Disappointing Draw For Under 17s

by Jonathan Spiteri - 29th January 2013

Birkirkara Under 17s featured in a 2-2 draw against lowly side Melita at the Rabat Ajax Ground on Sunday, a result which mirrored the rather average performance from the Stripes. Although our boys never gave up and managed to salvage at least a point in the dying moments of the match, they could not impose themselves as many would have expected them to do. This game left the Stripes' clan disappointed, both with the result and, moreso, with the performance.

After the early exchanges, Birkirkara starting looking more adventurous and started to make in-roads through the Melita defensive lines. One of this attacks produced a free-kick from just outside the penalty area which Leon Zammit expertly driving the ball home giving his team the lead. The game could have been already put to bed midway through the first half, but some erratic finishing kept the team from St Julian's in the match. This encouraged them and began to take over the midfield area, pushing the YellowReds back and also creating a good number of scoring opportunities, but till the end of the first half the score remained 1-0.

Coach Marko Glumac was unhappy with what he saw despite the slender lead. He asked the boys to take control of the midfield as Melita were having the upper hand. What our opponents did manage to do during the first half, they did in the opening minutes of the second. The Melita striker was put through on goal and, with our defenders claiming he was in an offside position, he slotted the ball past Alistaire Micallef in the Stripes' goal to level matters for his side. This goal seems to have effected our lads as Melita were clearly the superior side during the central part of the second half. It was no surprise when they took the lead, even though this goal could have easily been avoided, but some hesitant defending allowed the ball to roll free and being tapped in by one of the opposing forwards.

It was now a make-or-break situation and the coach opted to remove a defender and insert another striker. Birkirkara pushed forward in a desperate search for an equaliser, but exposed themselved to some counter attacks, which luckily enough did not produce a third goal for Melita. Finally, captain Kurt Zammit found the equaliser with just a couple of minutes to go following a goalmouth scramble. The game was not over though as Alistaire Micallef was called into action to thwart one final dangerous attack and save the point earned.

Clearly unsatisfied with his team's performance overall, Mr Glumac still tried to see the glass as half full: “It was a tough game as Melita played very aggressively and were determined to get all points. If we had more patience and concentration in our passing and built up in attack we could have created more goalscoring opportunities. Taking all into consideration, we can be satisfied with the result”.

Birkirkara Under 17s will have to wait until Saturday 23rd February to play their next league match, which will see them facing leaders Hibernians at the Victor Tedesco Stadium at 15:00hrs.

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