Under-19's Team beat Balzan with three goals in second half

by Ayrton Galea - 28th January 2017

Birkirkara FC Under-19's Team secured another three precious points in the Youths League Section A when thanks to a very satisfactory performance and a goal each by Gianluca Zammit, Andrew Abela and Zack Casssar, they defeated Balzan FC with a 3-0 score.

For the Stripes, this was their second consecutive victory after in the last match they had defeated Pembroke Athleta with an identical 3-0 score.

Following a balanced first-half, the match came into life in the second half. Goalkeeper Amara Sylla denied Balzan from surging ahead in the opening moments of the second half when he dived to his right to produce an excellent save from the spot, after Balzan they were awarded a penalty.

The Stripes surged ahead four minutes on the hour mark. A cross from the half-way line saw the goalkeeper rushing out of his position but failed to time the ball and the opportunistic Gianluca Zammit hit home from a very tight angle.

Birkirkara made them two on the seventieth minute. The Stripes stole possession from the Balzan's half-pitch and Andrew Abela produced an excellent solo-action that saw him dribbling past his marker and hit a fine strike past the goalkeeper on the second post.

Two became three just three minutes later. A well corner kick by Andrew Abela saw the Birkirkara captain Zack Cassar rising high to hit a powerful header hard past the goalkeeper to make sure of another three precious points.

Thanks to this victory, the Stripes consolidated their seventh place with fourteen points as they moved just three points over Hibernians and just one point under Balzan. Sliema Wanderers are leading the table with twenty-two points, two over Valletta, three over Pieta Hotspurs, five over Mosta, six over St. Andrew's and seven over the same Balzan.

Birkirkara will now be involved in the third round the Youths Knockout Competition when they take on Attard FC. The match will be played this Wednesday at the Centenary Stadium and it will kick off at 18:00.

BIRKIRKARA: Amara Sylla, Zack Cassar, Maverick Gatt, Fabien Lufi, Alessio Azzopardi (Nigel Bugeja), Jordan Sciberras, Neil Micallef, Andrew Abela, Nigel Borg (Nicholas Farrugia), Ryan Muscat (Liam Reno Gatt), Gianluca Zammit.

Yellow Cards: Fabien Lufi, Alessio Azzopardi.

Scorers: 64' Gianluca Zammit, 70' Andrew Abela, 73' Zack Cassar.

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