Stripes beat Rabat to move to top spot
by Ayrton Galea - 25th November 2013
Birkirkara FC extended their winning streak to five matches when on Saturday afternoon they beat bottom placed Rabat Ajax by with a score of 4-2. Thanks to this victory, the Stripes are now joined leaders of the BOV Premier League with Hibernians.
In a match that kicked off the second round, the Stripes gave another fine performance with two goals in each half.
To make it sweeter for the Stripes, Hibernians conceded their first Premier League defeat. This means that Birkirkara levelled points with Hibernians at top spot of the BOV Premier League.
A brace each by Terence Vella and Paul Fenech saw the Stripes brushing aside a depleted Rabat Ajax, who were too weak on the day to take something from the match.
Mr. Paul Zammit once again kept his trust in the 4-3-3 formation. The Stripes were unable to field their best formation as they were without the services of Zach Muscat who was suspended, while Rowen Muscat and Shola Shodiya were ruled out injured. Gareth Sciberras, who is still not fully recovered from his injury, was named in the 18-man squad.
Nikola Vukanac found his way back in the first-eleven and he replaced a suspended Zach Muscat while Paul Fenech replaced Shola Shodiya.
Rabat also had a depleted side which added to their woes. They had no less than seven players missing. Their foreign trio of goalkeeper Pavle Velimirovic , Diego Camillo and Dani Peleaz were suspended. Shaun Gauci, Joseph Caruana, Jonathan Bajada and Adam Smeir were also missing for the Magpies.
The First Half
The Stripes kicked off the match with all guns blazing, and their aggressive character earned them a quick goal as they surged ahead in their first scoring opportunity. An inviting pass inside the box saw Terence Vella beating his marker, before Ivan Carapic floored the National striker inside the box, with Referee Kevin Azzopardi ordering the penalty. The same Vella took charge from the eleven meters and he sent the ball one side and goalkeeper Jonathan Azzopardi the other one, to put the Stripes in an early lead.
With the Stripes leading inside the first ten minutes, they enjoyed a complete edge over their opponents who looked short of ideas. On the sixteenth minute, Jhonnattann Benites served Frank Temile inside the box but the Nigerian striker saw his powerful shot ending over the bar from a diagonal position.
The Stripes should have doubled the lead but they lost a golden opportunity on the eighteenth minute. Edward Herrera sent an excellent low cross which was hit with a first-timer by Ryan Scicluna from a central position inside the box, but the ball ended too high.
Just a minute later, the Stripes had another scoring attempt when Ryan Scicluna served Jhonnattann Benites inside the box but the Brazilian player saw his shot blocked and cleared into safety.
The Stripes continued to dominate as their flowing football seemed to be too much for the Magpies to deal with. On the twenty-first minute, Paul Fenech and Jhonnattann Benites made an excellent interchange. Benites served Fenech who had his dangerous curling shot turned into a corner thanks to a fine save by goalkeeper Azzopardi.
The Magpies were finding it hard to maintain the Stripes' offensive football. They were defending in numbers while trying to play the counter-attack game based on the former Birkirkara player, Moises Avila Perez. However Moises seemed to be both isolated from the rest of his team and outnumbered by Birkirkara defenders, and was finding it impossible to create any danger.
Just past the half-hour mark, Frank Temile served Jhonnattann Benites, who delivered a first-post cross which saw Daniel Zerafa's central header being parried by goalkeeper Azzopardi.
The Stripes doubled their lead on the thirty-second minute thanks to a soft goal. Paul Fenech sent an angled cross-shot which surprised goalkeeper Jonathan Azzopardi, and he paid the sourest price for his blunder, as the ball finished at the back of the net.
Rabat were stunned further by this goal as they were still struggling to find their feet and they were still to test Justin Haber.
Birkirkara could have increased the lead five minutes from half-time. Frank Temile served Edward Herrera who delivered a first-post cross in direction of Paul Fenech who sent the ball in the path of Jhonnattann Benites, but the latter hit wide from close range.
With Benites' action being the last for the first half, referee Kevin Azzopardi brought to an end the first forty-five which saw the Stripes dominating from start to finish with two goals to nil to show for their superiority.
The Second Half
With Rabat Ajax failing to test Haber in the first half, they went out more aggressive in the second forty-five minutes as they were now being more adventurous inside Birkirkara's half pitch.
Three minutes in the second half, Moises Avila Perez had a fine shot from long distance well saved by an alert Justin Haber. The Spanish striker went close to narrowing the gap on the fiftieth minute when he had a powerful drive which was turned into a corner-kick by Haber.
The Stripes replied with a powerful shot by Paul Fenech from outside the box, which saw his effort ending over on the fifty-fourth minute.
The Stripes increased the lead on the fifty-fourth minute, and they removed any doubt where the three points were heading. Edward Herrera made one of his typical surging runs before he delivered an excellent short cross which found Terence Vella unmarked. Vella had no difficulty to place the ball at the back of the net to score his second personal goal and the third one for the Stripes.
With three goals up and the three points in the bag, Mr. Paul Zammit effected his first substitution on the fifty-eight minute as he withdrew Daniel Zerafa, while introducing the Senegalese striker, Demba Toure.
On the hour-mark, Rabat went close to pulling one back when Clifford Gauci had a fine free-kick from outside the box pushed into a corner by goalkeeper Justin Haber. Three minutes later, veteran player, Malcolm Licari had a shot from inside the box ending wide.
In Birkirkara's second substitution, Nigerian Frank Temile was replaced by Ryan Camenzuli on the sixty-eight minute.
Demba Toure was unlucky not to score Birkirkara's fourth goal on the sixty-sixth minute when he had a powerful close-range, but central shot, blocked by goalkeeper Jonathan Azzopardi.
Rabat managed to pull one back on the seventy-second minute. Clifford Gauci hit a powerful strike from distance, with the ball coming off Alejandro Mendoza, and this deflection surprised Haber.
However, the goal did not change the rhythm of the match in any way, as the Stripes remained the most offensive and adventurous side on the pitch.
Ryan Camenzuli had a low shot saved by goalkeeper Azzopardi on the seventy-seventh minute. Three minutes later, Terence Vella also had a low shot from outside the box parried by Azzopardi.
Six minutes from time, the Stripes regained their three-goal lead as they made them four. Demba Toure had a powerful close-range shot blocked by goalkeeper Azzopardi but Paul Fenech was in an ideal position. From the rebound his shot from a few metres away hit the net to also score his second personal goal.
Under 19's player Antoine Borg made his first Premier League appearance this season, as he was included as a substitute on the eighty-fifth minute when he replaced Terence Vella.
However the match was not over yet as there was still time for another goal. One minute from time, Rabat scored their second goal when off a corner kick by Clifford Gauci, Moises Avila Perez headed the ball in the direction of Aidan Azzopardi, who scored a brilliant goal by flicking the ball in style past Haber.
Referee's Kevin Azzopardi full-time whistle saw the Stripes chalking their fifth consecutive victory which confirms their brilliant moment in the BOV Premier League.
Scorer of a brace, Terence Vella was named the BOV Player of the Match.
BIRKIRKARA: Justin Haber, Edward Herrera, Nikola Vukanac, Alejandro Mendoza, Joseph Zerafa, Paul Fenech, Daniel Zerafa (58' Demba Toure), Ryan Scicluna, Frank Temile (64' Ryan Camenzuli), Jhonnattann Benites, Terence Vella (85' Antoine Borg).
RABAT: Jonathan Azzopardi, Zachary Tanti, David Azzopardi, Dylan Falzon (88' Kurt Muscat), Ivan Carapic, Clifford Gauci, Wayne Borg (89' Sacha Cortis), Patrick Borg (46' Wayne Micallef), Moises Avila Perez, Malcolm Licari, Aidan Azzopardi.
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Luke Portelli.
Fourth Official: Glenn Tonna.
Yellow Cards: 83' Ryan Camenzuli (Birkirkara), Wayne Borg, Moises Avila Perez, Zachary Tanti, Wayne Micallef (Rabat).
Scorers: 10' Terence Vella, 32' Paul Fenech, 54' Terence Vella, 84' Paul Fenech (Birkirkara), 72' Clifford Gauci, 89' Aidan Azzopardi (Rabat).
BOV Player of the Match: Terence Vella (Birkirkara).
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