Birkirkara 5
Ledesma 15; Haruna 33, 77; Liliu 39; Fenech 82;
Mosta 1
Jovanovic 41;
Birkirkara chased away some of their early-season blues by registering their fourth win in five matches as Shola Shodiya Haruna scored a double in a 5-1 rout of Mosta.
The Stripes set about imposing their vastly superior technical and tactical qualities on their opponents who gave up hope of pulling off an upset long before the final whistle had sounded.
In fact, Birkirkara practically secured their 11th league win by half-time when their attacking trio of Rafael Ledesma, Liliu and Haruna were all on the mark as Paul Zammit’s men proceeded to a resounding victory.
Mosta were down to the bare bones with just 16 players on the line-up and five changes in the starting XI enforced on coach Peter Smith by the suspension of Tyrone Farrugia and Pedrinho, and injury to Rodriguez Ekani.
Bojan Kaljevic and Kurt Zammit are no longer available after their move to Balzan and Zebbug respectively. Ryan Grech, back after serving a one-match ban, eased Smith’s selection problems as Aaron Sammut, Matteo Di Vita, James Brincat and Sasa Jovanovic were also drafted in the starting formation.
Paul Fenech and Ryan Scicluna were back from Birkirkara. They played in the centre of midfield, flanked by Edmond Agius, with the returning Rafael Ledesma and Haruna deployed behind centre-forward Liliu.
Birkirkara broke the deadlock on 15 minutes after Mosta had a penalty shout turned down by the referee when Matheus Bissi seemed to have handled the ball as he tried to block Matteus’s effort.
Undeterred by the protests, the Stripes transferred the ball upfield to Ledesma whose shot from the edge of the box arrowed into the bottom left corner and behind the stranded Omar Borg.
Birkirkara’s enterprise contrasted with Mosta’s caution, which was intended as a base for quick counter-attacks.
However, the tactics were largely unproductive as yesterday Mosta’s target men were under tight supervision by the Stripes’ rearguard.
Birkirkara, largely through the industry of Fenech and better collective play, kept the upper hand and past the half-hour mark, they doubled their lead.
Ledesma teased the Mosta rearguard with a menacing cross that the blue-shirted players failed to deal with and Haruna was on hand to head home from close range.
The Stripes’ supremacy was beyond question and six minutes later, Nikola Vukanac released Liliu who went striding down from the middle and left Borg in his wake before depositing the ball inside the net.
Four minutes from the break, Mosta’s flagging hopes got a lifeline when the erratic Bissi blocked Matteus’s effort, only to see the ball bouncing back to Sasa Jova-novic who beat the Birkirkara keeper with a low shot.
Mosta’s hopes of an unlikely recovery were all but dashed when James Brincat saw his ‘goal’ ruled out following an infringement.
Then, midway through the second half, Mosta’s defence was again caught on the back foot as Haruna charged forward, ex-changed passes with Ledesma before placing his shot beyond Borg’s reach.
Eight minutes from time, Birkirkara scored again.
Borg rushed out of his line to intercept a cross inside his box. The clearance ricocheted off a defender and landed at the feet of Fenech who lobbed his shot into the net.
Birkirkara
J. Haber-6, N. Vukanac-6.5, Liliu-6.5 (60 K. Zammit-5), M. Bissi-6, S. S. Haruna-7, R. Ledesma-7 (82 B. Jaccarini), P. Fenech-7, Z. Muscat-6.5, E. Agius-6 (85 D. Aqui-lina), R. Camenzuli-6, R. Scicluna-5.
Mosta
O. Borg-4.5, M. Di Vita-6, M. Brincat-6, K. Pulo-5.5, N. Milovanovic-6, K. Magro-6.5, S. Jovanovic-6, J. Brincat-5.5 (70 Z. Brincat-5), Matteus-6.5, R. Grech-6 (90 D. Xuereb), A. Sammut-5 (83 D. Falzon).
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Yellow cards: J. Brincat, Borg,
BOV player of the match: Rafael Ledesma (Birkirkara).