Women's Team are the Champions

by Ayrton Galea - 7th March 2012

The Birkirkara FC Women's Team are the new champions of the Women's First Division league, as yesterday evening they humiliated Pembroke with an 8-0 score.

There is no need to say that the match was one sided from the first whistle, and Birkirkara were determined right from the start to make sure of winning the league as early as possible. In fact, they scored no less than four goals in the first 30 minutes.

One could say that all the players gave a very satisfactory performance but without any doubt, Stephania Farrugia, Rachel Cuschieri and Kelly Agius Pace had a five star performance. Stephania was very solid in the defence, Rachel was again the player that impressed most the supporters with her perfect passing and speed and Kelly Agius Pace managed to score a hat trick which continues to show her class in front of the goal.

The First Half

In a half that saw only one team in the pitch, Birkirkara built a four goal lead and were denied on another two occasions when they hit the crossbar.

The match could not start on a brighter note for Birkirkara as on the 4th minute, Kelly Agius Pace beat the goalkeeper and give Birkirkara an early lead.

Gabriella Zahra missed a fine chance to double the lead following a fine pass by Rachel Cuschieri on the 8th minute.

Kelly Agius Pace scored the second goal. Following a good run by Rachel Cuschieri on the 11th minute who then sent a perfect cross and the prolific striker headed home.

On the 12th minute, Kelly Agius Pace failed to hit from a close range.

A direct freekick for Pembroke was blocked by the wall on the 13th minute.

Gabriella Zahra's tried her luck with a powerful shot which was blocked by the goalkeeper on the 17th minute.

Birkirkara almost made them three on the 19th minute, when first Rachel Cuschieri's shot was turned into a corner, and from the following corner, Chantal Fenech's header hit the crossbar.

Two became three one minute later, as on the 20th minute, Rachel Cuschieri was well served, advanced in the box, rounded the goalkeeper and sent the ball into an empty net.

A close range effort by Gabriella Zahra was blocked by the goalkeeper on the 21st minute.

Martina Cilia tried her luck with a long distance shot on the 25th minute which was parried by the goalkeeper.

Rachel Cuschieri tried her luck with a long distance shot which ended over the bar on the 27th minute.

Gabriella Zahra increased the lead for Birkirkara and made them four on the 28th minute, when following a fine pass, she beat the goalkeeper.

Four almost became five on the 31st minute. Isabelle Mazzitelli was unlucky when she saw her powerful shot from inside the box hitting the crossbar. Mazzitelli was unlucky again within the minute, when after a fine pass by Rachel Cuschieri, her attempt was saved by the goalkeeper in two attempts.

Kelly Agius Pace scored the third goal to complete a hat trick as on the 32nd minute when following a close range, Kelly Agius Pace hit home.

A cross shot by Kim Parnis was parried by the goalkeeper on the 35th minute. Two minutes later, the same player had a long distance shot saved by the goalkeeper.

Rachel Cuschieri almost surprised the goalkeeper with an uprising shot on the 37th minute but was saved by the goalkeeper in two attempts.

In the last action of the first half, on the 44th minute, a shot by Kelly Agius Pace was saved by the goalkeeper.

The Second Half

In the second half, Birkirkara continued to dominate while Head Coach Mr. Johann Scicluna made all the available substitutions as he included more youngsters and other players who had been given less playing chance than the more regular players.

Birkirkara could not have had a better start of this first half, as they made them five on the 46th minute when Rachel Cuschieri scored a direct freekick which was deflected by the wall and gave no chance to the goalkeeper.

Gabriella Zahra scored her second goal on the 56th minute. Ffollowing a fine pass by Rachel Cuschieri, Gabriella beat the offside trap, advanced in the box and beat the goalkeeper with a good shot.

On the 58th minute, Gabriella had a shot ending wide. One minute later, the same player was unlucky not to score her hat trick when her shot ended wide by inches.

Stephania Farrugua's header from a good corner by Rachel Cuschieri was turned into another corner with difficulty on the 64th minute.

Raina Giusti's shot was blocked by the goalkeeper on the 65th minute.

Following a fine solo run by Rachel Cuschieri who rounded no less than three players, her final shot was turned into a corner kick on the 68th minute.

On the 69th minute, Kim Parnis had a shot ending wide. One minute later, the same player had a fine long distance shot saved by the goalkeeper.

Birkirkara were unlucky not to make them eight, when on the 74th minute, Kim Parnis had a powerful drive denied by the crossbar, and although it appeared to cross the line the goal was not validated.

A diagonal shot by Rachel Cuschieri ended wide on the 79th minute. A low shot by Raina Giusti was saved by the goalkeeper on the same minute.

Birkirkara continued to show their class and superiority on the 80th minute by nothcing the eight goal. Rachel Cuschieri's shot was not held by the goalkeeper, and Kim Parnis slotted the ball home from a close range.

Veteran goalkeeper, Nina Dimech made the only save on the 81st minute when she came out and grabbed the ball after a Pembroke player was advancing in the box.

Rebecca's direct freekick was saved on the 83rd minute.

Birkirkara seemed to score the ninth goal on the 85th minute, when Rachel Cuschieri's wonderful freekick hit the crossbar, and was slotted home from the rebound but the goal was disallowed for an offside position.

The full time whistle found all the Birkirkara players rewarded for their dedication and positive performances throughout the whole season as they started their celebrations which truly show what this honour mean to the players and to the technical staff. Birkirkara will play their last game of the league on the 27 March, when they will be officially crowned champions and awarded the league cup.

Well done Champions!

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