Birkirkara 1

Qormi 4

After staying away from club football for almost nine months, costly signing Michael Mifsud returned to the Premier League to score a hat-trick for his new team Qormi, ripping Birkirkara apart with all his tenacity and clinical finishing.

He immediately opened his account with two goals within three minutes towards the quarter hour and added another in the second half. He tapped in his first from close range after darting in well for Bello-Osagie’s testing cross from the right, concluding a choral move started by Joseph Farrugia.

And on 17 minutes Mifsud picked an erratic defensive clearance, played one-two with Osagie inside the area and after grounding keeper Fraser, he slotted the ball into an unattended net.

Qormi’s fans were in raptures and with a three-pronged offensive set up, also including Souza, many might have even thought of a goal deluge at that point.

But with Bartolo, Frendo and Chetcuti all sitting on the bench, Qormi’s midfield at times was outplayed by their opponents.

In fact, on 23 minutes, Birkirkara pulled one back as Lattes ran down the left flank on Pulo’s pass from midfield. The Argentine outpaced Giglio and had two consecutive efforts blocked by keeper Matthew Farrugia, before the ball fell to the unmarked Kumbrevicius who headed in from close range to score his first goal for the Stripes.

Birkirkara’s slicker passing was frustrating Qormi, although the latter remained menacing on the fast breaks. Past the half hour, Osagie connected on Mifsud’s pass but was foiled by the Birkirkara keeper.

But it was tit-for-tat for the remainder of the half. Vella’s cross from the right cut the entire Qormi defence but Kumbrevicius contrived to mess his header in front of a gaping goal.

Mifsud hooked Osagie’s pass but concluded narrowly off target and the Qormi striker should have done better two minutes before the break. Paul Fenech slipped on the ball and Keith Fenech capitalised, putting Mifsud clear, only to be foiled by the keeper.

Souza sent his effort wide and then Andrei Agius and Fraser combined well to stop Mifsud.

Birkirkara put in Michael Galea for the second half and laid siege on the Qormi goal.

On 52 minutes a blatant pulling by Bondin on Bajada inside the area warranted a harsher sanction but inexplicably earned the protesting Birkirkara player a yellow card instead.

Short of the hour, Galea controlled Paul Fenech’s cross but his shot on the turn went slightly over. Minutes later, keeper Matthew Farrugia did well to hold out Galea’s header on Buhagiar’s cross.

Sensing the danger, coach Azzopardi drafted in Matthew Bartolo for Osagie to establish more balance. Mifsud was again being provided with good service and his runs were a constant menace to the flimsy Birkirkara defence.

Not surprisingly, he managed to clinch his hat-trick 20 minutes from time. Picking Joseph Farrugia’s pass from a wide position, Mifsud drove the ball low at the far post, with keeper Fraser failing to hold.

Unable to summon enough energy, Birkirkara only showed up with a Paul Fenech shot turned into a corner by the Qormi keeper and a Lattes curling shot which went over.

In fact Qormi added another goal on 84 minutes when awarded a penalty for Buhagiar’s handling inside the area on Souza’s lob. The same player tucked it away with a low shot to complete the formalities and keep Qormi on track for sixth place.

Birkirkara: M. Fraser, E.Lattes, N. Vukanac, A. Agius, S. Bajada, R. Muscat, A. Buhagiar, R. Kumbrevicius (A. Decesare), T. Vella (M. Galea), P. Fenech, K. Pulo (R. Scicluna)

Qormi: M. Farrugia, J. Vandelannoite, S. Giglio, C. Karamanolis, K. Fenech, M. Mifsud, J. Farrugia, A. Bello-Osagie (M. Bartolo), G. Mallia (H. Kang), J. Bondin, J. Souza (C. Frendo)

Referee: P. Caruana Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, C. Francalanza 4th official: M. Borg

Scorers: M. Mifsud 14,17,70, R. Kumbrevicius 23, J. Souza 83 pen

Yellow cards: A. Buhagiar, C. Karamonolis, S. Bajada

Player of the match: M. Mifsud (Qormi)

TMI top 3: 1. M. Mifsud 2. J. Farrugia 3. P. Fenech