Under 16's girls outclass Raiders

by Ayrton Galea - 18th November 2013

Birkirkara Girls Under-16's Team registered their first victory in their league on Sunday morning. They outclassed Raiders in an entertaining nine-goal thriller with the Stripes emerging victorious with a score of 6-3.

The Stripes had a fine start in the match but the Raiders were quick to equalise. However, the Stripes showed great character to recover well and although Raiders narrowed the gap twice, they remained strong to collect the first three points of the season.

The whole squad had a positive game, but undoubtedly it was Mariah Sciberras' scoring skills that impressed those present, as the promising youngster scored no less than four goals. Raina Giusti netted a brace, and gave two assists to Sciberras that were concluded into goals.

The First Half

The Stripes made their intentions clear right from the start, as after just thirty seconds, they went ahead. Alishia Sultana had a fine surging-run on the right wing before her excellent low cross saw Mariah Sciberras beating goalkeeper Hanney Crossey.

The Stripes remained superior, and less than a minute passed before they had another scoring opportunity. Raina Giusti tried her luck with a low shot from outside the box which was parried by Crossey. Just moments later, the same player had a powerful shot from a diagonal position ending over.

Birkirkara's firing start in the match received a set-back on the sixth minute as Raiders equalized. Following re-grouping after the early goal, they increased their level and managed to convert their first dangerous opportunity in the match. Rodianne Zerafa made it inside the Birkirkara's box before her tight-angle shot managed to hit past goalkeeper Jennifer Galea for the equalizing goal.

However, the Stripes didn't lack concentration, as they picked-up themselves and were now all-out to regain their lead. On the seventh minute, Alishia Sultana had a fine-shot turned into a corner kick. From the resulting corner kick, Julia Micallef saw her shot from outside the box ending over.

With the Stripes applying constant pressure on their opponents, it was no surprise that they managed to regain the lead on the eleventh minute. Raina Giusti rounded a player before she advanced in an ideal position and placed the ball at the back of the net to put the Stripes ahead once again.

Birkirkara were quick to increase the lead as hardly minute later, they scored their third goal. Mariah Sciberras managed to find space in the box to hit a powerful strike which beat goalkeeper Crossey, to score her second personal goal.

Birkirkara increased the Raiders woes by adding the fourth goal just a minute later. Raina Giusti had an excellent solo action before advancing, and once again calmly placing the ball past goalkeeper Crossey.

With three goals up, the Stripes were now in a much more comfortable position and they continued to dictate the match. On the other hand, the Raiders, stunned with the three goals in the space of just three minutes failed to make any sort of reaction and they conceded another goal.

On the twentieth minute, the Stripes scored their fifth goal. Raina Giusti provided an excellent pass to Mariah Sciberras, who controlled the ball well before her powerful shot surprised the goalkeeper to complete her hat-trick.

With Raiders out of any ideas, they failed to make any sort of reaction and the end of the first twenty-five minutes saw the Stripes leading with a score of 5-1.

The Second Half

With the Raiders fearing humiliation, they tried to be more aggressive in the second half, and their efforts were rewarded after just two minutes. Rodianne Zerafa had a long-distance shot surprising goalkeeper Galea to narrow the gap.

The Stripes, still in a comfortable position by leading with three goals, continued to push forward. On the half-hour mark, Tara Attard had a fine shot from a diagonal position turned into a corner kick by the goalkeeper.

A minute later, the Stripes continued to attack and Julia Micallef had a fine long-distance shot drifting wide off the left post.

Birkirkara increased the lead with their sixth goal on the thirty-second minute. Raina Giusti served an unmarked Mariah Sciberras, who saw her first-timer beating the goalkeeper.

This was Mariah Sciberras' last action in the match, as in the first substitution, on the thirty-third minute, she was replaced with Mireille Bellizzi.

Mireille quickly left a good impression, as she could have increased the lead on the thirty-fifth minute. After she rounded the goalkeeper, the latter recovered well to block her attempt.

On the thirty-seventh minute, Maria Fenech replaced Alexia Galea, while ten minutes from the end, Julia Micallef was replaced with Sara Urpani.

Raiders had a good shot from the left ending wide without troubling goalkeeper Galea on the forty-first minute.

The Stripes could have scored the seventh goal on the forty-forth minute when Raina Giusti served substitute Sara Urpani who in turn served Mireille Bellizi but the latter failed to hit into an empty net.

Mr. Johann Scicluna made his last substitution on the forty-forth minute when he replaced Raina Giusti with Abigail Borg.

Birkirkara had another good opportunity on the forty-sixth minute when Alishia Sultana performed a solo-action which she concluded with a long-distance shot that ended wide off the left post.

Just before the final whistle, Raiders narrowed the gap. Rodianne Zerafa completed her hat-trick with a close-range effort after goalkeeper Jennifer Galea had blocked her attempt from inside the box.

The full-time whistle found Birkirkara registering their first victory in a convincing way before facing Hibernians in two weeks time.

BIRKIRKARA: Jennifer Galea, Alexia Galea (37' Maria Fenech), Julia Micallef (40' Sara Urpani), Tara Attard, Alishia Sultana, Mariah Sciberras (33' Mireille Bellizzi), Raina Giusti (44' Abigail Borg).

RAIDERS: Hanney Crossey, Andy Sammut Mizzi, Nicole Micallef, Rodianne Zerafa, Lara Micallef, Dawn Sammut, Jade Paget.

Scorers: 1' Mariah Sciberras, 11' Raina Giusti, 12' Mariah Sciberras, 13' Raina Giusti, 20' Mariah Sciberras, 32' Mariah Sciberras (Birkirkara), 6' Rodianne Zerafa, 27' Rodianne Zerafa, 50' Rodianne Zerafa (Raiders).

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