by Raiders Lija FC had too much firepower for San Gwann FC on Wednesday night, beating them 6-0. Leah Alice Ayres and Sarah Vella Barberi each scored a brace, while Lexine Farrugia and Michela Bonello Ghio completed the scoring with one apiece.
Raiders Lija Make Possession Count
San Gwann defended deep into their own half, with only the lonely figure of Yasmin Attard to retrieve the ball up the pitch. The lack of support around Attard meant that the yellows also lacked a proper outlet to mount a counter-attack or relieve the pressure for sufficient durations of time.
On the other hand, it gave Denis Guerra’s Raiders a good opportunity to showcase their ability to play passes between the lines and stretch the defense, while encouraging their players to take on defenders on the widths.
Raiders peppered the goal with shots early on as a result of the excellent link-up play from the defense to the forward line. Francesca Bartolo and Laura Muscat both had a particularly good showing in midfield in this regard, acting as links between attack and defence.
It was Leah Ayres who opened the score after thirteen minutes of play. She was well positioned to tap in the goal, with Lexine Farrugia grabbing her first assist of the night.
Ayres almost returned the favour a couple of minutes later but Farrugia hit the post. Despite this, Lija’s number seven continued her goal-scoring form with a spectacular long-range effort in the 17th minute. The ball sailed into the top left corner giving San Gwann’s goalkeeper Justyne Caruana no chance.
Sarah Vella Barberi netted her first of the night and third for Lija on the half-hour mark. Lexine Farrugia continued tormenting the San Gwann defence dribbling past four players to get deep into the box from the right wing. She put it on a plate for Barberi who positioned herself well to strike the ball into the roof of the net for the goal.
San Gwann tried to finish the half positively, but Yasmin Attard’s shot was wide of the mark and did not trouble Raiders keeper Giulia D’Antuono.
Half-Time Score: San Gwann 0 – 3 Raiders Lija FC
A Second Half to Mirror the First
The reds did not let up despite having a three-goal advantage and kicked off the second half exactly where they left the first. Lexine Farrugia and Francesca Bartolo both struck early into the second half, but Justyne Caruana was equal to them.
However, San Gwann lacked an effective outlet and the ball kept coming back. The team yielded the fourth goal in the 57th minute, as Leah Ayres scored her second of the night. She displayed good technique to control Sarah Vella Barberi’s cross with one touch and then struck into the bottom left corner. Ayres managed the hat-trick in the 59th minute but the offside flag denied her the goal and therefore the match ball.
It was instead Sarah Vella Barberi who got the fifth goal of the night in the 68th minute. The ball ricocheted behind the San Gwann defence, and all three Lija forwards pounced to get their foot to it first, but it was Barberi who got the all important touch. To her credit, Justyne Caruana was quick off the line but Lija’s striker beat her to it.
Substitute Michela Bonello Ghio rounded off the sixth in the 82nd minute, after Justyne Caruana saved a venomous strike from a free-kick, but Bonello Ghio tapped in the loose ball.
Full Time Score: San Gwann 0 – 6 Raiders Lija FC
Injuries Pile Further Misery on San Gwann
Defeats with such large scores are hard enough to endure without the extra pressure of injuries. San Gwann’s Raymond Sant was forced into an early substitution as Shania Geiti limped off the pitch to be replaced by Daniela Camilleri in the 25th minute.
Things continued to take a turn for the worse in the second half, as Michela Formosa’s appearance in the match was short-lived. The substitute took a heavy blow to the face after ten minutes on the pitch and had to be taken off shortly after.
Captain Annabelle Rapa also took a nasty blow to the head but was deemed well enough to finish the match. All the stoppages seemed to faze the referee, who despite the injury breaks still did not allow injury time at the end of the half. On the contrary, the official finished the match early blowing the full-time whistle just past the 89-minute mark instead of the usual 90. Alternatively, perhaps the referee did not want to pile any extra misery on the yellows.
League Standings
The win means that Raiders Lija FC have set up a tense encounter in next week’s match against Mgarr United at the Centenary Stadium on the 21st of March. For the greens, the match is an opportunity to make a grab for third place, displacing current holders Hibs. On the other hand, a win for Raiders Lija FC will get them on equal points with Hibs and will relegate Mgarr United to fifth place.
Meanwhile, Hibs face the toughest of encounters against yet-unbeaten leaders Birkirkara FC, on the 22nd March at the Centenary Stadium. On the same night, Swieqi United FC will attempt to pound more misery on San Gwann at the Mgarr Ground.
