Women's Team beat Pembroke to extend winning streak
by Ayrton Galea - 14th January 2015
Birkirkara FC Women's Team ended the first-round commitments by taking maximum points from the first ten matches of the BOV Women's League, when in the last match of the first round, a brace by Raina Giusti inspired the Stripes to a 2-0 victory over Pembroke Atletha .
In a frustrating evening that saw the Stripes dominating for long stretches but unable to pierce Pembroke's defence, Raina Giusti goal in each half paved the way for the Stripes to extend their winning streak to ten matches.
Coach Johann Scicluna was forced to make line-up changes from the 5-0 win over Kirkop United. Struggling with flu, Janice Xuereb was not declared fit to play, and Nina Dimech took her place to defend the post. Rebecca Chircop had a light injury, and Tara Attard recovered on time to replace her.
The 4-1-3-2 formation had Yasmeen Vella and Tara Attard as central-backs supported by Maryrose Cardona and Kirstie Vella, who patrolled the side-backs. Melania Bajada was deployed in front of the defence, with the midfield trio of Gabriella Zahra, Kim Parnis and Stephania Farrugia. The forward line featured the tried and trusted duo of Alishia Sultana and Raina Giusti.
The First Half
The Stripes threatened twice in the early stages. First, a shot by Raina Giusti was saved by goalkeeper Baldaccinho, and hardly a minute later, Giusti served Stephania Farrugia whose shot missed the target.
In a fast counter-attack for Pembroke, Leanne Mifsud advanced well, but Yasmeen Vella made an excellent recovery to deny the Pembroke striker, and goalkeeper Nina Dimech saved the effort. On the tenth minute, Amber Grech had a direct free-kick ending over.
The Stripes seemed to have been struggling as they lacked inspiration. However, they went close on the fourteenth minute, when Maryrose Cardona served Gabriella Zahra who had her shot turned into a corner kick by a fine save of Baldaccinho.
The Stripes, increased their efforts, and they surged ahead on the twentieth minute. A corner-kick by Melania Bajada saw Stephania Farrugia rising high to distract goalkeeper Baldaccinho, and Raina Giusti headed home from close-range.
On the twenty-seventh minute, Stephania Farrugia and Raina Giusti exchanged possession with Giusti serving Farrugia, whose low strike from outside the box scratched past the post.
Five minutes from half-time, Maryrose Cardona sent through Alishia Sultana, who dribbled past a defender, but the Pembroke goalkeeper showed great reflexes to deny Sultana from attempting the shot.
In a similar action, Raina Giusti once again sent Sultana through, but once again the alert Pembroke goalkeeper denied her with an excellent save from a close-range effort.
The Stripes thought they doubled the lead just before the half-time whistle. Gabriella Zahra's free-kick effort was not caught Baldaccinho and Kim Parnis connected from the rebound, however, the goal was disallowed for an offside position.
The half-time whistle found the Stripes heading to their dressing room leading thanks to Raina's strike mid-way the first half.
The Second Half
Coach Johann Scicluna ordered the first substitution at the start of the second half and Tara Attard was replaced by Kelly Agius. The change led to some tactical adjustments as Agius was inserted in the forward line, while the defence was re-shaped to three defenders.
Three minutes into the second half, Gabriella Zahra showed great vision to serve Maryrose Cardona, who saw her strike turned into a corner and two minutes later the same player had a fierce strike ending over.
The Stripes continued to dictate matters. Raina Giusti served Kelly Agius Pace who had a diagonal strike scratching past the post, while ten minutes into the second half, Zahra had a shot saved by Baldaccinho.
Coach Scicluna made the second substitution on the hour mark when he withdrew Maryrose Cardona to include youngster Mariah Sciberras, and five minutes later Rebecca Chircop replaced Kirstie Vella.
Twenty minutes from time, Amber Grech tried her luck but her direct free-kick from a dangerous position ended over. Birkirkara replied with a solo-action by Giusti, who saw her shot turned into a corner kick.
Melania Bajada had a direct free-kick for the Stripes parried by the Pembroke goalkeeper on the seventy-eighth minutes. Five minutes later, in another scoring opportunity for the Stripes, Kim Parnis had a shot ending over.
On the ninetieth minute mark, the Stripes suffered a set-back. Alishia Sultana was involved in a verbal argument and the referee adjudicated that Sultana had attempted to elbow her opponent and sent her off with a direct red card.
The sending off of Sultana fuelled the furious Birkirkara players to increase their efforts, and they doubled the score three minutes on added time. Gabriella Zahra sent a thunderous shot that rattled the crossbar, and from the rebound, Giusti struck the ball to end at the top corner, past the helpless Baldaccinho.
The referee's full-time whistle found the Stripes overcoming another tough task to extend their winning streak to ten matches. Fixtures, dates and venues for the upcoming second and third round will be announced this week.
BIRKIRKARA: Nina Dimech, Maryrose Cardona (60' Mariah Sciberras), Tara Attard (46' Kelly Agius Pace), Yasmeen Vella, Kirstie Vella (65' Rebecca Chircop), Melania Bajada, Stephania Farrugia, Kim Parnis, Gabriella Zahra, Alishia Sultana, Raina Giusti.
PEMBROKE: RoseMarie Baldaccinho, Justine Zammit, Sarah Cassar Dymond, Monique Sultana, Lorna Cassar, Rachel Mifsud, Sonia Schembri, Ottila Debattista, Amber Grech, Sarah Caruana, Leanne Micallef.
Yellow Cards: 90' Yasmeen Vella.
Red Cards: 90' Alishia Sultana.
Scorers: 20, 90+3' Raina Giusti.
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