Efficient Stripes makes them two in a row

by Ayrton Galea - 8th January 2017

Efficient Birkirkara FC scored two goals in the opening eighteen minutes to register the second win in a row in space of four days in the BOV Premier League. A goal each by Srdjan Dimitrov and Edward Herrera saw the Stripes defeating Pembroke Athleta with a 2-0 score.

Boosted by the mid-week victory over Mosta, the Stripes produced another very satisfactory performance when they dominated for long stretches. The Stripes could have won with a bigger score but failed to convert their big number of scoring opportunities in the second half.

The Stripes were once commanding in the attack. The likes of Plut, Malan and Dimitrov, who once again was voted the BOV Player of the Match, tormented the defence while the return of Edward Herrera also led for another improving performance.

Cain Attard and Joseph Zerafa looked tireless on the side-backs as they kept pushing forward till the final whistle while midfield duo Gareth Sciberras and Mislav Andelkovic once again produced a very high-key performance.

While Birkirkara were clinical in attack, they proved to be compact and strong in defence with the centre-back duo of Jovic and Vukanac leading the pack of the back who registered the second clean-sheet in a row.

Goalkeeper Henry Bonello was given the nod right from the start after joining our Club on Friday to keep his first clean-sheet in a one-way traffic contest where the towering goalkeeper had little to do. In the other change, Herrera replaced Frank Temile.

Thanks to this victory, the Stripes climbed to the fourth position joined with Valletta both with thirty-points, just two under third-placed Floriana. Balzan and Hibernians remain seven and six points clear respectively in the first two places.

The First Half

The Stripes made their intentions right from the start and it was no surprise that they surged ahead after just seven minutes. It was an excellent cross by Gareth Sciberras that saw Srdjan Dimitrov diving full stretch to hit a powerful flying header past Matthew Calleja Cremona.

Birkirkara continued to show better ideas and they doubled their lead on the eighteenth minute. It was a perfect cross from the right by Dimitrov that found Edward Herrera unmarked on the second post and the rapid winger hits a calm finish into the net.

The match continued to be one-sided and the Stripes threatened again past the half-hour mark with a fine shot from outside the box by Herrera, but his shot was well-saved by Calleja Cremona. Moments later, Jovic tried an eye-catching back-heel off a corner by Dimitrov but his effort ended wide.

The first half ended with the Stripes enjoying a comfortable 2-0 lead thanks two early goals by Srdjan Dimitrov and Edward Herrera.

The Second Half

The Stripes continued where they left in the first half, and they threatened to increase the lead eight minutes inside the second half with a direct free-kick of Dimitrov but his effort ended over. Moments later, a shot by Malan was saved by Calleja Cremona.

The Stripes could have made them three past the hour-mark but Plut fired over from a cross by Herrera. On the other side of the pitch, Shodiya stole possession of substitute Bonnici just moments later but failed to hit the target.

Birkirkara wasted another golden opportunity twenty minutes from time when Herrera beat the offside trap and sent a perfect low cross to Malan but the towering forward hit wide with only Calleja Cremona to beat.

Goalkeeper Henry Bonello was involved into action for the first time eighteen minutes from time when he did well to turn a diagonal shot into a corner kick. On the other side of the pitch, from a swift counter attack, another substitute, Matteo Desira Buttigieg had a shot blocked by Calleja Cremona.

Ten minutes from time, Dimitrov picked Plut inside the box who rounded the goalkeeper but his effort was cleared off the goal-line while five minutes from time, Plut found Dimitrov but the latter's shot went wide. Moments later, the Slovenian forward had a goal disallowed for an offside position.

BIRKIRKARA: Henry Bonello, Cain Attard, Nikola Vukanac, Predrag Jovic (58' Steven Bonnici), Joseph Zerafa, Gareth Sciberras, Mislav Andelkovic, Edward Herrera (59' Matteo Desira Buttigieg), Srdjan Dimitrov, Vito Plut, Gonzalo Malan (76' Matthew Guillaumier).

PEMBROKE: Matthew Calleja Cremona, Arber Dhrami, Sunday Eboh, Paltemio Barbetti, Zoran Levnaic, Owen Bugeja, Miguel Attard (78' Zachary Grech), Siraj Arab (59' Darren Falzon), Shola Shodiya, Maneuski Borche (59' Mariano Bernardo), Adrian Borg.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.
Assistant Referees: William Debattista, Chris Azzopardi.
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri.

Yellow Cards: 13' Srdjan Dimitrov (Birkirkara), 54' Miguel Attard, 80' Paltemio Barbetti.

Scorers: 7' Srdjan Dimitrov, 18' Edward Herrera (Birkirkara).

BOV Player of the Match: Srdjan Dimitrov (Birkirkara).

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