Diosgyor dash Stripes hopes
by Ayrton Galea - 11th July 2014
Three goals inside the second half dashed Birkirkara's hopes of reaching the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. On Thursday evening, Diosgyor VTK defeated Birkirkara with a 4-1 score, to advance to the next round with a 6-2 aggregate score.
Following the 2-1 result in Hungary last week, hopes were high in the Birkirkara clan to make it to next round. However, Diosgyor's second goal ten minutes inside the second half dashed that hope. Diosgyor VTK had surged ahead on the hour mark, but Ryan Camenzuli scored the equalizer.
The Stripes were forced to make three changes from the initial leg, Zach Muscat was unavailable for selection, Matheus Bissi was suspended, while Gareth Sciberras was ruled out injured. Mr. Paul Zammit fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation. Leighton Grech replaced Zach Muscat, with Herrera starting at right back while Edmond Agius was given the to replace Sciberras.
Diosgyor, led by Mr. Tomislav Sivic also opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation. He made some changes from the first leg, with goalkeeper Botond Antal replacing Croatian Ivan Rados who had a disappointing game last week, and Serbian striker Miroslav Grumic was spearheading the attacks.
The First Half
With so much at stake, and one goal could make all the difference in the match, the opening minutes proved to be balanced. Birkirkara failed to trouble the Hungarian side but from their end the latter did not find any space to penetrate.
In the fifteenth minute, Birkirkara threatened for the first time in the match. Joseph Zerafa raced forward down the left wing before playing the ball in direction of Terence Vella, who had his shot from outside the box ending wide.
Moments later, the Stripes attacked again. Alejandro Mendoza, advanced up-field after Birkirkara were awarded a free-kick. He retrieved the ball in the penalty area but his cross was cut out by Andras Debreceni.
Birkirkara continued to show superior football. Mid-way through the first half, they continued to push forward and a curling shot by Paul Fenech was saved without particular difficulty by goalkeeper Antal.
The Stripes were showing superior football but they struggled to worry the opposition back-line. For failing to convert their superiority into goals, Diosgyor punished them by taking the lead on the half-hour mark with a soft goal. Leighton Grech's clearance was short, and Agos Elek charged past him before, hitting a spectacular shot from a tight angle, which caught Birkirkara goalkeeper Sanchez by surprise, much to the delight of the vocal Diosgyor fans.
Having lost 2-1 away, Birkirkara were now facing an uphill task as they needed to score two goals to level the tie on aggregate, but two minutes later they gained a life-line as they equalised and got back in the match. Paul Fenech's excellent through-ball from midfield unzipped the Diosgyor defence, and Camenzuli stayed cool before nipping in from the blind-side to ram the ball past Antal. The Birkirkara supporters regained hope and they were now chanting loud.
The first half ended in a 1-1 draw, with the Stripes' hopes still alive.
The Second Half
Birkirkara's Coach, Mr. Paul Zammit tried to add some inspiration in the final third end when he included Rafael Ledesma off Edmond Agius, with Ryan Scicluna deployed in midfield, supporting Paul Fenech.
Ledesma was quick to get in the action when he hit a swerving free-kick that was pushed away by the DVTK goalkeeper. Moments later, close to the 55th minute, Antal stopped a central drive from Fenech.
Birkirkara went out with all guns blazing desperately looking for the second goal. However, it was Diosgyor who crushed the Stripes' hopes and regained the lead just past the hour mark, thanks to Bosnian defender Senad Husic, who beat Sanchez with a low angle drive.
The Stripes woes continued to increase, as just four minutes later, Diosgyor added their third. Birkirkara were again found wanting at the back. Andras Gosztonyi profited from the glaring gaps on the left wing as he surged clear before picking out substitute David Barczi who poked the ball home from close range.
Birkirkara were stunned, down and out. However, Camenzuli, one of Birkirkara's best players on the day, came close to narrowing the deficit twenty minutes from time, as he made his way past a posse of defenders but his grounder was marginally off target.
The Stripes should have reduced the deficit on the eighty-second minute, when Ledesma's set-piece cross from the left, found Mendoza at the far post. The Spaniard flicked the ball across the face of goal before Vella picked it up but his cross found no takers.
Lucky Omerou was unlucky not to hit one back for Birkirkara when after intelligently served by Ledesma, the second-half substitute saw his low shot blocked by Antal.
Birkirkara's rout was completed in the dying stages when Lazar Marjanovic, another second-half substitute, beat Sanchez at the near post, following good work by Nikhazi to score Diosgyor's fourth goal to seal the issue and make it to the next round by a comfortable 6-2 aggregate.
Birkirkara FC: Adrian Sanchez, Leighton Grech (64′ Lucky Omerou), Alejandro Mendoza, Nikola Vukanac, Terence Vella (84′ Kurt Zammit), Ryan Scicluna, Paul Fenech, Edmond Agius (46′ Rafael Ledesma), Ryan Camenzuli, Edward Herrera, Joseph Zerafa.
Diosgyor VTK: Botond Antal, Senad Husic, Tamas Kadari, William Rocha Alves, Drazen Okuka, Patrik Bacsa (60′ David Barczi), Andras Debreceni (71′ Lazar Marjanovič), Andras Gosztonyi, Miroslav Grumic, Gabor Bori (71′ Mark Nikhazi), Akos Elek.
Referee: Pavle Radovanovic (MNE).
Assistant Referees: Milovan Djukić (MNE), Dejan Saković (MNE).
Fourth Official: Milovan Milacic (MNE).
Yellow Cards: 60' Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara), 54' Tamas Kadar (Diosgyor).
Scorers: 44' Ryan Camenzuli (Birkirkara), 30' Akos Elek, 62' Senad Husic, 66' David Barczi, 90+1' Lazar Marjanovic.
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