Girls Under-16's defeated by Mgarr United

by Ayrton Galea - 20th January 2014

Birkirkara Girls Under-16's conceded their second league match defeat. Despite giving a fine performance, Mgarr made a comeback to beat the Stripes with two goals to one.

The Stripes left the Gharghur Grounds having nobody to blame but themselves, for not converting their scoring opportunities in the first half, as they showed the best ideas on the pitch during the first twenty-five minutes.

The First Half

Birkirkara went out strongly, and in less than a minute they managed to create their first scoring opportunity. Raina Giusti won possession outside Mgarr's box and she served Mariah Sciberras, who had her shot parried by the goalkeeper Rachelle Borg.

Mgarr were quick to reply. On the second minute, Brenda Borg and Luane Vella exchanged possession, and the latter had a good shot saved by the Birkirkara goalkeeper, Jennifer Galea.

Birkirkara broke the deadlock on the third minute. Raina Giusti won possession and advanced, before serving Mariah Sciberras, who had her first attempt blocked by the goalkeeper, but from the rebound, she hit home.

The Stripes continued to show the best football and they threatened again on the fifth minute. Raina Giusti had a powerful strike from inside the box pushed away with a fine save by goalkeeper Borg.

Mgarr created the illusion of goal on the eleventh minute, when a shot from outside the box surprised goalkeeper Jennifer Galea, but the latter made up for her blunder by saving the ball on the goal-line.

Raina Giusti and Mariah Sciberras were combining well in the Birkirkara forward line. Another break-away by these two players zipped past Mgarr's rearguard, but Mariah mishot the ball when she sought to serve an unmarked Raina.

Birkirkara paid a sour price for this lost opportunity, as Mgarr equalised on the fourteenth minute. Brenda Borg's fine strike from inside the box hit past goalkeeper Jennifer Galea.

Birkirkara tried to regain the lead and on the seventeenth minute, Raina once again found Mariah in a good position, but the latter's uprising shot scratched past the post.

Just before the half-time whistle, Raina Giusti tried her luck with a shot from outside the box, but her effort was saved by goalkeeper Borg, after she was served by Mariah.

The end of the first half found both teams sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

The Second Half

Two minutes inside the second half, Mariah Sciberras had a fine shot from distance which went wide off the post.

Just past the half-hour mark, Mariah showed some fine foot-work on the left wing before drifting inside the box. Her diagonal shot was blocked by Borg and off the rebound, Raina Giusti dribbled a player but her final effort ended wide.

Against the run of the play, it was Mgarr who surged ahead. On the thirty-fifth minute, Brenda Borg managed to once again beat Jennifer Galea, with a powerful strike.

The same player almost completed her hat-trick two minutes later, but an onrushing Jennifer Galea made a fine save to deny the midfielder from increasing the lead.

Ten minutes from time, Birkirkara created a good scoring opportunity. Raina Giusti had a brilliant free-kick from distance, which forced the best out of Mgarr goalkeeper Rachelle Borg, who pushed away with a superb save.

Brenda Borg had the last action of the match two minutes from time. She took a powerful free-kick which was deflected into a corner kick thanks to a good save by goalkeeper Galea.

BIRKIRKARA: Jennifer Galea, Giulia Micallef, Alexia Galea (39' Michela Felice) (47' Sarah Urpani), Tara Attard, Alishia Sultana, Raina Giusti, Mariah Sciberras.

MGARR: Rachelle Borg, Nicole Cutajar, Mirayah Aquilina, Kelsey Aquilina, Thea Difesa, Brenda Borg, Luane Vella.

Scorers: 3' Mariah Sciberras (Birkirkara), 14' Brenda Borg, 35' Brenda Borg.

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