Marsaxlokk sounded a warning yesterday as they inflicted a humiliating defeat over champions Birkirkara, with Alfred Effiong their main executor, scoring four of the five goals.
Marsaxlokk were better poised in midfield and when they started to employ their sophisticated passing game which allowed Effiong to terrorise Birkirkara’s limbering defence, there was only one outcome.
Birkirkara were bereft of their two injured players Shaun Bajada and Rowen Muscat and coach Paul Zammit had to reshuffle his line-up, putting Joseph Zerafa as left back and Simon Zahra starting in midfield.
But that was little excuse for the champions, whose unbalanced defence, susceptible to the unusual, and an unimaginative midfield left them almost always second best to their opponents.
Marsaxlokk also had an important absentee – Gareth Sciberras, replaced by Peter Pullicino in midfield. Julio Alcorse again started on the bench.
In a tepid first half, Marsaxlokk caused the Bikrirkara rearguard some anxious moments through the runs of Kokavessis and Effiong, set up by their teammates Templeman, Pullicino and Guerreiro from midfield.
A Guerreiro effort on a Templeman cross was blocked and when Pullicino set Kokavessis going on the right, he was stopped by Zerafa’s timely tackle.
Birkirkara took long to put an imprint on the match. Past the quarter hour, Vella’s shot took a wicked deflection off Galabov into a corner.
On 22 minutes, Vukanac headed Cilia’s cross wide.
The deadlock was broken past the half hour. Alfred Effiong outpaced Vukanac, headed the ball down past the onrushing keeper Bartolo before depositing the ball into an unattended goal.
It was about time Birkirkara rolled up their sleeves. In a goalmouth scramble in front of the Marsaxlokk goal, Vella had the ball in his path but keeper Gauci was quick to block at his feet.
On 40 minutes, Birkirkara equalized, albeit in a fortuitous manner. A harmless Terence Vella low shot took a deflection and left keeper Gauci hooked to his line.
But Marsaxlokk regained the lead on the stroke of halftime with a goal of perfect execution. The Marsaxlokk keeper kicked the ball upfield, for Effiong to chest, beat his marker Vukanac and as his first shot was blocked by Harding, Effiong grounded the keeper with some neat footwork before shooting in.
Marsaxlokk were galvanized with another goal within two minutes of the second half which gave them a two-goal cushion. Templeman laid a good through ball in Dylan Kokavessis’ path to blast it in from close range.
Birkirkara’s defence was again caught on the hop on 56 minutes. Harding failed to cut Guerreiro’s long splitting pass from midfield and Alfred Effiong darted in open space to beat keeper Bartolo with a defiant strike with his outstep.
Birkirkara put in Pulo for Harding, playing with three men at the back. They even reduced the arrears past the hour with a long range Paul Fenech drive form outside the area that beat keeper Gauci.
Birkirkara went close again when Pulo was put through but the keeper palmed the ball out. Vella missed the target on a Cilia deep cross.
But as the Stripes left gaps at the back, Guerreiro set Alfred Effiong with a through pass on 75 minute. The Nigerian striker went past Buhagiar with alarming ease and sent the ball trickling over the line out of the helpless keeper’s reach.
The final ten minutes were played under heavy downpour that made playing conditions difficult but the match’s fate had long been sealed.
Birkirkara
M. Bartolo, S. Zahra (T. Paris), R. Harding (K. Pulo), N. Vukanac, T. Vella, T. Cilia, J. Zerafa, P. Fenech, A. Buhagiar, M. Galea, E. Lattes
Coach
P. Zammit
Marsaxlokk
R. Gauci, C. Mamo, M. Deanov (S. Eboh), P. Pullicino, M. Licari (J. Alcorse), A. Effiong, R. Galabov, T. Templeman, D. Kokavessis (G. Caruana), R. Guerreiro, C. Brincat
Coach
P. Curmi
Referee
P. Caruana
Asst.refs
A. Camilleri, S. Attard
4th official
M. Apap
Scorers
A. Effiong 31, 45, 56, 75, T.Vella 40, D. Kokavessis 47, P. Fenech 62
Yellow cards
T. Templeman, R. Harding
Player of the match: A. Effiong (Marsaxlokk)
TMI top 3 1. A. Effiong 2. T. Templeman 3. J. Zerafa
Attendance
1847