Efficient Stripes extend positive run
by Ayrton Galea - 23rd January 2016
Birkirkara FC registered their fourth consecutive victory in the BOV Premier League, when first-half goals by Ryan Camenzuli and Frank Temile, overcame the challenge of Sliema Wanderers for a 2-0 win.
The Stripes dictated matters throughout the match and had the lion's share of possession. After building a two-goal lead in the first half, they easily controlled the match, to make them four in a row.
It was a match that once again saw the Stripes disciplined and very compact at the back. Christian Bubalovic, making his debut with our Club, had a solid performance as a centre-back with Mazzetti, while goalkeeper Kopric had another very good performance, in the rare instances when he was tested by Sliema Wanderers.
The Stripes looked very sharp in midfield, as the midfield trio of Andelkovic, Agius and Sciberras once again left the desired results thanks to their hard-work. Wingers Camenzuli and Temile both enjoyed a wonderful performance and both put their name on the scoring sheet.
Coach Drazen Besek made two changes from the victory over Valletta on Wednesday. Defender Christian Bubalovic made his debut and he replaced Nikola Vukanac, while Vito Plut regained a first-eleven start as he replaced Edison Bilbao.
The Croatian coach fielded a 4-1-2-3 formation. Kopric retained his place between the posts, Bubalovic and Mazzetti formed the centre-backs with Gujanovic and Zerafa on the side-backs. The midfield trio was once again composed by Sciberras as holding midfielder while Andelkovic and Agius were given the nod to push forward. Frank Temile and Ryan Camenzuli started at either side of the central striker, Vito Plut.
The substitutes' bench once again featured six players under the twenty-one years of age, while Justin Haber, Philip Schranz, Edward Herrera and Ryan Scicluna all remained side-lined.
The First Half
The Stripes had the first scoring opportunity on the sixth minute. Agius won possession from the erratic Luke Dimech, and served Vito Plut on the run. The latter advanced forward but his shot was parried by Zammit. A minute later, Muir for Sliema went wide with a shot from outside the box.
Sliema were unlucky not to surge ahead on the thirteenth minute. Rafael Ledesma back-heeled the ball to an unmarked Muir on the run inside the box, but his shot hit the foot of the post while from the rebound, Bezzina's low-cross travelled across the mouth of the goal but found none of his team-mates.
However, it was the Stripes that broke the deadlock on the sixteenth minute. Temile was fouled outside the box and from the resulting free-kick, Ryan Camenzuli's shot took a deflection by Sciberras and gave goalkeeper Zammit no chance. This was the second goal for the left-footed winger in four days.
After conceding the goal, Sliema were trying to play more direct football, with most of their long balls played on their centre-striker, Rafael Ledesma. However, they were failing to penetrate the third end, as once again Birkirkar's defence looked steady, and Sliema only threatened with a free-kick by Muir which ended over, past the half-hour mark.
The Stripes doubled the lead on the thirty-sixth minute. A well-delivered corner kick by Andelkovic saw Mazzetti's effort not cleared by the Sliema's rearguard, and Bubalovic had his header cleared off the goal-line but from the rebound, Temile drilled the ball home.
Birkirkara ended the first-half leading by two, thanks to a goal each by Ryan Camemzuli and Frank Temile.
The Second Half
Three minutes into the second half, the Stripes went close to increasing their lead. Plut served Ryan Camemzuli inside the box but the latter's shot ended wide, while on the fifty-fourth minute, Andelkovic served an excellent through-ball to Plut, but his shot ended wide.
Near the hour mark, the Stripes went close once again. Gareth Sciberras served Mujanovic on the right wing, with the latter controlling the ball before crossing into the path of Camenzuli, who hit his shot ending wide.
In Birkirkara's first substitution, on the sixty-third minute, Matthew Guillaumier replaced Edmond Agius, who once again had a very good match in midfield.
On the seventy-first minute, goalkeeper Miroslav Kopric did well to tip the ball into a corner kick, from a free-kick by Rafael Ledesma.
On the seventy-fifth minute, Christian Bubalovic was replaced by Cain Attard. Following this substitution, Zerafa moved to central back, while Camenzuli was deployed as a left-back. Attard was included as a right-back, and Mujanovic advanced on the wing. Temile switched to left wing.
In Birkirkara's third and final substitution, on the eighty-sixth minute, Vito Plut was replaced by Kurt Zammit. Zammit's inclusion had no tactical changes as he was included off Plut as a centre-forward.
Zammit was quickly involved in action, as one minute from time, after being served by Andelkovic, he had his close-range shot blocked by Zammit. A minute later, Gullaumier went wide with a shot from outside the box.
Referee Esther Azzopardi's full-time whistle found the Stripes notching their fourth consecutive win, and extending their string of positive performance. Scorer of the first goal, Ryan Camenzuli was named as the BOV Player of the Match.
BIRKIRKARA: Miroslav Kopric, Goran Mujanovic, Christian Bubalovic (75' Cain Attard), Mauricio Mazzetti, Joseph Zerafa, Gareth Sciberras, Edmond Agius (63' Matthew Guillaumier), Mislav Andelkovic, Frank Temile, Ryan Camenzuli, Vito Plut (86' Kurt Zammit).
SLIEMA: Glenn Zammit, Alex Muscat (84' Michelle Sansone), Mark Scerri (46' Benjamin Essel), Rafael Ledesma, Clifford Gatt Baldaccinho, Marko Potezica, Aidan Friggieri, Johann Bezzina, Kyle Hendry (34' Peter Xuereb), Gary Muir, Luke Dimech.
Referee: Esther Azzopardi.
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Sammy Attard.
Additional Assistant Referees: Marco Borg, Matthew Degabriele.
Fourth Official: Martin Borg.
Yellow Cards: 52' Christian Bubalovic (Birkirkara), 73' Benjamin Essel (Sliema Wanderers).
Scorers: 16' Ryan Camenzuli, 36' Frank Temile (Birkirkara).
BOV Player of the Match: Ryan Camenzuli (Birkirkara).
