Women's Team trounce Pembroke Athleta
by Ayrton Galea - 15th April 2015Birkirkara FC Women's Team consolidates their second place, while keeping the heat on leaders Hibernians, thanks to an outstanding 7-0 victory over Pembroke Athleta with an outstanding performance.
In a one-sided match, as the score indicates, the Stripes made sure of the three points in the first twenty-five minutes, as they were already leading by three.
Inspired by the impressive antics of Maryrose Cardona, who completed a hat-trick for the first-time in her career, the Stripes were left brimming with confidence, also thanks to two goals each from the forwards, Raina Giusti and Mariah Sciberras.
The Stripes were a depleted side. Kelly Agius Pace was suspended, while Stephania Farrugia, Rebecca Chircop, Kim Parnis were all missing. Alishia Sultana and Janice Xuereb were only fit to start on the substitutes' bench.
Coach Johann Scicluna gave the opportunity to Tara Attard and Charlene Schembri who began as side-backs. Fifty-year old starting goalkeeper Nina Dimech played the whole match and kept a cleansheet.
The First Half
The Stripes surged ahead on the thirteenth minute. Martina Cilia made a terrific run from midfield, and released Maryrose Cardona who poked the ball home from close-range, to put the Stripes ahead.
One became two just three minutes later. Raina Giusti, in a midfielder role for this match, surged forward and unleashed a powerful strike that went in the top left corner, past goalkeeper Rosemarie Baldaccinho.
Birkirkara continued to dominate and they went close to adding the third goal. Giusti made amends for her carelessness in the previous corner kick, as she delivered a brilliant second-post corner, and Gabriella Zahra saw her header parried with difficulty by Baldaccinho.
The Stripes made them three mid-way the first half. Giusti raced forward and her shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, but from the rebound, Mariah Sciberras fired home.
Pembroke had a rare scoring opportunity ten minutes from half time, when Amber Grech had a fine volley parried by goalkeeper Nina Dimech. Just moments later, the same player had a dangerous free-kick ending wide.
The Stripes replied five minutes from half-time. Giusti showed great vision to lob the ball over the defence, in the path of Mariah Sciberras, but the latter saw her effort ending inches wide, and the first half ended with the Stripes leading by three.
The Second Half
The Stripes continued where they left off, and they went close to adding the fourth goal moments after the start of the second half. Giusti made a powerful run but her left-footed shot was saved by the Pembroke goalkeeper.
Birkirkara made them four thanks to a wonderful goal five minutes into the second half. Melania Bajada's corner was short-cleared and the ball rolled to the path of Maryrose Cardona, who fired a tremendous volley that smashed against the upright and went in.
The Stripes looked unstoppable and four became five on the fifty-third minute. Giusti drifted inside the area, and her powerful shot hit hard past goalkeeper Baldaccinho to score her second personal goal and the fifth for Birkirkara.
The routine continued and the sixth goal arrived just five minutes later. A cross from the right found Mariah Sciberras who flicked the ball over a defender, and headed the ball to Maryrose Cardona who completed her hat-trick with a close-range effort.
Birkirkara went close to adding the seventh goal twenty minutes into the second half. Giusti served Sciberras inside the box and her in-swinging shot was saved by the Pembroke goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Giusti had a shot also saved by the goalkeeper.
On the seventieth minute, Gabriella Zahra supplied a brilliant through-ball in the path of Giusti, who advanced forward but fired over. In the next action, Charlene Schembri served Martina Cilia who saw her shot ending wide by inches.
Birkirkara continued to have more scoring opportunities and ten minutes from time, Giusti served Cilia who shot over from inside the box. Moments later, Cilia was in action once again, releasing Sciberras on the left before her shot was parried by the goalkeeper.
The Stripes made them seven two minutes from time. Cilia had a solo effort blocked by the goalkeeper, and Sciberras had an up-rising shot hitting past the Pembroke goalkeeper to also complete her brace for a final victory with a score of 7-0.
BIRKIRKARA: Nina Dimech, Charlene Schembri, Kirstie Vella, Yasmeen Vella, Tara Attard, Gabriella Zahra, Melania Bajada, Maryrose Cardona, Martina Cilia, Raina Giusti, Mariah Sciberras.
PEMBROKE: RoseMarie Baldacchino, Monique Sultana, Sarah Cassar Dymond, Justine Zammits, Amber Grech, Lorna Cassar, Rachel Mifsud, Sarah Caruana, Leanne Micallef, Ottilia Debattista, Annabelle Rapa.
Yellow Cards: 61' Gabriella Zahra.
Scorers: 13' Maryrose Cardona, 16' Raina Giusti, 23' Mariah Sciberras, 50' Maryrose Cardona, 53' Raina Giusti, 58' Maryrose Cardona, 88' Mariah Sciberras.
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