Stripes hold Siroki to a draw

by Ayrton Galea - 2nd July 2016

Birkirkara FC achieved a positive result in the first leg of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. They played their hearts out to register a very satisfactory 1-1 draw against NK Siroki Brijog in the away leg, to leave the Stripes the qualification in their own hands in the return leg next Tuesday.

It was a goal by the up-and-coming Cain Attard, who was making his UEFA debut in his career, which put the Stripes ahead on the fifteenth minute but a goal just before half-time for Siroki scored by Ivan Barbaran left nothing to separate between the two teams after the first leg.

While Siroki piled-up the pressure in the second half, certainly that it was the Stripes who left the stadium standing tall as their determined performance by playing their hearts out stole the lime-light in the match as they left with a positive draw to show for their efforts.

Besides Attard, who had a brilliant match, it was also the debut of the Serbian duo Predrag Jovic and Srdjan Dimitrov who was handed a first-eleven start while Matthew Guillaumier, aged just 18, was included in the second-half. Matteo Desira Buttigieg and Andreas Vella weren't included both it was the first time for both promising youngsters who formed part of a squad in UEFA Competitions.

Head Coach Mr. Drazen Besek fielded a 4-1-4-1 formation. Kopric defended the posts, Bubalovic and Jovic formed the centre-backs while Attard and Zerafa started on the side-backs. Marcelina started as the defensive shield in-front of the defence supporting the more advanced midfield duo of Scicluna and Sciberras. Dimitrov and Camenzuli patrolled the wings while Plut started in attack.

The First Half

Siroki started strongly and they were unlucky not to surge ahead after just two minutes. It was a fast break-away that caught the defence on the wrong foot, when Ivan Baraban sent a through-ball to Dino Coric who had his shot hitting the up-right before Sciberras cleared into safety.

They remained superior and they went close once again on the ninth minute. The defence failed to clear the ball from inside the box and the ball landed at the path of Ivan Baraban who unmarked inside the box fired over.

The Stripes began to settle. The continuous pressing of Sciberras saw him winning the ball outside the box and quickly put Plut all-alone against the goalkeeper who showed fine technique to put the goalkeeper at one side and placing the ball at the other, but was unlucky to be denied by the foot of the post.

Birkirkara surged ahead just a minute later. Srdjan Dimitrov delivered an excellent accurate corner kick on the second post that saw Cain Attard losing his marker to sprint inside the box and hit a wonderful first-time effort past goalkeeper Antonio Soldo.

The goal was what the Stripes needed to step-up their match. Siroki tried an instant reaction but Birkirkara held strong as now the defence led by the strong Bubalovic and Jovic was steadier while up-front, Plut was holding the ball very well as the towering striker remained a continuous threat for the opposition defence.

Siroki went close on making the score level on the thirty-seventh minute but it was the alert Predrag Jovic who cleared the ball off the goal-line following a fine header inside the box. On the other side of the pitch, the Stripes replied by a volley ending over two minutes from time by Ryan Camenzuli.

Siroki made the score level just before the half-time whistle. Stipo Markovic delivered a low cross from the left side which was slightly deflected and the ball reached Ivan Baraban who hit past Kopric from inside the box.

The Second Half

Siroki, who made their intentions clear of reinforcing their attack at the start of the second half when they included last season's top scorer Wagner Lago instead of Josip Corluka, had the first opportunity of the second half after minutes but a shot from Boris Pandza ended over the bar.

Birkirkara produced a fine action where they could have re-taken the lead just past the hour mark. Technical winger Srdjan Dimitrov made an excellent run down the left flank before serving Ryan Scicluna who hit a powerful drive which was turned into a corner kick by goalkeeper Soldo.

As time passed and twenty minutes to go, Mr. Besek changed to a five-man at the back, few moments after including Matthew Guillaumier off the already booked Joseph Zerafa. Marcelina was deployed as centre-back as Guillaumier was included as front of the defence while substitute Bajada, who came eleven minutes inside the second half off Camenzuli, was deployed as a left-back.

Miroslav Kopric had to make himself big to keep the score level fifteen minutes from time. Ivan Kristanovic drifted inside the box and served the unmarked inside the box Ivan Crnov but Kopric blocked his attempt into a corner kick.

Siroki were denied by an excellent save of Kopric just two minutes later as the Birkirkara goalkeeper pulled another excellent save to deny a shot from inside the box by Ivan Crnov, much to the frustration of the clan as they couldn't find the way to get past Kopric.

The resilience seemed to be broken three minutes from time when on the eighty-seventh minute, Wagner hit a bullet-header off a cross from the left but it was the Birkirkara goalkeeper who once again showed his excellent reflexes by diving full stretch to block his attempt.

The full-time whistle found the Stripes rewarded for playing their hearts out as the result remained unchanged and will be carrying a positive result for the home-leg where a goal-less draw would be enough to qualify.

BIRKIRKARA: Miroslav Kopric, Cain Attard, Christian Bubalovic, Predrag Jovic, Joseph Zerafa (63' Matthew Guillaumier), Emerson Marcelina, Gareth Sciberras, Ryan Scicluna (76' Edison Bilbao), Srdjan Dimitrov, Ryan Camenzuli (56' Shaun Bajada), Vito Plut.

SIROK BRIJEG: Antonio Soldo, Boris Pandza, Dino Coric, Ivan Krstanovic, Jure Ivankovic (70' Zoran Plazonic), Ivan Baraban (85' Luka Menalo), Josip Corluka (46' Wagner Lago), Ivan Sesar, Slavko Brekalo, Ivan Crnov, Stipo Markovic.

Referee: Sandro Scharer (SUI).
Assistant Referees: Raffael Zeder, Jan Kobeli (SUI).
Fourth Official: Sebastien Pache (SUI).

Yellow Cards: 38' Joseph Zerafa, 80' Cain Attard, 83' Shaun Bajada (Birkirkara) 42' Ivan Baraban, 59' Stipo Markosvic (Siroki).

Scorers: 15' Cain Attard (Birkirkara), 45' Ivan Baraban (Siroki).

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