Birkirkara bounced back from the heavy defeat to Hibernians last week with a fine 3-0 win over Floriana in another match from the Euro Cup.
For the Greens, this was the second defeat after losing narrowly to Valletta in their first outing.
Both sides had new foreigners on trial, namely Alejandro Bolanos Garcia, Antonio Miguel De La Torre and Kelvin Onosiughe for Floriana, Christer Johansen and Omar El-Ghaouti for Birkirkara. missing for Birkirkara was Rodrigo Pereira who was serving a ine-match ban.
The Stripes had the first attempt at goal on the 16th minute when Shola Shodiya’s low shot at the far post from outside the penalty box was well blocked by John Agius.
Five minutes later, Birkirkara took the lead when off a Reuben Gauci’s goal kick, Shola Shodiya Haruna chipped the ball on the rushing Floriana keeper with the ball ending at the back of the net.
Floriana replied with a De La Torre freekick from the left ending directly into Reuben Gauci’s safe hands on 29 minutes. Five minutes later, Sacha Borg advanced on the left flank, goes inside the penalty area but his feeble low diagonal shot was easily blocked by the keeper.
Three minutes from the end of the first half, Ryan Darmanin headed high off a cross by De La Torre from the right. Then just before half-time, Jean Pierre Triganza’s freekick from outside the penaly box was deflected by Duncan Pisani into a corner.
On the hour, a De La Torre’s freekick from outside the penalty area was neutralised by Reuben Gauci.
Three minutes later, Birkirkara doubled the score. A through pass by El-Ghaouti was well controlled by Shola Shodiya who passed the ball to Jorge Santos in the centre inside the penalty area and the latter placed the ball in the empty net.
Floriana tried their luck with a De La Torre’s freekick ending just wide. Sacha Borg hit the upright with a shot from inside the area on 72 minutes. A Caruana cross was met by Joseph Borg whose overhead kick ends a little bit wide on 83 minutes and two minutes later, a header by Manolito Micallef was tlocked by Rueben Gauci.
The Stripes scored the third goal on the 90th. Santos Silva released Shola Shodiya on the left flank, his pass to the centre brought Omar El Ghaouti in an idea position to score, heading home.
FLORIANA John Agius, Alejandro Bolanos Garcia, Antonio Miguel De La Torre, Duncan Pisani, Francesco Guzman, Manolito Micallef, Brooke Farrugia, Clyde Borg (81′ Joseph Borg), Sacha Borg, Kelvin Onosiughe (51′ Christian Caruana), Ryan Darmanin (57′ Jermain Brincat).
Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Ivan Woods, Farrugia Tyrone, Thomas Paris.
B’KARA Reuben Gauci, Joseph Zerafa (73′ Andre Cassar), Patrick Borg, Nikola Vukanac, Ryan Camenzuli, Jorge Santos Silva, Fabian Zammit (55′ Christer Johansen), Ryan Scicluna, Rowen Muscat, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (46′ Omar El-Ghaouti), Shola Shodiya Haruna.
Subs not used: Karl Magri, Ian Schembri, Michael Camilleri, Roderick Taliana.
Coach: Paul Zammit
Asst. Coach: Peter Pullicino
Referee: Chris Lautier
Assistant Referees: Mariano Debono, Thomas Debono
Fourth Official: Tristan Farrugia Cann
Yellow Cards: M. Micallef, A. Cassar
Scorers: 21’ Shola Shodiya Haruna, 63′ Jorge Santos Silva, Omar El Ghaouti
Attendance: 242