Impressive Women's Team makes them seven from seven

by Ayrton Galea - 4th December 2014

Birkirkara FC Women's Team are the sole-leaders of the BOV Women's League, when with another impressive display, they outclassed the challenge of the newly-formed side, Sliema Wanderers FC with a score of 11-0.

Consistency plays a key-role in football, and the Women's Team is doing an excellent job as they clinched the seventh league victory, to remain with maximum points and leading the BOV Women's League with twenty-one points.

Coach Johann Scicluna kept faith in the 4-1-3-2 formation, but made four changes from the victory against Tarxien Rainbows FC. Goalkeeper Nina Dimech replaced Janice Xuereb between the posts, Hanna Tegelmann replaced the unavailable Martina Cilia and Mariah Sciberras replaced Tara Attard.

The back-four featured Stephania Farrugia and Yasmeen Vella as central backs supported by Maryrose Cardona and Kirstie Vella patrolling the side-backs. Melania Bajada was once again deployed in front of the defence, with Gabriella Zahra, Hanna Tegelmann and Raina Giusti forming the midfield trio, with the latter roaming behind strikers Mariah Sciberras and Alishia Sultana.

The First Half

The Stripes had a terrible start and they almost conceded a soft goal after just two minutes. Lack of communication between Yasmeen Vella and Nina Dimech awarded the Sliema's forward an open-goal opportunity but Vella did some excellent work to recover and clear the ball off the goal-line.

Recovering from a shaky start, Birkirkara began to settle down and pile the pressure on their opponents. On the eighth minute, Melania Bajada had a first-time shot ending wide and just a minute later, Gabriella Zahra sent Hanna Tegelmann on the run before the latter had her low shot parried by the Sliema goalkeeper.

Having gained momentum the Stripes did not take long to break the dead-lock, as on the eleventh minute, they surged ahead. Melania Bajada showed great vision to unzip the Wanderers' rearguard with a precise through ball in the path of Raina Giusti, who raced forward and beat the Sliema goalkeeper with a fine strike.

Birkirkara doubled their lead just four minutes later. It was once again the speed of Raina Giusti that did it for the Stripes, when she raced past her marker to pick-up an excellent through ball by Kirstie Vella, and the Birkirkara forward slotted home from inside the box.

Mid-way through the first half, Hanna Tegelmann supplied an excellent through ball in the path of Kirstie Vella but the latter failed to connect in front of the Sliema goalkeeper.

Tegelmann produced another great through ball just three minutes later, this time in the direction of Mariah Sciberras, with the promising youngster showing great composure to lob the ball home.

Ten minutes from half-time, Mr. Johann Scicluna made his first substitution when Kim Parnis was introduced off Gabriella Zahra.

The Stripes made them four on the thirty-seventh minute mark with undoubtedly the most beautiful shot of the match. A cross from the right failed to be handled by the Sliema's rear-guard only to be short cleared, and the ball fell in the feet of Maryrose Cardona who struck an excellent in-swinging strike that left the goalkeeper staring as the ball ended at the right corner.

Four became five just before the half-time whistle. Tegelmann who continued to improve her play following a rather slow start, put her name on the scoring sheet when calmly hitting past the Sliema goalkeeper after receiving a fine through ball.

The half-time whistle found the Stripes recovering from a shaky start to end the first forty-five minutes enjoying a very comfortable 5-0 score.

The Second Half

The Stripes launched their second half with the sixth goal when after just few seconds, Raina Giusti completed her hat-trick and just two minutes later it was the turn of Alishia Sultana to put her name on the scoring sheet with a fine strike to score the sixth goal for the Stripes.

Six goals up and the three points in the bag, Mr. Johann Scicluna made three substitutions as he sought giving some playing time to his substitutes. Veteran defender Alexia Scicluna replaced Yasmeen Vella, Tara Attard replaced Kirstie Vella while Charlene Schembri replaced Maryrose Cardona.

Birkirkara made them seven on the fifty-third minute. Hanna Tegelmann showed her passing skills once again by sending Giusti on the run, with the latter easily hitting home to score her fourth goal and consolidating her place as the team's top scorer.

Substitute Kim Parnis almost got her name on the scoring sheet on the fifty-fifth minute when she unleashed a thunderous shot but her effort brought the best out of the Sliema goalkeeper who turned the ball into a corner kick with a brilliant save.

The Stripes continued to turn on the heat when they made them eighth twenty minutes into the second half. Kim Parnis sent an excellent through ball on the right flank to Alishia Sultana before delivering a first-post cross in the path of Charlene Schembri who connected home from close-range.

Fifteen minutes from time, Birkirkara added another goal. Melania Bajada took charge of a free-kick from the right and the technical player delivered an excellent second-post cross which saw Stephania Farrugia rising high to head the ball home to score the Stripes' ninth goal.

Nine became ten five minutes later. In a spectacular solo-action, Mariah Sciberras produced a magnificent run down the left flank before drifting into the area and surprising the goalkeeper with a low shot to score her second goal of the day.

There seemed to be there nothing to stop the Stripes as they continued to attack from all ends. On the eighty-fifth minute, substitute Alexia Scicluna saw her powerful shot ending over and two minutes from time, Sciberras was unlucky not to complete her hat-trick when her shot was denied by the foot of the post.

The referee's full-time whistle found the Stripes registering another victory while keeping a clean-sheet for the sixth consecutive match. Birkirkara will be involved in the top of the table clash next Tuesday when they take on Raiders FC.

BIRKIRKARA: Nina Dimech, Kirstie Vella (50' Tara Attard), Stephania Farrugia, Yasmeen Vella (50' Alexia Scicluna), Maryrose Cardona (50' Charlene Schembri), Gabriella Zahra (32' Kim Parnis), Melania Bajada, Hanna Tegelmann, Mariah Sciberras, Alishia Sultana, Raina Giusti.

Scorers: 11', 15' Raina Giusti, 26' Mariah Sciberras, 37' Maryrose Cardona, 45' Hanna Tegelmann, 46' Raina Giusti, 48' Alishia Sultana, 53' Raina Giusti, 65' Charlene Schembri, 75' Stephania Farrugia, 80' Mariah Sciberras.

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