Match Report: Birkirkara FC 5-0 Senglea Athletic FC
by Ayrton Galea - 28th January 2018
Five-star Birkirkara FC registered their sixth consecutive victory in the BOV Premier League and moved to the fourth place as hat-trick hero Srdjan Dimitrov inspired them for a comfortable 5-0 victory over Senglea Athletic FC.
Birkirkara continued to build on their impressive form as they registered their biggest league victory so far to climb to the fourth place. The Stripes built a comfortable two-goal lead in the first-half before adding another three goals in the second-half to add further gloss on the victory.
Srdjan Dimitrov who returned with our Club late in December stole the lime-light as the rapid-offensive player produced a superb performance rounded with a hat-trick while he was deservingly voted the BOV Player of the Match.
The sixth consecutive league victory puts them in the fourth-place, sharing this spot with Hibernians FC with thirty-one points. The Stripes overleaped Floriana with two points and they moved just two points Under Gzira United FC.
Forward Waldemar Acosta was given the nod to make his debut from the start as he replaced Bruno Andrade in one of the two changes from the last league's match. In the other change, Ryan Scicluna returned from a one-match suspension to replace the injured Neil Micallef.
Club's latest signing was also named in the line-up as he started on the substitutes' bench. Matthew Guillaumier was still ruled-out injured.
The First Half
Following a balanced start in the match, Senglea created the first scoring chance on the nineteenth minute. Terence Vella's curling free-kick from a diagonal angle was pushed away by the alert goalkeeper, Kristijan Naumovski.
Birkirkara went close on the twenty-second minute. Ryan Scicluna delivered an inch-perfect cross on the second post that found Jake Grech unmarked, but the latter's fierce effort ended just over the bar.
Senglea produced a fine scoring-opportunity close the half-hour mark. A vertical cross unzipped the defence but Augusto Caseres' shot hit the side-netting. Moments later, a direct free-kick by Braba Gregori ended over.
The Stripes broke the dead-lock on the thirty-sixth minute. Scicluna was the provider again, as he delivered another accurate cross inside the box and Srdjan Dimitrov hit the ball first-time brilliantly that left goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia no chance.
Boosted by the opening goal, the Stripes stepped-up their level and doubled their lead just one minute before half-time. Scicluna was tackled inside the box by Steven Bonnici and the referee ordered the penalty. From the spot, Jake Grech made no mistake with a low shot.
The Second Half
The Stripes were quick to put their minds at rest with the third goal just after two minutes. Grech provided Dimitrov with a fine through-ball and the latter easily placed the ball past goalkeeper Farrugia.
Birkirkara were now all over their opponents. They had the ball at the back of the net again but Grech's shot was disallowed for an offside position. Dimitrov was then denied twice as first his shot ended wide by inches and then saw his close-range strike blocked by Farrugia.
More woes for Senglea followed as Birkirkara's lead became four on the sixty-fourth minute. Edward Herrera's curling cross saw Sergio Uyi deflecting the ball to surprise goalkeeper Farrugia for an unfortunate own goal.
Latest signing Terence Agius was included as Birkirkara's first substitute twenty minutes inside the second half as he replaced Herrera. Agius was included in midfield as Scicluna was deployed as right-back.
Dimitrov completed his hat-trick on the seventy-second minute. Andelkovic showed his vision by supplying an inch-perfect through-ball towards to on-running Serbian forward and the latter calmly hit a low shot past Farrugia.
Late in the match, the other two substitutes Ayrton Attard and Gianluca Zammit connected well, with Attard serving Zammit but the latter's shot ended wide by a whisker. Zammit then did fine work on the right but his low-shot was saved by Farrugia.
Scorer of a hat-trick, Srdjan Dimitrov was voted the BOV Player of the Match.
BIRKIRKARA: Kristijan Naumovski, Nikola Vukanac, Fernando Barbosa, Mislav Andelkovic, Srdjan Dimitrov, Carlos Alberto (68' Gianluca Zammit), Waldemar Acosta, Jake Grech (79' Ayrton Attard), Edward Herrera (65' Terence Agius), Kurt Zammit, Ryan Scicluna.
SENGLEA ATHLETIC: Matthew Farrugia, Randal Vella, Steven Bonnici, Sergio Uyi, Jonathan Bondin, Matias Garzia, Hubert Vella (48' Josuel Spiteri), Terence Vella (62' Nicola Palmieri), Augusto Caseres, Braga Gregori (68' Jurgen Suda).
Referee: Etienne Mangion.
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Theodore Zammit
Fourth Official: Ismael Barbara.
Yellow Cards: Edward Herrera, Ian Azzopardi, Josuel Spiteri.
Scorers: 36' Srdjan Dimitrov, 44' Jake Grech, 47' Srdjan Dimitrov, 64' Own Goal, 72' Srdjan Dimitrov.
BOV Player of the Match: Srdjan Dimitrov (Birkirkara).
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