Birkirkara beat Zilina and maintain positive record
Champions Birkirkara beat Slovak champions MSK Zilina 1-0 at Ta' Qali this evening, putting them in pole position for a berth in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.
The winner was scored by Nikola Vukanac om the rebound after a Bajada freekick was punched by the Zilina goalkeeper. The visitors then battled to get the equaliser but Birkirkara's Brazilian goaler, Esequiel Lovizon, saved the match for the hosts.
Birkirkara got through the first round of the competition after defeating Santa Colomba of Andorra at home after having been granted an away win because of the poor condition of the pitch.
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Mario Sammut
Jul 15th 2010, 06:32
Nixtieq nghid prosit lit team ta Birkirkara . Niehu pjacir nara team Malti jaghmel progress Ghax wasal iz zmien li ahna l Maltin nghamlu aktar sforz sabiex ta veru nghollu l livell tal football taghna. Jekk inharsu lejn pajjizi bhal Cipru u Grecja , iva sewwa qed nghid , Grecja , jien nippretendi li ahna ghandna materjal gewwa Malta li jista jhabbata sew ma dawn il pajjizi. Prosit tassew Birkirkara . Supporter tal Hibs.
Thomas Diacono
Jul 14th 2010, 18:02
Wisq negattiv anqas irrid nemmen dak li qed naqra. Jien nitla kull logħba ta Birkirkara u bla tlaqliq ngħid li kemm il-darba rajt futbol sabiħ u logħbiet eċċitanti. Mhux l-ewwel darba rajna logħba mill-Premier ta l-Ingilterra u tfejnilha fil-Half Time għax dejjqitna.
Issa inti skond x'tifhem bil-kelma futbol. Jekk tifhem business u flus hemmhekk ngħidlek segwi ligs kbar madwar l-Ewropa. Jekk bil-kelma futbol tifhem qalb, passjoni u grinta, hemmhek ngħidlek ibda zomm ma BIRKIRKARA u ejja l-grawnd ħa tieħu pjaċir.
Ma nafx kif tippretendi li plejer Malti jiġri daqs plejer Ingliz meta plejer Ingliz jitħallas somom supernaturali biex jilgħab u plejer Malti jagħmel sagrifiċċji kbar biex jilgħab! Dik id-differenza!!
Nicky Attard
Jul 14th 2010, 15:21
A BIG well done to Birkirkara. You make us proud! Keep it up and good luck for the away leg.
charlo sammut
Jul 14th 2010, 14:32
PROSET YELLOWS MILL QALB ........AHNA DEJJEM WARAJKOM .............KBURI LI JIEN KARKARRIZ U MALTI !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luke Borg
Jul 14th 2010, 13:29
@ K Bonello
MSK Zilina huma Slovakki mhux Sloveni...pero l-argument tieghek sa certu punt jregi ghax s-Slovakkja hija kwazi 14-il darba ikbar bhala populazzjoni minn Malta b'5.5miljun ruh u xorta wahda marru tajjeb f din l-edizzjoni ta dil World Cup (ghid lili ghax jien inzomm mat-Taljani!). Imma min naha l-ohra li nippretetendu li naslu f'dal l-livell inkunu wisq ottimisti fl-opinjoni tieghi. Minn qalbna nawguraw lil B'Kara li nahseb ghal ewwel darba forsi bhala klabb lokali irnexxielhom jghaddu mill ewwel round u qedin b'rebha fl-ewwel leg tat-tieni round. Mhux qed nghid li ha jaghddu (jalla) pero bhala Malti u iktar u iktar bhala Karkariz iva nhossni kburi hafna. Nahseb l-istess haga ghandha tapplika ghan-nazzjonal ghalkemm fl-istess hin urejna li meta jkun hemm certu rivalita' - jidirli kontra l-Italja fin 90's konna close ghax tlifna 2-1, u ferm qabel konna laghbna kontra l-Ingilterra u l-Germanja u tlifna b differenza vera minima...nahseb li l-qalb Maltija ghandha tohrog f'kull loghba u dejjem nilghabu ghal-flokk.Minn naha l-ohra huwa l-kompitu taghna bhala supporters li nibqaghu nissaportjaw lin-nazzjonal kif ukoll l-Klabbs kollha li jippartecipaw fl-Ewropa.FORZA MALTA, FORZA B'KARA!
Sean Grima
Jul 14th 2010, 13:03
any team deserves credit for a win - but the tie is still open due to the 2nd leg.
one swallow does not make a summer: the improvement of maltese football in general requires something more concrete than 'self-belief' - it requires many maltese players playing abroad at high levels.
K Bonello
Jul 14th 2010, 12:41
Filwaqt li nahseb li dan ir-rizultat hu tassew pozittiv ghall-futbol Malti nahseb irridu nirriflettu ftit la nzerta li t-tim l-iehor hu Sloven.
Fl-ahhar world cup it-tim nazzjonali ta' Slovenja mhux talli kkwalifika talli kellu prestazzjoni tasew tajba fl-ewwel round u sat-tielet partita mal-Inglizi kellhom cans jikkwalifikaw.
Ghaliex Slovenia, pajjiz ta' 2 miljuni, irnexxilu jasal s'hawn hekk u Malta li ghandna kwart tal-popolazzjoni taghhom lanqas jirnexxilna nirbhu loghba fil-kwalifikazzjonijiet?
Ovvja nahseb hadd ma hu qed jippretendi li naslu sal-finals tat-tazza tad-dinja imma nissaponi li ghandna fejn naqtghu figura ahjar. Irridu nkunu iktar pozittivi milli negattivi u barra minn hekk irridu nibdew inhallu warajna l-attitudni dilettanteska f'dak kollu li naghmlu u nibdew inkunu iktar professjonali.
N.Cassar
Jul 14th 2010, 14:36
Zilina is from Slovakia and not Slovenia! Slovakia has more than 5 million people!
rjcostigan
Jul 14th 2010, 17:32
***K.Bonello
Aqra t-tieni paragrafu 'gowler Braziljan". Ghaliex mhux MALTI?
Diga qed jigrilna bhal pajjizi ohra - l-importazzjoni ta' plejers barranin diga
qed tirrifletti fin-negattiv fit-tim Nazzjonali Malti ghaliex il-kwalita
tal-futboll marret lura mhux il-quddiem. Bhal ma gralhom it-timijiet
nazzjonali Taljani w Inglizi.
B'danakollu nifrah lil-Birkirkara.
Mark Mifsud
Jul 14th 2010, 12:12
@ Joe Camilleri
Minħabba nies bħalek Malta dejjem baqgħet lura!!
Nies negattivi u ma jafux jemmnu f'pajjiżhom stess...
PROUD TO BE MALTESE, AND MORE TO BE KARKARIZ
THANK YOU YELLOWS WE LOVE YOU
ONE TRUE CLUB IN OUR HEARTS, BIRKIRKARA FC
Joe Camilleri
Jul 14th 2010, 12:53
This is were you are so wrong! I am proud to be Maltese, but pride means believing in the best you can be. In terms of Maltese football, there is nothing to be proud about. We have a mediocre league, poor attendances, a national side that can barely score a goal, let alone even dream of getting a couple of wins. The state of football is so bad here, that you cannot even place legal bets on it. We can bet on English, Italian, Spanish and many other countries and not on Maltese football. Anyone ever wondered why? We should just pack it in, and invest the little money that goes into sport, in areas like Rugby, waterpolo, and individual athletes who show true potential. In terms of football, we are amateurs in all the senses of the word.
For those of you who think that this win heralds some bright future, you obviously have very short memories, naive optimism, and a serious lack of reality.
D. Mizzi
Jul 14th 2010, 10:57
Proset Birkirkara ejja ha naraw tim Malti javvanza naqra iktar fic-champions league.
N.Cassar
Jul 14th 2010, 10:05
@ Joe Camilleri.
I cannot understand your comments. When we lose, we grumble because we lose. And now that we've won, we're grumbling that we've won!!!
Come on, let's enjoy it! Come on stripes.
Joe Camilleri
Jul 14th 2010, 10:41
I am not grumbling! The point I am trying to make is that the comments are way over the top! I referred to a specific comment..."Komplejtu tkabbru isem Malta", which I find ridiculous. I have no problem congratulating B'kara on their win; it's the somewhat extreme superlatives that only serve to prove that football in Malta is so so mediocre!
And once I'm writing again, just to put this in perspective, Cyrpus had a team in the group stages of the Champions League last year! Now that would be something to brag about!
Let's also bear in mind that in the first round, B'kara were handed a 3-0 win away, and they haven't qualified yet from this round. Effectively this is half time.
But of course, in the land of low expectations, mediocrity is king
Luke Borg
Jul 14th 2010, 11:40
@ Joe Camilleri - pathetic...very....the typical Maltese "igerger biss jaf".
Luke Borg
Jul 14th 2010, 09:36
What an achievement! Proud to be Maltese & to be "Karkariz"!! Come on Yellows.keep believing.....you already did something FABULOUS considering the fact that Slovakia (where B'kara's opponents come from) is almost 14 times more populated than Malta with 5.5 million people!....looking forward for the 2nd leg...it will be tough but we won't be under any type of pressure, and irrelevant of this upcoming match - you already made history!!!!....COME ON YELLOWS!!....YES WE CAN!!....
Joe Camilleri
Jul 14th 2010, 07:14
Now that Birkirkara have seen off the mighty Santa Colomba of Andorra, as well as this impressive, convincing 1-0 win over the champions league favourites of MSK Zilina, sky's the limit for the boys in yellow. People go on about how mediocre Maltese football is, but it is now painfully clear that all along it was nothing but a combination of bad refereeing decsions, bad luck, and a European conspiracy to keep Maltese teams at bay.
For someone to write and say "Komplejtu tkabbru isem Malta" is the most deluded, insular and sad comment you can ever read!
Harry Forrester
Jul 14th 2010, 08:46
I don't know why but i sense a bit of sarcasm in your comment - 'mighty santa coloma, CL favourites Zilina'. Whilst they are not the biggest names in world football, Zilina are Slovak champions and have a good track record in european competition. Birkirkara did ever so well to get a positive result and keep a clean sheet - whatever happens in the next game, they can be proud of their achievements...They made all Malta proud and deserve the praise they get..Correct me if im wrong, but is this the first time that a Maltese team has beaten such tough opposition (not including irish teams, andorran teams and so on, whose level is similar to Maltese league and never do well in europe)...
Moses Mula
Jul 14th 2010, 09:26
Well, I can understand what you mean in a way, and I do agree with you to a certain extenct. However, results like these do impress as they are far and between. Although it would be great to see a maltese club advance to the third qualifying round ( and even the best of dreamers would understand that going beyond that is as impossible as seeing New Zealand winning the world cup), I believe that B´Kara`s chances of a positive result in the away leg are minimal. So I understand the joy brought by this result, but do not get your hopes high. Besides the maltese`s results in europe in the past speak for themselves. Anyway, cograts B`Kara.
Keith Muscat
Jul 14th 2010, 10:42
''For someone to write and say "Komplejtu tkabbru isem Malta" is the most deluded, insular and sad comment you can ever read!''
I'm afraid there's only 1 sad person here...that is you my friend!
John Borg (Birkirkara FC)
Jul 14th 2010, 16:30
Mr. Camilleri, your comments are truely sad and reflect the mentality of some who seem to be ashamed of our small nation and belittling any positive achievments as soon as they happen. Please do tell us all your real agenda here as it's obvious that you have an axe to grind with someone. Reflecting on your comment regarding " a bright future", this can only happen when people who share a mentality like yours are gone and forgotten. Our mentality has been scared by years of self denial and unjust criticism by people like you, people who do not understand the sacrafices that all athletes must make to compete at a higher level on a playing field that is far from level on terms of facilities, finances and resources. Your mentality has dogged this country for decades, though I pray that the younger generations will continue to thrive and achieve their dreams and ambitions, albeit against all odds.
Glenn Borg
Jul 14th 2010, 00:51
Ic-champions komplew jaghtu r-risposti!! COME ON THE STRIPESS!!!
TODAY YOU MADE US PROUD, VERY.
Ivan Attard
Jul 14th 2010, 00:48
Biex wiehed jara ftit x'sahha jipposedu MSK Zilina, araw ftit ir rizultati ta l-ahhar zewg staguni fil Uefa Europa League:
2009 / 10
Q2 Vs Dacia Chisinau - 2-0 / 1-0
Q3 Vs Hajduk Split - 1-1 / 1-0
Playoffs Vs Partizan 1-1 / 0-2
Europa League 2008/2009
Q1 Vs MTZ Ripo 2-2 / 1-0
Q2 Vs Slovan Liberec 2-1 /2-1
Playoffs Vs Levski Sofia 1-1 / 1-0
Group stage
Vs Hamburg 1-2
Vs Ajax 0-1
Vs Slavia Praha 0-0
Vs Aston Villa 2-1
...Vera achievement inkredibbli ghal-club Malti li jirbhilhom bi 3 pleyers importanti neqsin! Prosit Champions lokali, ghamiltuni kburin bikhom!
John Farrugia
Jul 13th 2010, 23:09
Viva r-Rahal, Viva r-Rahal, Hej, Hej
enzo gusman
Jul 13th 2010, 22:54
PROSIT STRIPES !
Malta kburija bikom !!
Kenneth Pisani
Jul 13th 2010, 22:28
Prosit Yellows!
Mark Piscopo
Jul 13th 2010, 22:01
Nghati prosit lil playes u coach ta Bkara. Importanti hafna li ngibu risultat away.
Jonathan Spiteri
Jul 13th 2010, 21:46
WELL DONE YELLOWS...You made us Karkarizi and all local football followers proud!!!
Good luck for the away leg!!
mario Bonett
Jul 13th 2010, 21:22
Prosit B'Kara unur ghall B'kara u ghall Malta.
joe zammit
Jul 13th 2010, 22:48
vera championssssssssssssssss
mario Bonett
Jul 13th 2010, 21:21
Prosit B'Kara unur ghall B'kara u ghall Malta.
p attard
Jul 13th 2010, 21:19
By winning three consecutive matches at European level in just under two weeks time, the Stripes must have achieved a local record, thus showing they are worthy Maltese Champions! Best wishes for the difficult return leg next week, even though we are already proud and thankful with what you have done so far!!! PROSIT CAMPIONES!
Keith Muscat
Jul 13th 2010, 21:09
Ibqgħu paxxuwna Yellows!
Komplejtu tkabbru isem Malta... u dan mingħajr uħud mill-aqwa players li għandna fosthom Comvalius,Cilia u Rowen Muscat!
Proset tassew!
A. Borg
Jul 13th 2010, 20:52
Proset. Li tirbah lic-Champions Slovakki li pajjizhom kien prezenti fl-ahhar tazza tad-dinja mhiex cajta. Rizultat li jaghmlilna gieh u jqawwi qalb il-karakarizi kollha li jistghu jaghmluha ghar-round li jmiss.