Żebbuġ Rangers 0
Birkirkara 4
Grech 1; Liliu 43; Eliandro 65; Ledesma 75;
Brazilian trio Liliu, Eliandro and Ledesma combined perfectly for Birkirkara yesterday to inspire the Stripes to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Premier League newcomers Żebbuġ Rangers.
Paul Zammit’s team always looked a cut above their modest opponents but their resounding success bore the mark of Leighton Grech, very active and orchestrating almost every attacking move for his team as the Żebbuġ defenders struggled to contain his swift incursions down the flanks.
First-half goals from Grech and Liliu set the stage for a deserved Birkirkara victory which took on further gloss when Eliandro and Ledesma added two more goals after the restart.
Jesmond Zammit’s decision to hand a debut to Brazilian goalkeeper Fabricio Rapchan Morales compelled him to withdraw a foreigner. He opted to haul off Ratko Mandic, who made way for Matthew Bartolo.
The game had barely started when Grech scored the quickest Premier League goal so far this season after just 58 seconds.
The Stripes attacked straight from the kick-off and Grech, totally unmarked after bursting through from midfield, slotted home from Paul Fenech’s inviting through pass.
Grech was given the chance to bolster his claim for more regular football at Birkirkara.
His goal and performance repaid the faith of Zammit who preferred the former Qormi winger to Edward Herrera as the Birkirkara mentor effected only one change to his set-up from the 2-1 victory over Pieta Hotspurs last week.
Zammit stuck to his new-look three-man defence but elected to vary his gameplan by giving Rafael Ledesma a roaming role in front of the rearguard with Grech deployed alongside Brazilian duo Liliu and Eliandro.
Enlivened by the early opener, Birkirkara threatened to pull further ahead in those early stages.
The modus operandi was always the same as Zach Muscat found Fenech unmarked behind Żebbuġ’s back-four but his shot finished a whisker away from goal.
Rangers ran a high risk of conceding a second goal when Liliu looked a certainty to score but Fabricio saved the shot.
Their failure to heed the alarm signals was punished a few moments later.
Grech was very much at the core of another swift break that saw him roaring forward on the right flank before he swung over a cross into the box and Liliu planted a header past Fabricio and into the net.
On the hour, Żebbuġ finally showed signs of a belated reaction when Muscat scythed down Mathias Muchardi, the most enterprising player for his side, to end Rangers’ first significant foray inside the Birkirkara half.
From the free-kick, Mauricio Britto stung Justin Haber’s hands with a rasping shot.
Żebbuġ’s rally did not last long though with Birkirkara regaining the upperhand as the second half panned out.
On 65 minutes, the Stripes slotted in goal number three when Eliandro side-stepped his marker before shooting past the onrushing Fabricio.
Jesmond Zammit’s troops were bereft of ideas and out for the count.
Fifteen minutes from time, Ledesma converted a penalty after Eliandro was hauled down inside the Rangers’ penalty area by Jacob Borg.
Żebbuġ Rangers
Fabricio-5, Y. Camilleri-5, J. Diaz-5, M. Gauci-5, J. Borg-5, T. Paris-5 (50 L. Agius-5), C. Gauci-5, M. Muchardi-6.5, C. Monti-5, M. Britto-6 (76 C. Beattie), M. Bartolo-5 (76 M. Ciantar).
Birkirkara
J. Haber-6, M. Bissi-6, Liliu-7 (70 E. Herrera-5), N. Vukanac-6, R. Ledesma-6.5 (80 A. Mendoza), Eliandro-6.5, P. Fenech-6.5, Z. Muscat-7, R. Scicluna-5, L. Grech-8 (80 A. Borg), R Camenzuli-5.5.
Referee: Marco Borg.
Yellow cards: Diaz; Scicluna, Borg.
BOV player of the match: Leighton Grech (Birkirkara).