Late goals take Birkirkara to second place
by Ayrton Galea - 19th April 2015
Birkirkara FC returned to winning ways and climbed to the second place of the BOV Premier League, when they defeated Zebbug Rangers with a 3-1 score in a dramatic way, thanks to two goals in added time that saw them extending their unbeaten run to eighteen matches.
The Stripes seemed to be dropping two precious points, when ten minutes from time Mauricio Britto's goal cancelled out Matheus Bissi's goal in the first half. However, Birkirkara had different thoughts, as two goals at death by Ryan Camenzuli and Ellinton Morais handed them three precious points.
The goal of Morais was met by joy not just for sealing the issue, but also for the return of the Brazilian striker in the team's fold, as the team seemed transformed with his inclusion.
Coach Paul Zammit made four changes from the last match. Goalkeeper Mirza Hamzabegovic made his debut. Suspended duo Mazzetti and Zerafa were replaced by Bissi and Maachi, while the injured Shodiya was replaced by Ledesma. Ellinton Morais was back for the Stripes following a long-term injury.
The initial formation was 4-2-3-1, continually transforming to an offensive 4-3-3. Hamzabegovic defended the posts with Bissi and Vukanac forming the central backs, while Zach Muscat and Camenzuli started as side-backs. Rowen Muscat and Fenech were the defensive shield in front of the defence. Herrera and Maachi patrolled the wings with Scicluna roaming centrally behind forward Ledesma.
The First Half
The Stripes had the first scoring opportunity after nine minutes. Fenech served Ledesma who had a shot from outside the box saved by goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia. Zebbug replied three minutes later when Thomas Paris had a shot ending wide.
Paltemio Barbetti had a shot easily parried by Hamzabegovic on the twentieth minute, and a minute later the Birkirkara goalkeeper made another fine save on Mucchardi's shot from inside the box.
On the twenty-eighth minute Fenech speeded past Muchardi, but the Zebbug midfielder did well to recover and deflect Fenech's strike into a corner. Two minutes later, Ledesma served Maachi but his up-rising shot ended over following a fast transition.
The Stripes went close to taking the lead on the thirty-fifth minute, when off a second-post corner by Ledesma, Zach Muscat had a powerful header turning into another corner-kick by Farrugia. Muscat was in action once again as he tried to connect from close-range after Ledesma's free-kick was not parried by Farrugia.
Birkirkara broke the deadlock five minutes from half-time. Rafael Ledesma delivered a first-post corner that saw Matheus Bissi diving full stretch to hit a powerful header past goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia.
The end of the first half found the Stripes leading by one, thanks to Bissi's header.
The Second Half
The Stripes went close to double the score on the sixty-third minute, when Ledesma's corner kick was met by Vukanac, but goalkeeper Farrugia dived full stretch to clear the ball off the goal-line, despite the claims of a goal by the Birkirkara clan.
On the sixty-eighth minute, Herrera served Fenech who raced past his marker and unleashed a powerful strike that ended just over the bar. Two minutes later, substitute Zammit sent a low cross to Zach Muscat, who had his shot parried by Farrugia from an ideal position.
Fifteen minutes from time, it was the Zebbug goalkeeper who denied Birkirkara the second goal, when Ledesma served substitute Agius, whose in-swinging shot was turned into a corner by an excellent save of Farrugia. Two minutes later, Camenzuli had a powerful shot ending just over the bar, and just moments later Ledesma's attempt went wide a fierce strike.
Against the run of the play, Zebbug punished the Stripes for their second-half relaxed approach, as they equalised ten minutes from time. From a cross by Mucchardi from the left, Mauricio Britto's header gave no chance to goalkeeper Hamzabegovic.
Coach Paul Zammit was quick to put everything forward, as made his third and last change, as he inserted Ellinton Morais off Zach Muscat. Morais was deployed on the right flank while Herrera was deployed to right back.
Morais almost netted a goal in less than two minutes after entering the fray, but his header hit the foot of the post following an excellent cross by Ryan Camenzuli. On the other side of the pitch, goalkeeper Hamzabegovic was the protagonist when he denied Montebello, and from the rebound, Rashid Yussuff lobbed over.
The Stripes regained a dramatic lead three minutes on added time. Herrera's cross from the right found an unmarked Ryan Camenzuli on the second post before the left-footed player controlled and fired home.
The drama was not over yet, as the Stripes took possession from Zebbug's kick-off, and Ellinton Morais made a wonderful solo-action which he concluded with a shot smashing against the up-right and in the net, for a perfect return to playing after a long-time injury. Referee Andre Arciola whistled full-time straight after the goal.
Rafael Ledesma was voted as the BOV Player of the Match.
BIRKIRKARA: Mirza Hamzabegovic, Zach Muscat (81' Ellinton Morais), Matheus Bissi, Nikola Vukanac, Ryan Camenzuli, Rowen Muscat, Ryan Scicluna (58' Edmond Agius), Paul Fenech, Edward Herrera, Nassir Maachi (67' Kurt Zammit), Rafael Ledesma.
ZEBBUG: Jeffrey Farrugia, Mattias Mucchardi, Carlo Gordon Monti (79' Luke Montebello), Matthew Bartolo, Mauricio Osmar Rodrigues Britto (90' Kurt Zammit), Rashid Yussuff, Jacob Borg, Lee Galea, Paltemio Barbetti, Thomas Paris, Yessous Camilleri.
Referee: Andre Arciola
Assistant Referees: William Debattista, Paul Apap
Fourth Official: Marco Borg
Yellow Cards: Yessous Camilleri, Lee Galea (Zebbug)
Scorers: 40' Matheus Bissi, 90+3' Ryan Camenzuli, 90+4' Ellinton Morais (Birkirkara), 80' Mauricio Brittio (Zebbug)
BOV Player of the Match: Rafael Ledesma (Birkirkara).
comments powered by Disqus
