Birkirkara beaten despite good performance
by Ayrton Galea - 16th October 2011
Birkirkara suffered the third defeat of the season when despite showing the best performance so far, they were still beaten by Valletta with a 2-1 score.
It was a match that many may consider that never reached any particular level, and definitely a draw result would have been more just.
Mr. Paul Zammit was making his first return as Head Coach, and despite starting his new adventure with a loss, several positive factors were shown.
The latest acquisition by Birkirkara, Dragan Perisic was also making his first debut which was a very satisfactory one.
The most positive factor was without any doubt the solid defence which probably was the first match of the season that saw Birkirkara having a strong and concentrated defence. One should mention that the back four was totally changed from the previous matches which had a very positive result.
On the other hand, the negative aspects displayed in this match were the two soft goals suffered from set pieces.
Mr. Paul Zammit began with a 4-3-3 formation. Jorge Mora defending the posts, the back four was formed by Andrew Decesare and Joseph Zerafa as side backs and the central back formed by Rodrigo Pereira and Dragan Perisic. The three midfielders were Paul Fenech, Rowen Muscat and Gareth Sciberras with Terence Vella, Trevor Cilia and Moises Avila Perez as strikers.
The First Half
The first half saw the Citizens more adventurous to take the lead, after they continuously created scoring opportunities although they had a difficult job to penetrate the Birkirkara's solid defence, however the goal before the half time was a deserved one for Valletta.
6' - Valletta won a corner, and from the corner taken by Denni, Jamie Pace's effort ended wide. Birkirkara's reply arrived with a shot by Trevor Cilia which ended wide.
12' - An unsporting act by Michael Mifsud when he appeared to have barged into Pereira, and then fell to the ground to claim a foul. The referre opted to verbally caution the Valletta striker despite the vociferous protests of the Birkirkara fans to book Mifsud.
21'-Michael Mifsud had his effort ending wide after a swift counter attack for Valletta after was well served by William Barbrosa.
24' - Denni Rocha Dos Santos had the best opportunity till then when Barbrosa's intelligent through ball opened the Stripes' defence but Denni's effort ended wide.
29' - The Valletta supporters appealed for a penalty when Jorge Mora seemed to catch Effiong's foot but referee Esther Azzopardi just waved play on and only ordered the corner for Valletta.
32' - Roderick Briffa's central shot was parried by goalkeeper Mora.
42' - Valletta took the lead when Edmond Agius' perfect freekick was met by Jamie Pace's header to lob over Mora and put the Citizens in the lead.
45' + 1 - A corner by Trevor Cilia was met by Dragan Perisic who hit wide.
The Second Half
The second half saw Birkirkara improving their performance and in fact ten minutes in the second half equalised. However it lasted only nine minutes thanks to a goal by Steve Borg.
47' - Two minutes from the start of the second half had gone by when Agius's well-struck first-timer whistled past the far post. Valletta continued where they left in the first half when Edmond Agius' well taken first timer scratched past the post.
55' - Birkirkara equalised! Valletta's Jonathan Caruana lost the ball in the middle of the field, Paul Fenech released Trevor Cilia who advanced in the box, and when he seemed in the ideal position to shoot, he served Moises and in a one against situation against Hogg he made no mistake.
56' - Valletta's coach Mr. Jesmond Zerafa performed their first substitution as he brought on Dyson Falzon for Alfred Effiong.
67' - Valletta restored the lead, when it was another well taken freekick by Agius and this time was well headed by Steve Borg which gave Mora no chance.
69' - Mr. Paul Zammit made the first change as Leighton Grech replaced Terence Vella.
78' - Leighton Grech performed a good run but his effort was too central to worry Hogg.
85' - Birkirkara made their second change when Dragan Perisic was replaced by Shola Haruna.
86' - Valletta made the second and last change when Denni Rocha Dos Santos was replaced by Ousseni Zongo.
88' - Mr. Paul Zammit made the third and final change when he included Alan Tabone instead of Trevor Cilia.
90' - Ousseni Zongo, who had come on for Denni, tried to surprise Mora with a chip but the Spanish goalkeeper saved.
VALLETTA Andrew Hogg, Jonathan Caruana, Steve Borg, Ian Azzopardi, Alfred Effiong (56' Dyson Falzon), Roderick Briffa, Jamie Pace, Edmond Agius, Denni Rocha dos Santos (86' Ousseni Zongo), William Barbosa, Michael Mifsud.
Subs not used: Matthew Towns, Samir Arab, Isaac Zammit, Glen Cassar, Siraj Arab.
Coach: Leonard Farrugia
Asst. Coach: Jesmond Zerafa
B'KARA Jorge Mora, Trevor Cilia (88' Alan Tabone), Joseph Zerafa, Rodrigo Pereira, Andrew Decesare, Dragan Perisic (85' Haruna Shola), Paul Fenech, Terence Vella (69' Leighton Grech), Rowen Muscat, Moises Avila Perez, Gareth Sciberras.
Subs not used: Karl Magri, Ryan Camenzuli, Andre Cassar, Ryan Scicluna.
Coach: Paul Zammit
Asst. Coach: Peter Pullicino
Referee: Esther Azzopardi
Assistant referees: Joe Camilleri, Mariano Debono
Fourth official: Chris Lautier
Yellow Cards: Sciberras
Scorers: 42' Jamie Pace, 55' Moises Avila Perez, 67' Steve Borg
Attendance: 3,166
