Women's Team back to winning ways
by Ayrton Galea - 6th March 2014
Birkirkara Women's Team returned to winning ways, and started the third and final round of the BOV Women's First Division League by beating Pembroke Athletha FC with a comfortable 4-0 score.
Three goals inside the first twenty minutes paved the way for the Stripes. However, Pembroke showed great improvement to contain their opponents, by defending for long stretches in their own half, before Rachel Cuschieri sealed the issue with the fourth goal.
Mr. Johann Scicluna stuck to his mentality of never starting with the same first-eleven selection, and he made one change from the last match by having Tara Attard replace Maryrose Cardona.
The First Half
Birkirkara went out with all guns blazing, right from the start. Raina Giusti threatened for the first time with a strike from outside the box, which ended wide.
The Stripes made their intentions clear on the fifth minute, when they plunged ahead. Kim Parnis hit a bullet header from inside the box, following an excellent cross from the left.
With Pembroke still trying to find their feet, the Stripes were quick to double the lead. On the eighth minute. Kim Parnis received a good pass inside the box and hit slowly past goalkeeper Baldacchino. As the ball was rolling towards the net, Martina Cilia tapped home to put her name on the scoring sheet.
The early minutes proved to be a one-sided affair. On the twelfth minute, Birkirkara threatened again. Rachel Cuschieri had an excellent free-kick scratching past the post.
Stunned from two early goals, Pembroke tried to settle down but they could not match the Stripes aggressive character.
On the twentieth minute, Kirstie Vella played in Rachel Cuschieri down the right flank. Cuschieri dribbled her marker before racing inside the box and placed the ball behind goalkeeper Baldacchinho, to make the score 3-0 for the Stripes.
Goalkeeper Baldacchino had to be the protagonist four minutes later, when she had to come out and eliminate the danger, following an inviting pass to Rachel Cuschieri.
Midway though the first half, Pembroke had their first attempt on goal. Amber Grech had a long distance free-kick ending wide.
Birkirkara continued to press forward as three goals did not satiate them. Raina Giusti took possession inside the Pembroke's box but her low shot ending wide.
Just a minute later, Raina threatened more precisely, as this time she had a powerful low strike turned into a corner-kick by goalkeeper Baldacchino.
Despite forced to concede possession for long stretches, Pembroke were brave enough to build their first decent attack on the thirty-fifth minute, Sarah Caruana tried her luck with a shot from outside the box, but it was easily parried by goalkeeper Janice Xuereb.
The Stripes continued to be in a superior class to their opponents, and five minutes from half-time, they were close to adding the fourth goal. Rachel Cuschieri played an intelligent pass to Raina Giusti, who raced forward and her shot was turned into a corner kick from a diagonal position.
Martina Cilia was unlucky not to claim two goals to her name, when after being served by Cuschieri, she had her shot scratching past the post on the forty-third minute.
The first half saw the Stripes dominating for long stretches, and they headed to their dressing rooms with a comfortable score of 3-0.
The Second Half
For the start of the second half, Coach Mr. Johann Scicluna put Maryrose Cardona in the fray, and pulled Kim Parnis, who had suffered a knock in the first half.
The temp might have reduced in the opening minutes of the second half, but Birkirkara remained dominant . Rachel Cuschieri had a fierce volley ending wide in the opening moments.
Close to the hour mark, Birkirkara threatened to increase the lead. Martina Cilia served Raina Giusti who a fierce strike ending over.
Just a minute later, the Stripes continued to produce the best ideas. Rachel Cuschieri took a powerful free-kick, which was not grasped by goalkeeper Baldacchino, but the latter showed great reflexes to deny Rebecca Chircop from the rebound.
Mr. Johann Scicluna reshuffled his team on the sixty-third minute by making three changes. Raina Giusti, Alishia Sultana and Tara Attard were replaced by Kelly Agius Pace, Charlene Schembri and Chantal Fenech. These substitutions were affected with some tactical changes.
Birkirkara might have been lacking aspiration in the second half . On the seventieth minute, Amber Grech won possession off an erratic pass, and drifted forward but her shot ended wide.
The Stripes increased the lead and made them four on the seventy-third minute. Rachel Cuschieri had a solo-action which she concluded in style with a brilliant shot, which hit past the helpless substitute goalkeeper Nicole Mifsud.
Ten minutes from time, in a swift counter-attack, Rachel Cuschieri had an in-swinging shot ending wide.
On the other side of the pitch, Amber Grech, the most dangerous Pembroke player on the day, had a fine shot from distance neutralised thanks to a good save by goalkeeper Xuereb.
Youngster Naomi Mizzi made her debut in the BOV Women's First Division League when she replaced the tireless midfielder, Martina Cilia.
Birkirkara maintained their comfortable lead till the referee's final whistle to bounce back from the last defeat and start the third and final round commitments on a fine note.
BIRKIRKARA: Janice Xuereb, Kim Parnis (46' Maryrose Cardona), Stefania Farrugia, Rebecca Chircop, Rachel Cuschieri, Alishia Sultana (61' Kelly Agius Pace), Martina Cilia (84' Naomi Mizzi), Tara Attard (61'C hantal Fenech), Yasmeen Vella, Kirstie Vella, Raina Giusti (61' Charlene Schembri).
PEMBROKE: RoseMarie Baldacchino (60' Nicole Mifsud), Sarah Caruana (60' Rossella D'Antuono), Cassandra Camilleri (83' Justine Zammit), Annabelle Rapa (77'Rachel Mifsud), Sarah Cassar Dymond, Martha Sammut, Ilenia Navarro (56'Ottilia Debattista), Monique Sultana, Sonia Schembri, Amber Grech, Lorna Cassar.
Scorers: 5' Kim Parnis, 10' Martina Cilia, 20' Rachel Cuschieri, 73' Rachel Cuschieri.
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