Extraordinary comeback by Birkirkara

by Matthaeus Grasso - 26th April 2010

In an unbeilavable match, Birkirkara managed to come back from 4-1 down to emerge 5-4 victorious over reigning champions Hibernians.

In the opening minutes, it seemed as if our team was about to have a run-out, as time and time again the opposing defense was being bombarded by our attacking department. The first goal of this breath taking match, arrived after ten minutes, as Gozitan Shaun Bajada served Michael Galea, who controlled the ball before slotting it low to beat Mario Muscat.

Seconds later, with 'the Stripes' still in delirium, Trevor Cilia's low shot gave the illusion of another goal, as the ball skimmed just wide.

Five minutes later, a cross from the right for Hibernians found Jean Paul Farrugia, who headed the ball home before gesturing towards the Birkirkara supporters, a move that sparked anger throughout the Birkirkara side of the enclosure.

With our opponents starting to gain momentum, Mora had to perform an important save on Caruana, with the latter hitting a wonderful strike from outside the area in the game's 21st minute to shock the Birkirkara supporters and put the reigning champions ahead.

Following a big mix-up and lack of communication between Nikola Vukanac and Branko Nisevic, Paola's Edward Herrara took control of the ball and ran a couple of metres with it, before calmly chipping it over Mora to make it 3-1. The numerous Birkirkara supporters were still wondering what the hell was going on the pitch, and how the game had suddenly became literally one-sided, when the fourth goal for Hibernians arrived as Camilleri served Caruana, whose header flew into the net.

This goal was the breaking point for a number of supporters in our side, as they started to show their disapproval to what was happening and at the same time encouraging the players to start playing in the manner that they have played in, during the whole season.

A few moments before the half-time interval, Sylvano Comvalius took control of the ball in the Hibs penalty area, before smashing home an unstoppable drive. Seconds after the restart, Michael Galea was served in the box, and with a fine header brought the best out of Mario Muscat, as the ex-Malta international tipped the ball against the crossbar.

The half-time whistle found Birkirkara chasing the match with a two goal deficit, as the scoreboard at the Ta'Qali National Stadium read 4-2.

As early as a minute from the start of the second part of the game, Birkirkara were awarded a corner from the right hand side. Up stepped Shaun Bajada, whose shot took no deflections and sailed into the net. Faces of hope and determination were now starting to appear all around the encloseur, as the team was back in contention to gain the all-important three points.

The equalizing goal arrived on fifty-four minutes, as Comvalius affected a superb cross towards our captain Michael Galea, whose diving header gave the opponents no chance. 4-4.

On sixty four minutes, there were huge celebrations going on in one side of the encloseur, and total anger on the other, as the Valletta supporters who came for the match hoping for a slip-up by Birikirkara, were amazed by a Trevor Cilia thunderbolt that could have easily thorn the net apart. Birkirkara were now astonishingly back in the lead!

'The Stripes' now opted for a slow style of play as they were happy to retain possession to minimize the threat of the opponents' deadly strikers.

Five could have become six, when scorer turned into a provider, as Trevor Cilia floated in a wonderful cross towards Rowen Muscat's head, with the latter being a whisker away from scoring his first goal in the BOV Premier League.

Efforts by Hibernians' attackers in the last period of the match proved to be useless, as Birkirkara held on to a priceless victory which leaves our side just three points away from becoming the new kings of Maltese football.

Come on boys!

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