Women Under-17's Team grab a dramatic draw

by Ayrton Galea - 6th November 2016

Birkirkara FC Women Under-17's Team, who were forced to play the last minutes with a player less following a harsh sending off, scored a last-gasp goal by Michela Felice to gain a well-deserved point in an entertaining 2-2 draw against Mgarr United FC.

In the match of the week in the Under-17's League, Birkirkara and Mgarr United, who both had registered the perfect start with three wins in a row, shared the spoils in an entertaining match. The Stripes surged ahead after just one minute before Mgarr turned the score in their favour in the second-half. When the Greens looked that they have made it, the Stripes scored in the very last seconds to take a well-deserved point.

The First Half

The Stripes registered the perfect start by taking the lead after just sixty seconds. Veronique Mifsud profited from a loose ball outside the box and from a diagonal position, the technical playmaker hit a wonderful volley in the net.

Mgarr United reacted and they quickly restored the equilibrium on the eighth minute. It was very well-taken direct free-kick from distance by Maya Debono that landed in the far left corner giving no chance to goalkeeper Anthea Enriquez.

Goalkeeper Enriquez then made herself big to deny Mgarr with a clear scoring opportunity while one minute later, Samantha Zarb burst inside the box following showing fine technique but her shot was saved by goalkeeper Patricia Ebejer.

The Second Half

The match remained tight at the break but on the fiftieth minute, the Stripes created a fine chance when Samantha Zarb dribbled past two players and dashed inside the box but failed to hit the target with Ebejer only to beat. Six minutes later, a direct free-kick by Mifsud was saved by the Mgarr goalkeeper.

The direct long-balls from the back to Kylie Pantalleresco was giving a headache to the Birkirkara defenders and the Mgarr forward put her team ahead with ten minutes to go. Following a long-ball from the back, the Mgarr forward profited between a lack of communication at the back and lobbed the ball over Enriquez.

Birkirkara's woes increased five minutes later when Pantalleresco went down to the challenge of Maria Fenech just past the half-way pitch and the referee ordered the foul and sent off the Birkirkara defender in a harsh decision.

The Stripes looked down and out despite putting everything forward but they got a dramatic equaliser in the last-gasp action of the match with Michela Felice controlling the ball and hit a low curling drive to give her team a well-deserved point.

BIRKIRKARA: Anthea Enriquez, Sarah Cassar, Maria Fenech, Mariah Cardona, Jessica Farrugia Cross (42' Kaycee Micallef), Samantha Zarb, Sarah Urpani, Veronique Mifsud, Michela Felice.

Red Cards: 65' Maria Fenech.

Scorers: 1' Veronique Mifsud, 70' Michela Felice (Birkirkara), 8' Maia Debono, 80' Kylie Pantalleresco (Mgarr United).

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