Bacsa breaks Birkirkara's hearts
by Ayrton Galea - 5th July 2014
Diosgyor's Patrick Bacsa broke Birkirkara's hearts three minutes into the added time on Thursday evening, when in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League, the Hungarian side defeated Birkirkara with a 2-1 score. Birkirkara played their hearts out after being forced to play a whole second half with ten-man.
In a dramatic match, full of influential episodes, Birkirkara were denied from leaving the Debrecen Stadium with something more to show for their utmost efforts, as the hosts picked a 2-1 victory by scoring the winning goal at the dying moments.
Birkirkara's opponents, Diosgyor VTK were rated as superior prior to the match, but the Stripes replied on the pitch by giving an excellent display and showing no inferiority to their opponents.
Birkirkara hit the crossbar after just two minutes but Diosgyor settled as time went by. They took the lead past the half-hour but Bissi equalised with a brilliant free-kick. The same player was sent off one minute inside the second half and the hosts scored the winning goal on the ninety-third minute to take the win.
The collective effort was the key success for the brilliant performance, but Spanish goalkeeper Adrian Sanchez and forward Terence Vella were outstanding and had an impressive performance. Sanchez might not have impressed in the Euro-Cup friendly tournament, but he gave a magnificent display with a number of crucial saves. On the other hand, Vella made an excellent job up front by winning countless fouls and keeping the hosts' defence continuously under pressure.
The Birkirkara's Head Coach Mr.Paul Zammit fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation. Goalkeeper Sanchez defended the posts with Bissi, Mendoza and Vukanac forming the three-line defence. The wing-backs were Zach Muscat on the right and Zerafa on the left, with Sciberras and Fenech starting in midfield. Terence Vella was the only striker supported by Herrera and Camenzuli.
The First Half
Birkirkara almost had a dream start. On the third minute, Edward Herrera sent a perfect delivery from the corner kick on the far post that saw Zach Muscat rising high but his header smashed against the crossbar.
The Stripes, away from home, were handling the pressure in an excellent way as their three-line defence, supported by the wing-backs was leaving no space for the Hungarian side.
Diosgyor were finding it hard to penetrate and they had to try their luck from outside the box. A shot from distance by Mark Nikhazi on the twentieth minute failed to hit the target. Nikhazi was in action once again when he had a dangerous shot ending over just a minute later with a fierce strike from outside the box.
On the twenty-fourth minute, the home team was denied by the great reflexes of the Birkirkara goalkeeper, Adrian Sanchez, who stopped Andras Gosztonyi powerful drive from inside the box.
The Hungarian side continued to push forward. On the twenty-eighth minute, they produced another good opportunity but a shot by Gosztonyi from a diagonal angle hit the side netting.
On the half-hour mark, Ryan Camenzuli won a ball in midfield, raced forward and served Edward Herrera who tried his luck with a long-distance drive that sallied over the bar.
Diosgyor surged ahead on the thirty-second minute. In a well built action from their right side, Nikhazi surged on the right hand side, before playing-in David Barczi who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Sanchez.
However, the Stripes showed great character as Diosgyor's joy was short lived. Birkirkara levelled matters just two minutes later when Matheus Bissi hit a brilliant free-kick that surprised and hit past goalkeeper Rodos.
Diosgyor were stunned by Birkirkara's quick yet strong reaction. They tried their luck with a long-distance drive by Tamas Kadar three minutes from half-time but the shot missed the target.
The balanced first half that produced two goals, one on each side.
The Second Half
Birkirkara suffered a major set-back after just one minute as Matheus Bissi was sent off for a double booking. The harsh decision was met with protests from the Birkirkara clan.
It was a life-line for the home side as now they began to push forward.
Birkirkara's goalkeeper, Adrian Sanchez had to make another fine save on the third minute of the second half, on an in-swinging shot from the right by David Barczi.
Diosgyor were unlucky not to regain the lead on the fifty-second minute when Mark Nikhazi ran to the middle before hitting a fierce strike that hit the crossbar. Two minutes later, a shot from outside the box by the same Nikhazi ended over.
Bissi's dismissal forced the Birkirkara's Head Coach, Mr. Paul Zammit to make his first substitution. On the hour mark, Ryan Scicluna replaced Ryan Camenzuli.
Despite having Bissi set off, there were little changes in Birkirkara's tactics. Mr. Zammit kept trust in a three-line defence in a 3-5-1 formation.
Birkirkara had a fine opportunity twenty minutes inside the second half. Paul Fenech served an on-running Zerafa but his strike ended over.
Just a minute later, Birkirkara's goalkeeper Sanchez continued to be one of the main protagonists of the match. On the seventy-second minute, a low cross from the left was deflected by Herrera and seemed to be heading for the net, but the Spanish goalkeeper made an excellent block to put the ball into a corner kick.
Twenty minutes from time Diosgyor's goalkeeper Rodos denied Birkirkra from surging ahead. Nikola Vukanac had a brilliant in-swinging free-kick that brought the best of goalkeeper Rodos to turn the ball into a corner kick.
One minute later, Sanchez continued enjoying an excellent match when he neutralised a powerful shot from a diagonal position.
Following a cross from the right, Miroslav Glumic hit a powerful header, but goalkeeper Sanchez made an incredible save to keep the score level.
On the seventy-third minute, Captain Gareth Sciberras who had suffered a knock moments earlier, was replaced by Edmond Agius.
Agius made a quick impact in midfield and he was unlucky not to put the Stripes ahead when a fierce shot from distance scratched past the far post.
Birkirkara continued to push forward. Ten minutes from time, Paul Fenech showed great dribbling skills to go past three players but his shot was parried by goalkeeper Rodos.
In Birkirkara's third and last substitution on the eighty-third minute, Terence Vella who undoubtedly was one of the best players of the match, was replaced by Rafael Ledesma.
Diosgyor kept pushing forward but the Stripes continued to show great resistance. However, three minutes into the five mintes of added time, Diosgyor notched the winning goal. In a fast break-away, Patrick Bacsa raced forward, rounded a defender and hit past Sanchez.
The atmosphere at the Negredyei Stadion was impressive as Diosgyor's fans were celebrating loud and proud, but substitute Ryan Scicluna could have silenced the Hungarian fans, but he was unlucky to see his close-range shot blocked by Rodos.
The full-time whistle found Birkirkara losing with a 2-1 score, but their five-star performance fills them with optimism for next Thursday's second leg match. The match will be played at the National Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 19:30.
Birkirkara FC: Adrian Sanchez, Matheus Bissi, Alejandro Mendoza, Nikola Vukanac, Zach Muscat, Paul Fenech, Gareth Sciberras (73' Edmond Agius), Joseph Zerafa, Edward Herrera, Ryan Camenzuli (60' Ryan Scicluna), Terence Vella (83' Rafael Ledesma)
Diosgyor VTK: Ivan Rados, Senad Husic (67' Lazar Marjanovic), Tamas Kadar, William Alves, Drazen Okuka, Patrick Bacsa, Andras Gosztony (55' Gabor Bori), Miroslav Grumic, Mark Nikhazi, Akos Elek, David Barczi.
Referee: Ignasi Villamayor Rozados (Andorra).
Assistant Referees: Laudino Lopez (Andorra), Hugo Ricardo Jourdan Pereira (Andorra).
Fourth Official: Robert Gonzalez Salvado (Andorra).
Yellow Cards: 17' Matheus Bissi, 76' Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara), 76' Drazen Okuka (Diosgyor)
Red Cards: 46' Matheus Bissi (Birkirkara)
Scorers: 34' Matheus Bissi (Birkirkara), 32' David Barczi, 90+3' Patrick Bacsa (Diosgyor)
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