buttigieg, Elisa Xuereb and Nell Zarb Cousin. The width was provided by Leanne Micallef and Katryna Grech, while Edera Marmara started in the centre of attack.

Quick Opening From The Stripes

Birkirkara gave Lija no chance to settle in the opening minutes, making full use of the spaces being left by the newcomers, especially on their right flank. In fact, the Stripes had their first opportunity three minutes in, as Ann-Marie Said floated a cross toward Marta Grosso and Alishia Sultana, but they both failed to connect.

The Stripes could not convert from two corners but did not have to wait long for their opening strike. Nine minutes into the match, Raina Giusti floated centrally and struck the first goal of the season from just outside the penalty box. The ball flew straight into the top corner giving Christiana Pisani no chance.

Lija’s Opportunities and Stripes’ Search For Dominance

Lija Athletic had one of their rare opportunities to flood forward shortly after, by winning a free-kick right on the half-way line. Goalkeeper Pisani took charge of the kick but the Stripes cleared the ball without too much trouble.

After just under a quarter of an hour of play, Marta Grosso was teed by Charlene Zammit but the Italian’s strike flew over the bar. However, the Stripes found their second goal a few moments later. Debutant Caitlin Rogers showed her vision, opening up the defence with a single pass aimed toward Raina Giusti, who lobbed the goalkeeper on her approach to double the lead and her tally.

Despite being two goals down, Lija Athletic showed determination to stay in the match. In fact, Elisa Xuereb stole the ball in midfield and immediately released Katryna Grech on the right-wing. However, the attack fizzed away into nothing. At the other end, the Stripes kept up their search for more goals and Marta Grosso netted her first of the night and Birkirkara’s third twenty-three minutes into the half. A cross from Edith Garcia Falero found the Italian loosely marked, who had time to turn and pick her spot to place into the far right corner.

Alishia Sultana joined in on the scoresheet just after the half-hour mark. An initial cross from Giusti found Grosso, whose strike was parried away only as far as Sultana. She struck the rebound into the post and in.

Meanwhile, Lija Atheltic’s Elisa Xuereb forced another exchange in possession in midfield. However, her attempt to play Edera Marmara was read by Izabella Camilleri who immediately sent the Stripes on the counter. Gabriella Zahra played Raina Giusti behind but Birkirkara’s number thirteen’s shot lacked the necessary curl to find the back of the net. It was instead Alishia Sultana who grabbed the fifth right on the stroke of half-time, played behind the defence by Giusti.

Half-Time Score: Birkirkara 5 – 0 Lija Athletic

Three Goals in Four Minutes

Both coaches opted to make changes at the break. Jethron Azzopardi made one substitution, bringing on Shakira Bugeja who slotted in the right-back role instead of Rachel Mifsud. Meanwhile, Jose Borg made three changes, bringing Veronique Mifsud in a straight swap with Gabriella Zahra, while Valentina Rapa and Izabella Camilleri made way for debutants Francesca Chircop and Arianna Del Moral.

Chircop took the central attacking role, while Del Moral occupied the right wing. The changes pushed Marta Grosso in a playmaking role in the centre of midfield, while Caitlin Rogers slotted next to Charlene Zammit at the heart of the defence. Alishia Sultana supported in the right-back role.

The Stripes picked up right where they left off and unfortunately Lija Athletic crumbled into the fiftieth minute, conceding three goals in just four minutes. Raina Giusti completed her hat-trick by scoring a goal that was similar to the first, in the fifty-second minute. She drifted toward the centre of the pitch and finished with another strike from distance to complete a perfect start to the campaign. The goalkeeper will be disappointed to have gotten a hand on it but not being able to keep it out.

Marta Grosso got her second of the night a couple of minutes later by capitalizing on a loose ball that was parried from Edith Garcia Falero’s shot. It was a good piece of play by Garcia Falero who played a neat exchange with Del Moral, but her finish was denied by the goalkeeper. However, she found her debut goal a couple of moments later. Once again she linked well with Del Moral who played her in on goal, before Garcia Falero finished into the roof of the net at the near post.

Stripes Extend The Lead

Shortly after, Amelia Vassallo took to the field in replacement of Raina Giusti. The youngster took the number ten role, while Grosso shifted to the left wing. Meanwhile, Jethron Azzopardi also brought on Samira Maria Bouzid as a left-back, in replacement of Nell Zarb Cousin. The change pushed Mariah Schembri into the left-wing role while Leanne Micallef occupied a more central role in midfield.

It was Ann-Marie Said who got the ninth of the night on the seventy-two minute mark, with a spectacular free-kick that curled into the far corner. She was substituted off shortly after, with Ileana Farrugia taking her left-back role and Charlene Zammit taking the skipper’s arm-band.

Slightly before Said’s strike, Marta Grosso had blasted in another goal at the far post but was denied by the offside flag. However, the Italian needed to wait only a couple more minutes to complete her hat-trick. Debutant Francesca Chircop drifted into the wing and delivered a peach of a cross toward the unmarked Italian, who headed home Birkirkara’s tenth. It completed what was a top-notch performance by Grosso who appeared keen to chase every ball and attempt every shot.

Lija Athletic’s Jethron Azzopardi made his final substitution shortly after by bringing on Hayley Muscat in replacement of Mariah Schembri. The Stripes had a few more opportunities. Notably, Amelia Vassallo curled a strike from distance but Pisani did just enough to palm it over the crossbar to a corner.

It was instead substitute Veronique Mifsud who closed out the night. She had tested Christiana Pisani from distance twice, one time hitting the post and the other being denied by the goalkeeper. Birkirkara’s number fourteen was denied once more by Pisani as she attempted to head home a corner, but finally got her goal on two minutes from the full-time whistle. She struck into the bottom left corner from inside the penalty box to close out the victory.

Full-Time Score: Birkirkara 11 – 0 Lija Athletic

Next Matches

The Stripes will now set their sights on the UEFA Women’s Champions League where they will be hosting ZFK Breznica on the 6th of September at the Centenary Stadium. Meanwhile, Lija Athletic will have a chance for a better showing in their next match. They will face Hibernians on the 8th of September at the Centenary Stadium at 20:15.

In the meantime there is still plenty of action still to go as we head toward the weekend. San Gwann will welcome Mgarr United tonight (Friday 25th) at the Centenary Stadium at 20:15.

Saturday 26th promises plenty of action with a double-header at the Dingli Ground. Hibernians will face Valletta at 18:30, followed by Swieqi United against Mtarfa at 21:00.

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