Women's Team hits nine past Swieqi United FC
by Ayrton Galea - 15th October 2014
Birkirkara FC Women's Team raised the curtain on the BOV Women's First Division League with an emphatic victory, when in a match played yesterday evening at the Zebbug grounds, they trounced Swieqi United FC with a 9-1 score.
Birkirkara received a cold shower when they fell behind after just one minute, but they proved to be too strong for one of the two new-comers in the Women's First Division League as they scored five in the first half and another four in the second to register the first win, in style.
Melania Bajada, who joined our Club yesterday afternoon, had a dream debut by scoring two splendid goals thanks to a lob from distance and a direct free-kick while also providing an excellent through-ball for the second goal. The other goals for the Stripes were scored thanks to a brace each by Kim Parnis, Kelly Agius Pace and Raina Giusti, and a goal by Gabriella Zahra.
Mr. Johann Scicluna fielded a 4-1-4-1 formation. Veteran goalkeeper and captain on the day, Nina Dimech defended the posts. The central-backs featured Yasmeen Vella and Tara Attard with Alishia Sultana and Maryrose Cardona patrolling the side backs. Melania Bajada started as the defensive shield in front of the defence with Hanna Tegelmann and Gabriella Zahra as advanced midfielders. Martina Cilia and Kelly Agius Pace took up the wings with Kim Parnis as the only striker.
The First Half
Birkirkara started terribly as they were a goal down after just one minute. A through-ball from the back surprised the Birkirkara defence and Kristina Agius made the best of the defensive blunder by slotting past Nina Dimech.
The Stripes were stunned and shocked, and they took time to recover. They made their first reaction on the tenth minute. German midfielder Hanna Tegelmann received a fine pass and had a fierce strike ending just over the bar as they went close to equalising.
Birkirkara did not miss out on their next scoring attempt as they equalised on the eleventh minute. Alishia Sultana made an excellent run down the left flank before serving Kim Parnis that had her first attempt blocked by the goalkeeper Annmarie Debono, but from the rebound, the same player slotted home to level matters.
On the fifteenth minute, Kim Parnis went close to turning the score in Birkirkara's favour when she lobbed over the bar from an ideal position. Four minutes later, Maryrose Cardona saw her cross-shot ending wide as Parnis and Cilia failed to connect.
The team had settled down and their domination became evident. Birkirkara turned the score in their favour on the twenty-fourth minute. Melania Bajada supplied an excellent through-ball in direction of Kim Parnis who slotted home from close-range.
Swieqi had no time to react as just a minute later, Birkirkara made them three. Kelly Agius Pace beat the offside trap to race forward and concluded with a powerful shot.
Three became four on the twenty-eighth minute as the Stripes had now turned on the heat. Melania Bajada provided the first assist in her debut with our Club and she also managed to put her name on the scoring-sheet with a great lob from distance.
On the thirty-fifth minute, Hanna Tegelmann supplied an excellent through-ball in direction of Martina Cilia who advanced forward but saw her low shot turned into a corner kick. Just two minutes later, Cilia was in action once again by having another shot turned into a corner kick.
Birkirkara made them five two minutes from half-time. Gabriella took charge of a diagonal free-kick and her direct shot on goal surprised the Swieqi goalkeeper, who deflected the ball into her own net.
The end of the first half found Birkirkara recovering well and enjoying a four-goal advantage.
The Second Half
For the second half, the Birkirkara Coach was quick to utilise his first two substitutions. On the fiftieth minute, Raina Giusti replaced Kim Paris while Stephania Farrugia replaced Yasmeen Vella.
Swieqi tried to repeat what they managed to do in the first half, by trying to surprise the Stripes in the opening minutes by a shot from substitute Amy Gingell, which ended over Nina Dimech's post following a short clearance.
However, it was Birkirkara who increased the score in their next scoring opportunity on the fifty-sixth minute. Substitute Stephania Farrugia supplied a brilliant cross from the back in the path of Kelly Agius Pace, who hit past the Swieqi goalkeeper Debono for her second goal of the day.
Six became seven just six minutes later. Raina Giusti put her name on the scoring sheet when she hits a brilliant strike from the edge of the box past the helpless goalkeeper.
Twenty minutes inside the second half, Mr. Scicluna utilised all the remaining three substitutions. First, Charlene Schembri and Alexia Scicluna replaced Alishia Sultana and Tara Attard, and just a minute later, Kirstie Vella replaced Maryrose Cardona who had a very satisfactory performance.
Melania Bajada's debut had been as a dream one by scoring the first goal and providing the first assist, but the technical midfielder left her best for the seventy-fifth minute when Birkirkara made them eight. The former Gozo FC midfielder scored a brilliant direct free-kick to score her second personal goal on the day.
The Stripes rounded off their excellent performance with the ninth goal five minutes from time. Martina Cilia made some excellent footwork to advance on the left flank before serving Raina Giusti who hit past the Swieqi goalkeeper for her second personal goal.
Birkirkara will now face rivals Hibernians next Tuesday in their second match of the BOV Women's First Division League. The match will be played at the Centenary Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 20:00.
BIRKIRKARA: Nina Dimech, Alishia Sultana (65' Charlene Schembri), Yasmeen Vella (46' Stephania Farrugia), Tara Attard (65' Alexia Scicluna), Maryrose Cardona (66' Kirstie Vella), Melania Bajada, Gabriella Zahra, Hanna Tegelmann, Martina Cilia, Kelly Agius-Pace, Kim Parnis (46' Raina Giusti).
Scorers: 11' Kim Parnis, 24' Kim Parnis, 26' Kelly Agius Pace, 28' Melania Bajada, 45' Gabriella Zahra, 56' Kelly Agius Pace, 60' Raina Giusti, 75' Melania Bajada, 85' Raina Giusti (Birkirkara), 1' Kristina Agius (Swieqi United).
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