Birkirkara beat Marsaxlokk in friendly match

by Ayrton Galea - 23rd July 2011

In a friendly match played yesterday evening between Birkirkara and Marsaxlokk, Birkirkara emerged as winners with a score of 3-2.

In a match played in three thirds (instead of the traditional two halves), of thirty minutes each, both teams used this match to try out their foreign players they have on trial, especially Birkirkara who had a large selection of foreigners.

For Marsaxlokk, Emiliano Lattes and Patrick Borg were included with the starting eleven. Emiliano Lattes is now a Marsaxlokk player after he was released by Birkirkara F.C., and Patrick Borg is on the verge of joining Marsaxlokk on a loan basis.

It was a well deserved victory for 'The Stripes' as they played some good football and the score could have been even bigger. However it was a balanced and entertaining match when considering that it is still the pre-season and the squads are not complete yet.

First Part

The first half was quite one sided as Birkirkara were definitely the best and the most aggressive team on the pitch. They created several goal scoring opportunities, however they failed to convert them to goals.

1' - Jacopo Camilli received a pass on the right, advanced, rounded a player and sent a low cross shot which was met by Leighton Grech who tried his luck but his shot was blocked and cleared by the defence.

2' - Marsaxlokk tried their luck with a low shot which ended wide.

6' - Leighton Grech received a good through ball on the right flank, tried his cross but it was saved by Marsaxlokk's goalkeeper, Rueben Debono.

8' - Following a fast counter attack, Jacopo Camilli tried his luck but his shot was turned into a corner kick.

9' - Rowen Muscat unleashed a powerful long distance shot which was saved by Reuven Debono. Jacopo tried from the rebound but it was blocked by Debono as well.

11' - Marsaxlokk's reaction arrived with a central freekick which Jorge Mora found no difficulty to neutralise.

16' - Jacopo Camilli was in action again but his effort ended wide by some distance.

22' - A fine cross from the left was met by a first timer from Jacopo which slammed the net but, it was the side of the net, and it was a goal kick for Marsaxlokk

30' - Leighton Grech advanced on the flank, sent a low cross and Jacopo connected well, but it was blocked by the Marsaxlokk defence who cleared the ball, and was then deflected by a Birkirkara player and it ended in a goal kick.

Second Part

The second part was balanced and it was rather boring although Birkirkara managed to find the net twice thanks to a Hungarian striker who is on trial.

9' - A corner from the right was headed well, but it hit Jacopo and the Marsaxlokk defence then cleared into safety.

13' - Birkirkara opened the scored. From a good kick by Karl Magri, the Under 19 goalkeeper, a Marsaxlokk defender failed to clear, and the ball ended at the Hungarian striker who shielded the ball from two defenders, and his low shot gave no chance to the goalkeeper.

20' - Marsaxlokk tried to react from a short corner kick, but the cross connected with no one to end in a goal kick.

22' - Birkirkara doubled the lead thanks to the Hungarian striker. After receiving a fine pass he flicked over the goalkeeper to make the score 2-0.

27' - The Hungarian striker was in action again when from a low cross from the right he connected with a first timer shot which ended wide.

Third Part

The last part proved to be more entertaining.

2' - Marsaxlokk opened well and they had a good diagonal shot ended over the bar.

5' - Birkirkara tried a long distance shot which ended wide.

7' - Birkirkara had the perfect opportunity to make them three when a perfect pass found Leighton Grech alone. In a one versus one with the goalkeeper he tried to score in style but he was unlucky to see the ball going wide by mere centimeters.

9'- Marsaxlokk reduced the gap, when they won a freekick outside the box. A quick freekick found Jean Paul Farrugia unmarked and in a one on one with Mora he found no difficulty to place the ball in the net.

10' - Birkirkara did not take long to restore the two goal lead when they were awarded a penalty. Rowen Muscat took charge of the penalty and his powerful shot ended in the right top corner to make it 3-1.

15' - If Birkirkara did not take long to restore the two goal lead, Marsaxlokk did not take long to reduce the gap to one goal again. Jorge Mora commited a mistake when he handled the ball outside the box. From the short distance freekick, Patrick Borg headed home to make the score 3-2.

26' - Birkirkara tried their luck with a diagonal shot which was turned into a corner kick.

29' - Marsaxlokk almost equalised when with a low diagonal shot hit the post and the ball ended into a goal kick.

Birkirkara will be involved in the Mosta Tournament next week and they will play their first match next Monday at 20:45. All the matches of this tournament will be played at the Mosta Grounds.

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