Mosta-Birkirkara 0-4

Mosta: K. Rizzo, R. Ekani, T. Farrugia (A. Cini), I. Grech (J. Brincat), A. Carrozza (H. Bara), R. Grech, M. Brincat, I. Zammit, M. Micallef, K. Zammit, G. M. Piccioni

Birkirkara: J. Haber, Z. Muscat, R. Camenzuli, M. Bissi, E. Herrera, G. Sciberras (R. Muscat), P. Fenech (A. Borg), S. Shodiya, R. Scicluna, R. Calheira, Jhonnattan (F. Temile)

Referee: C. Lautier

Asst.refs:  R. Vella, A. Borg Cardona

Additional asst.refs: P. Caruana, M. Spiteri

4th official: S. Attard

Scorers: R. Calheira 12, 88,  Jhonnattan 41, M. Bissi 78

Yellow cards: R. Scicluna

Player of the match: E. Herrera (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3: 1. Jhonnattan  2. E. Herrera  3. S. Shodiya

 

Birkirkara dominated to see off a lacklustre Mosta team, with two goals in each half, and hold to their lead in the BoV Premier League standings.

Mosta might have started the match in buoyant mood following a four-match unbeaten run, since being beaten by Birkirkara 4-0 in February. But the Stripes’ vibrant start and first-half full control never allowed them to settle into the game yesterday. Mosta were sluggish and uninspired and  were always too reliant on the scoring abilities of Gianmarco Piccioni. Although he was denied by the woodwork before halftime, Mosta remained aenemic going forward and posed few problems to keeper Justin Haber.

Two notable absentees for Mosta were goalkeeper Omar Borg and forward Bojan Kaljevic, both suspended, as Kurt Zammit returned in their starting line-up after recovering from injury.

Joseph Zerafa was suspended and replaced by Ryan Camenzuli for Birkirkara, who also gave a start to forward Ronaille Calheira for the first time since joining them in January. The forward repaid with a brace.Ryan Scicluna was also given the nod ahead of Nikola Vukanac, who, together with Frank Temile, was named among the substitutes.

Mosta handed the initiative to their opponents and lost a grip in midfield too early. By the third minute, reserve keeper Kurt Rizzo was already under pressure as he was forced to palm out Shodiya’s insidious cross shot from the left.

Five minutes later Jhonnattan pounced on Camenzuli’s low pass inside the Mosta area. His flick was saved by the grounded Rizzo.

Mosta threatened for the first time in the match after ten minutes. Piccioni chased a long pass inside the Birkirkara  area and managed to push the ball beyond the onrushing keeper Haber, but Bissi was behind his goalkeeper and cleared the danger.

Birkirkara took the lead, they richly deserved, on 12 minutes. Ronaille Calheira beat the Mosta keeper with a tap-in after good work by Herrera and his low cross from the byeline on the right.

Birkirkara were all over their opponents. Shola Shodiya and Jhonnattan darted around in all directions and at times Mosta seemed caught in a whirlwind.

Shodiya’s powerful shot from the edge of the area was repelled by keeper Rizzo and after Mosta effected a tactical substitution, withdrawing Carrozza and putting in Harouna Bara, Calheira shot against the upright as he picked Jhonnattan’s pass with Mosta’s left wide back, Ishmael Grech caught outnumbered.

Birkirkara’s high pressing often forced Mosta to cough up possession as the champions doubled their lead four minutes before the break. Ryan Grech lost possession outside his area. Herrera capitalised as he went past Ishmael Grech down the right, crossed low and Jhonnattan flicked the ball past the helpless keeper Rizzo in carbon copy of the first goal.

Outplayed and outmuscled, Mosta showed that they are still in it. On 43 minutes, Kurt Zammit put Piccioni through but his  rising shot thumped against the Birkirkara bar. The effort surely deserved a better fate.

Mosta made more tactical changes after the interval. Alex Cini went in for Tyrone Farrugia and shortly after  James Brincat replaced Ishmael Grech, with Mano Micallef retreating in defence.

But Birkirkara remained in command although they stepped down a gear in the second period. Camenzuli’s free kick was footed into a corner by the sprightly keeper Rizzo and Scicluna was guilty of some lame finishing on 50 minutes as the ball bounced in front of him and the keeper inside the Mosta area but he could not make decent contact. Four minutes later Jhonnattan went past Brincat but his low shot rebounded off the foot of the post.

Past the hour, Scicluna threaded a low ball across the face of the Mosta goal with nobody able to connect.

Birkirkara made their win look more emphatic, adding two further goals in the final 12 minutes. On 78 minutes, Scicluna picked Temile’s short corner and crossed for Mathias Bissi to score with a low drive after being allowed too much space inside the Mosta area.

Two minutes from full time, Camenzuli ran past Cini down the left, Micallef failed to cut his low cross and Ronaille Calheira notched his personal second and the fourth for superior Birkirkara with his finishing touch.