BOV Premier League - Birkirkara FC 0-1 Floriana FC

by Ayrton Galea - 24th August 2019

Birkirkara FC started the BOV Premier League campaign on the wrong foot, as despite hitting the post three times, they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Floriana FC.

A goal by Kristian Keqi on the half-hour mark was enough for the Greens who showed great resilience to defend their narrow lead and register the first three points of the season.

The Stripes left the National Stadium with heads held high as they hit the woodwork no less than three times while having another scoring chance cleared off the goal-line.

Coach John Buttigieg featured new signings Jeferson Ferreira, Enrico Pepe, Yannick Yankam, Caio Rocha, Isaac Ntow, Miguel Alba and Roderick Briffa in his starting-eleven selection, while Federico Falcone was included at the start of the second half.

The First Half

Both sides threatened early in the match as Diego Venancio for the Greens and Miguel Alba for the Stripes saw their shots from outside the box saved by the goalkeeper.

The Stripes were unlucky not to surge ahead on the fourteenth minute. Ntow made a dazzling run down the left flank before serving Alba who hit a thunderous strike that smashed against the upright.

The Greens threatened again in the nineteenth minute when a fierce long-distance free-kick was deflected by the wall and almost surprised goalkeeper Hogg, but the Birkirkara goalkeeper turned the ball into a corner.

Goalkeeper Andrew Hogg showed great reflexes to deny Jurgen Pisani's long-distance shot on the twenty-eighth minute, as he turned the ball into a corner kick by an excellent save.

However, the Birkirkara goalkeeper could do nothing from the resulting corner, as the Greens surged ahead. Venancio's corner found Keqi who hit a fine header that hit the upright and into the net.

The Stripes looked stunned, but they began to pile-up the pressure in the closing moments of the first half, as Alba hit high after served by Rocha.

Yannick Yankam could have done better four minutes from half-time when he received an inviting pass inside the box, but the former Qormi midfielder hit high from an ideal position.

Few moments before half-time, Vella hit a fierce shot from distance that ended wide by inches and Rocha's header ended wide by a whisker.

The Second Half

Have finished the first half strongly, Coach John Buttigieg affected his first substitution as he included latest signing Federico Falcone as he replaced Caio Rocha.

Falcone was included in his preferred centre-forward role together with Montebello as the Stripes were now transformed in a 4-4-2.

The Stripes created the first scoring chance of the second half after eight minutes. Ntow made another fine run on the left before serving Montebello who hit a powerful shot that ended over the bar.

Birkirkara continued to dictate matters and Falcone almost scored in his first scoring attempt as following a cross by Vella, his powerful header was cleared off the goal-line by Ruiz.

From the following action, a short clearance by the Floriana defence ended in the path of Briffa who hit a thunderous volley that was denied by the woodwork, following a deflection.

Birkirkara could not believe their luck, or the lack of it, as they were denied by the post again on the seventy-sixth minute as Falcone's cross-shit hit the crossbar before somehow the danger was cleared.

Ferreira's header off a corner by Vella ended over as the Stripes couldn't find a way to get something from this match to fall for the first defeat of the season.

Floriana's Kristian Keqi was named the BOV Player of the Match.

BIRKIRKARA: Andrew Hogg, Jeferson Ferreira, Enrico Pepe, Maurizio Vella, Luke Montebello, Yannick Yankam (84' Johann Bezzina), Roderick Briffa, Cain Attard, Caio Rocha (46' Federico Falcone), Miguel Alba (78' Matthew Guillaumier), Isaac Ntow.

FLORIANA: Ini Akpan, Enzo Ruiz, Diego Venancio, Kristian Keqi, Ulises Jose Arias (88' Clyde Borg), Brandon Diego Paiber (64' Edward Herrera), Jurgen Pisani, Matias Nicolas Garcia, Augusto Caseres (72' Tiago Adan Fonseca), Alexander Cini, Ryan Camenzuli.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Duncan Spencer.
Fourth Official: Darryl Agius.

Yellow Cards: 9' Roderick Briffa, 17' Yannick Yankam, 90+4' Jeferson De Sousa Ferreira (Birkirkara), 35' Ulises Jose Arias (Floriana).

Scorers: 30' Kristian Keqi (Floriana).

BOV Player of the Match: Kristian Keqi (Floriana).

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