Birkirkara register another comfortable win
by Ayrton Galea - 1st November 2011
Birkirkara extended their positive run with another comfortable victory as they beat Floriana with a score of 3-0.
Birkirkara were the best team from the first whistle; however they failed to capitalise on their chances in the first half. In the second half they did not repeat the mistake and they turned their chances into goals.
This was the second win for the team since Mr. Paul Zammit took over the reins of the team again. It is clear to notice the hard work that all the squad is doing, and we are assisting once again for good and dominating football by our side.
One should give credit to our strikers who created several scoring opportunities to demolish the Floriana's defence that for the first time this Premier League suffered more than one goal.
The midfield department composed by Rowen Muscat, Gareth Sciberras and Paul Fenech also had a very good game, especially Rowen who gave an improved performance from the last two outings .
The defence lead by Rodrigo Pereira and Dragan Perisic was in a class of its own - solid, concentrated and decisive in every action and it was no suspire that Birkirkara registered the second consecutive clean sheet in this Premier League.
Goalkeeper Jorge Mora had a quite match and he did not have much to do, but he performed two wonderful saves and denied Floriana from opening the score.
The First Half
The first half saw the match opening on a slow and boring note but as time went by the match was more flowing. Birkirkara created two fine chances that could easily have put them ahead.
0' - Referee Fyodor Zammit blew the starting whistle.
1' - Floriana won a corner. The corner-kick was deflected with a header with the ball ending on the 2nd post and it was met by Floriana player whose shot was turned into a corner by Mora. From the following short corner, it was mis-hit and ended in a goal kick.
3' - Terence Vella fouled.
4' - Paul Fenech fouled.
5' - Dragan Perisic put the ball into safety and Floriana were awared a corner. From the following corner, Jorge Mora cleared the danger.
6' - Terence Vella was fouled.
6' - Moises Avila Perez was caught in an offside position.
7' - Trevor advanced on the right before his cross was deflected into a corner. From the resulted corner, the Floriana defence cleared well.
10' - Gareth fouled.
10' - Rowen Muscat was fouled.
11' - Angus Buhagiar served Moises Avila Perez who released Trevor Cilia on the right. The latter tried his low powerful shot which was saved by Manuel Bartolo.
14' - Terence Vella was fouled.
19' - Birkirkara had the perfect opportunity to take the lead. Moises Avila Perez served Trevor Cilia who made the best from a misunderstanding in the Floriana's defence and rounded Manuel Bartolo. He served Terence who was close to the second post, but his powerful shot ended wide.
20' - Gareth Sciberras was fouled.
23' - Angus Buhagiar was fouled.
23' - Paul Fenech fouled.
26' - A good cross by Trevor Cilia from the right was stopped well by Manuel Bartolo.
26' - Floriana won a corner which Mora cleared.
29' -Lucas Pessanha tried to lob a shot over Mora but it ended wide.
30' - Moises Avila Perez fouled.
31' - Moises Avila Perez fouled.
31' - Floriana tried their luck with a shot which ended wide.
32' - Rowen Muscat fouled.
33' - Floriana won a corner, after Rodrigo Pereira put the ball into safety.
34' - Joseph Zerafa's foul-throw gave away Floriana the throw in.
35' - In a fast counter attack, Terence Vella decided to make a solo-run, instead of passing, and finished with a shot which ended wide.
35' - Gareth Sciberras fouled.
36' - Terence Vella was fouled.
38' - Terence Vella fouled.
38' - Another good opportunity for Birkirkara. From a fine cross by Trevor Cilia from the right, Moises Avila Perez hit wide.
39' - Paul Fenech fouled.
39' - A shot by Ivan Woods caused no trouble to Mora as it ended wide.
40' - Moises Avila Perez was fouled. From the resulting freekick, Paul Fenech's shot was saved and from the rebound, Rodrigo Pereira hit wide.
45' - Two minutes of extra time were shown.
45' - Gareth Sciberras fouled.
45+2' - Joseph Zerafa fouled.
The Second Half
The second half saw Floriana opening well and they almost took the lead in two occasions which were both saved by Jorge Mora. After Birkirkara took the lead and few moments later Manuel Bartolo was sent off, there was no doubt where the three points were heading.
0' - Referee Fyodor Zammit's whistle started the second half.
0' - Rowen Muscat fouled.
1' - Paul Fenech fouled.
1' - Joseph Zerafa was fouled.
2' - Gareth Sciberras fouled.
3' - Paul Fenech fouled. From the resulting direct freekick, Mora saved the ball and put it into a throw in for Floriana.
4' - Moises Avila Perez fouled.
6' - Floriana had the first opportunity to take the lead when they made the best from a defensive blunder. Lucas Pessanha was served on the left and his low shot was blocked by Mora.
6' - Mora was the hero again for Birkirkara with what seemed to be an impossible save after he blocked a perfect header, from a cross from the right.
7' - Birkirkara took the lead! Joseph Zerafa was floored in the box by Pablo Doffo. Referee Fyodor Zammit ordered the penalty despite the huge, if useless, protests by the Floriana players, which saw Manuel Bartolo collecting a yellow card. From the penalty spot, Trevor Cilia made no mistake to put Birkirkara ahead. Manuel Bartolo picked the ball and kicked it, which seemed to be in the direction of some Birkirkara players who were celebrating the goal. Manuel Bartolo was shown the second yellow card and received marching orders. Goalkeeper Jurgen Borg replaced Clyde Borg
12' - Birkirkara made them two! A perfect cross by Trevor Cilia was met with a fine first timer by Joseph Zerafa who hit home from a close range to score his first goal in this League.
14' - Angus Buhagiar fouled.
15' - Trevor Cilia committed a hands ball foul.
16' - Angus Buhagiar fouled and was shown the yellow card. This means he will be suspended in the match against Tarxien Rainbows.
20' - Trevor Cilia fouled.
20' - Birkirkara made the first substitution when Angus Buhagiar was replaced by Leighton Grech.
21' - Terence Vella performed a good run and served Moses Avila Perez whose shot ended wide.
22' - Paul Fenech was well served, and in a one versus one against the goalkeeper he preferred to pass the ball instead of taking the shot. He was anticipated by the keeper and the ball was cleared.
24' - Floriana almost pulled one back, when Rodrigo Pereira fouled and he was shown the yellow card. From the free-kick, Christian Cassar hit the cross bar and then the ball was cleared.
26' - Terence Vella fouled.
27' - Joseph Zerafa fouled.
28' - Mr. Paul Zammit made the second substitution and the latest acquisition Alexandar Canovic replaced Jorge Mora.
32' - Birkirkara made them three! A perfect cross by Leighton Grech found Terence Vella whose low shot was deflected by Owen Bugeja into hiw own net.
36' - Trevor Cilia fouled.
36' - In the last substitution for Birkirkara, Moises Avila Perez was replaced by Shola Shodyia.
37' - Terence Vella's shot ended wide.
38' - Birkirkara won a corner which was cleared well.
40' - Floriana won a corner which also was cleared well.
42' - Terence Vella won a corner which caused no problems for Floriana's defence and was cleared.
43' - Leighton Grech was caught in an offside position.
44' - Shola Shodyia was caught in an offside position.
45' - Four minutes of extra time were shown.
45' - Rowen Muscat was fouled.
45+1' - A long distance shot by Leighton Grech ended wide.
45+2' - A shot by Floriana ended wide.
45+4' - Referee blew the final whistle
With this win Birkirkara are now in the third place with Floriana and Qormi with 16 points. Next Sunday 'The Stripes' will face Tarxien Rainbows in another tricky encounter.
Line Ups:
Birkirkara: Jorge Mora (73' - Alexandar Canovic), Joseph Zerafa, Rodrigo Pereira, Dragan Perisic, Angus Buhagiar (65' - Leighton Grech), Gareth Sciberras, Rowen Muscat, Paul Fenech, Terence Vella, Trevor Cilia, Moises Avila Perez (81' - Shola Shodyia)
Floriana: Manuel Bartolo, Owen Bugeja, Thomas Paris, Pablo Doffo, Manolito Micallef, Ivan Woods, Duncan Pisani, Christian Cassar, Clyde Borg (57' - Jurgen Borg), Andre Grabowski (81' - John Mintoff), Lucha Pessanha (75' - Ryan Darmanin)
Yellow Cards:
Birkirkara: Paul Fenech, Rodrigo Pereira, Gareth Sciberras
Floriana: Manuel Bartolo, Clyde Borg, Pablo Doffo, John Mintoff.
Red Cards:
Birkirkara: None
Floriana: Manuel Bartolo
Man of the match: Terence Vella (Birkirkara)
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