Birkirkara beat Balzan in friendly match

by Ayrton Galea - 18th July 2014

In a friendly match played on Thursday evening, Birkirkara FC defeated Balzan FC with a 3-0 score, thanks to two first-half goals by Lucky Omeruo and Joseph Zerafa, before Rafael Ledesma sealed the issue early in the second-half.

Birkirkara's Head Coach, Mr. Paul Zammit began with a 3-4-1-2 formation. Sanchez defended the posts while Muscat, Bissi and Vukanac formed a three-line defence. Edward Herrera was deployed on the right wing and Joseph Zerafa on the left wing, supported by the central midfielders Agius and Fenech. Rafael Ledesma started in an offensive midfielder role continually supporting Kurt Zammit and Lucky Omeruo.

The First Half

Following a quite start, Birkirkara surged ahead on the sixteenth minute. Following a typical long-throw by Zach Muscat, Lucky Omeruo went past two defenders before hitting home from close-range.

The Stripes remained the better side and on the twentieth minute, Matheus Bissi had a fine header saved by the Balzan goalkeeper Mikhail Micallef following a cross from the right. Seven minutes later, Joseph Zerafa made a surging run down on the left wing before serving Omeruo who hit wide from inside the box.

Goalkeeper Sanchez made a fine save on the half hour to neutralise a diagonal shot from the right as Balzan threatened for the first time in the match. Four minutes later, they threatened again with a shot which ended wide.

Two minutes from half time, Sanchez made a fine save off a free-kick to neutralise the central shot.

The Stripes doubled their lead just before the half-time whistle. In a fast break-away, Kurt Zammit served Joseph Zerafa who dribbled past a Balzan player before hitting an excellent strike that ended at the back of the net.

The end of the first half saw Birkirkara building a two-goal lead thanks to goals by Omeruo and Zerafa.

The Second Half

At the start of the second-half, Alejandro Mendoza replaced Matheus Bissi, Paul Fenech replaced Edmond Agius, Ryan Camenzuli replaced Joseph Zerafa and Leighton Grech replaced Lucky Omeruo.

Birkirkara made them three two minutes into the second half. Edward Herrera who made a typical solo-run run down the right flank before serving Kurt Zammit that let the ball though his legs and brought unmarked Rafael Ledesma that found no problem to hit home with a low strike from inside the box.

On the hour mark, Adrian Sanchez was replaced with Ini Akpan in Birkirkara's fifth change.

Rafael Ledesma served Edward Herrera twenty minutes inside the second half and the he hit a powerful volley which ended over. A minute later, substitute Camenzuli hit a powerful strike which ended wide.

On the seventieth minute, in Birkirkara's last change, Antoine Borg replaced Edward Herrera. Borg was quickly involved in the action when he cleared into safety after Balzan were denied by the upright.

Ledesma was close to adding Birkirkara's fourth goal on the seventy-second minute when he made an excellent solo action by rounding two players and hitting a fine strike but his shot ended over by inches. Five minutes later, Camenzuli hit another fierce strike that ended wide.

Birkirkara easily controlled the last minutes of the game and the referee's full time whistle found the Stripes emerging as winners with a 3-0 score.

Birkirkara FC: Adrian Sanchez (60' Ini Akpan), Edward Herrera (70' Antoine Borg), Matheus Bissi (46' Alejandro Mendoza), Nikola Vukanac, Zach Muscat, Joseph Zerafa (46' Ryan Camenzuli), Edmond Agius (46' Paul Fenech), Ryan Scicluna, Rafael Ledesma, Lucky Omeruo (46' Leighton Grech), Kurt Zammit.

Scorers: 16' Lucky Omeruo, 45' Joseph Zerafa, 47' Rafael Ledesma.

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