Women's Team trash Pembroke
by Ayrton Galea - 28th January 2015
Birkirkara FC Women's Team registered their second win in the Championship Pool, when on Tuesday evening they easily disposed of the challenge of Pembroke Athleta, with a 5-0 win.
Two weeks ago Pembroke were awarded a 3-0 victory, after they lodged a protest over the ineligibility of a player when they were beaten 2-0 by Birkirkara on the field of play. The Stripes turned the table on their opponents, and with an impressive and determined display, they registered a very comfortable victory over the same Pembroke, who did not know what hit them.
Thanks to this victory, the Stripes remained on top of the table, joined leaders with Hibernians on the thirty-three point mark. While Birkirkara easily got past Pembroke, Hibernians registered a narrow 1-0 victory over third-place hopefuls Raiders FC.
Mr. Johann Scicluna made just one change to the line-up from the match against Kirkop United. Kelly Agius Pace was drafted in the first-eleven selection, to replace the unavailable Maryrose Cardona. Tara Attard was back after missing the last match, but Alishia Sultana was still serving her second match ban from a two matches suspension.
The 4-1-3-2 formation featured no surprises. Xuereb defended the posts, with Yasmeen Vella and Rebecca Chircop as central-backs, supported by side-backs Kelly Agius Pace and Kirstie Vella. Melania Bajada took a role in front of the defence, supporting the midfield trio of Gabriella Zahra, Kim Parnis and Stephania Farrugia. The forward line was composed of Raina Giusti and Martina Cilia.
The First Half
Birkirkara went out with all guns blazing, and they went close to taking the lead on the tenth minute. Technical midfielder Melania Bajada delivered an in-swinging corner that surprised the Pembroke goalkeeper, but the ball was cleared off the goal-line.
The Stripes kept pushing forward. Stephania Farrugia exchanged possession with Kim Parnis with the latter serving Farrugia who saw her shot scratching past the far post, after fifteen minutes of play. Two minutes later, the same player had an uprising shot ending over.
With the Stripes showing no signs of slowing their pace, on the twentieth minute they had another dangerous opportunity. Gabriella Zahra's free-kick was short-cleared, and from the rebound, Raina Giusti saw her shot scratching past the post, with Baldaccinho beaten. Two minutes later, Giusti had a shot ending over.
Birkirkara's strong start was too much for their opponents and on the twenty-fourth minute, they opened their scoring account. Melania Bajada unzipped the defence and sent a fine pass in the path of Stephania Farrugia, who controlled the ball, before unleashing a powerful shot to put the Stripes ahead.
On the twenty-sixth minute, Farrugia made fine movement to get past her marker, before serving Kim Parnis who had a fierce volley from distance ending over. Just four minutes later, Kelly Agius Pace had a shot failing the target.
Three minutes past the half-hour mark, Gabriella Zahra, one of the Stripes' best players on the day, showed great vision to lob the ball over the defence and sent Raina through, with the latter seeing her close-range effort turned into a corner kick by Baldaccinho.
The Stripes could have made two on the thirty-eight minute when they were awarded a penalty following a hands-ball inside the box. However, from the spot Martina Cilia, saw her low effort parried by the goalkeeper.
Pembroke might have felt relieved, but not for long, as two minutes from half-time, the Stripes doubled the lead. Gabriella Zahra's vision was once again essential to unzip the defence to find Raina Giusti, who showed great skills to dribble past her marker, and slot the ball past the Pembroke goalkeeper.
The Stripes showed no signs of letting up, and they added the third goal just before the half-time whistle. Stephania Farrugia delivered an accurate first-post free-kick in the path of Rebecca Chircop, whose header put the ball back at the net, past the surprised goalkeeper Baldaccinho.
The first-half saw the Stripes rewarded for their superiority with a three-goal cushion over Pembroke.
The Second Half
The Stripes could have made them four just seconds after the start of the second half. Raina Giusti stormed past the defence with a solo-action, but she was unlucky to see her strike go past the post.
Pembroke threatened with their first scoring opportunity of the match ten minutes into the second half, when Amber Grech had a direct free-kick ending wide. Five minutes later, Leanne Micallef had her effort easily parried by goalkeeper Janice Xuereb.
Birkirkara quickly restored their domain over their opponents, and it took them less than a minute to reply. Just past the hour-mark, Raina Giusti tried her luck with a shot from outside the box but her effort ended over.
The Stripes made them four on the seventieth minute. Kelly Agius Pace, in outstanding solo-action, dribbled past three players to drift inside the box and fire home past the helpless Baldaccinho.
Birkirkara were not done yet and they completed their mission with the fifth goal, fifteen minutes from time. Kim Parnis delivered an excellent direct free-kick from distance, that surprised the Pembroke goalkeeper to make them five for the Stripes.
Kim Parnis could have added another goal on the eighty-second minute, when following a quick passing movement outside Pembroke's box, Kim Parnis was sent through, but her shot ended wide from inside the box.
Coach Johann Scicluna opted not to make any substitution, and the referee's full-time whistle found the Stripes completing their sportive revenge over their opponents, while staying at the top of the BOV Women's League. Birkirkara will now face Mgarr United next Tuesday in the third match of the Championship Pool.
BIRKIRKARA: Janice Xuereb, Kirstie Vella, Rebecca Chircop, Yasmeen Vella, Kelly Agius Pace, Melania Bajada, Stephania Farrugia, Kim Parnis, Gabriella Zahra, Raina Giusti, Martina Cilia.
PEMBROKE: RoseMarie Baldacchino, Sarah Cassar Dymond, Justine Zammit, Monique Sultana, Sonia Schembri, Ottilia Debattista, Lorna Cassar, Rachel Mifsud, Amber Grech, Leanne Micallef, Sarah Caruana.
Yellow Cards: 45' Kelly Agius Pace.
Scorers: 24' Stephania Farrugia, 43' Raina Giusti, 45' Rebecca Chircop, 70' Kelly Agius Pace, 75' Kim Parnis.
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