BOV Premier League - Floriana FC 0-1 Birkirkara FC

by Ayrton Galea - 13th January 2020

A wonderful goal by Federico Falcone handed Birkirkara FC the perfect start in the second round of the BOV Premier League as they defeated Floriana FC to end their unbeaten run.

Birkirkara continued to build on their run of three wins in the last four matches and they registered a major victory while inflicting the first defeat to the Greens after thirteen matches unbeaten.

It was a tight match that Floriana could see themselves unlucky for hitting the post no less than three times while goalkeeper Andrew Hogg provided a crucial save late in the match to ensure his second consecutive clean sheet.

Coach Andre Paus replaced the suspended Maurizio Vella with Roderick Briffa who was given the nod for his return in the Starting XI following fully recovering from an injury.

The First Half

The Stripes had a golden opportunity to open the score on the seventh minute.  Rocha unzipped the defence with a fine through-ball towards Falcone who in-front of Akpan, he was denied by a good save of the Floriana goalkeeper. 

Floriana made an instant reply and they were unlucky not to take the lead on the ninth minute. Diego Venancio hit a thunderous shot from distance that smashed against the upright with goalkeeper Andrew Hogg totally beaten.

The Greens had another scoring chance on the twentieth minute. Keqi served Paiber who tried his luck with a shot from outside the box but goalkeeper Hogg saved without much difficulty.

Floriana almost surged ahead with a bizarre goal when Birkirkara defender Carniello blocked Paiber's shot but the deflected hit the Floriana player and the ball hit the crossbar with the surprised Hogg beaten.

Just before the half time whistle, Falcone served Guillaumier who tried his luck with a shot from outside the box, but his effort ended over.

The Second Half

Birkirkara started the second half strongly and three minutes inside the second half, Isaac Ntow's shot from inside the box was denied by an excellent save of goalkeeper Ini Akpan.

The Greens created their first scoring chance of the second half after twenty minutes when Ryan Camenzuli delivered an excellent cross on the second post in the path of Enzo Ruiz, but his header was saved by goalkeeper Hogg.

Floriana wasted a glorious opportunity on the seventy-third minute. Substitute Jan Busutill made an excellent run forward before serving Fonseca who squared the ball inside the box to Keqi but the latter fired over in-front of Hogg.

The Stripes replied five minutes later when Falcone served Attard with a confident back-hell and Attard's shot was denied by another fine save of Akpan who turned the ball into a corner.

However, Akpan could do nothing to stop Birkirkara's goal in the eightieth minute. Yankam served Falcone who hit a powerful drive that stunned the Greens goalkeeper much to the delight of the Birkirkara clan.

Floriana almost pulled an instant equalising goal. Venancio delivered a curling free-kick on the second post and Keqi's bullet header smashed against the crossbar.

Goalkeeper Andrew Hogg was the protagonist to keep Birkirkara's lead as he produced an incredible save on Jan Busutill's shot from inside the box as the Stripes held strong to inflict the first defeat to the Greens.

Floriana's Brandon Paiber was voted the BOV Player of the Match

FLORIANA: Ini Akpan, Enzo Ruiz, Diego Venancio, Kristian Keqi, Jose Ulises Arias (84' Augusto Caseres), Brandon Diego Paiber (65' Jan Busutill), Jurgen Pisani, Matias Nicolas Garcia, Alexander Cini, Ryan Camenzuli, Tiago Adan Fonseca.

BIRKIRKARA: Andrew Hogg, Enrico Pepe, Matthew Guillaumier, Kurt Zammit, Yannick Yankam, Roderick Briffa, Federico Falcone, Cain Attard, Caio Rocha (76' Michael Mifsud), Oscar Matias Carniello, Isaac Ntow.

Yellow Cards: 16' Jurgen Pisani, 58' Brandon Paiber (Floriana), 83' Matthew Guillaumier (Birkirkara).

Scorers: 80' Federico Falcone (Birkirkara).

BOV Player of the Match: Brandon Paiber (Floriana).

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