Birkirkara crushed Sliema with an emphatic 4-1 victory this afternoon. The nature of the win was all the more impressive given that Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit had to reshuffle the entire team.
In fact, Birkirkara had no fewer than five players on the list of sanctioned players, namely Rodrigo Pereira, Nikola Vukanac, Rowen Muscat, Shawn Bajada and Angus Buhagiar.
Birkirkara could have converted a fine chance early in the game when Ryan Camenzuli saw a swerving 25-metre shot crash against the crossbar in the 10th minute. The Stripes did not have to wait long to take the lead though and did so courtesy of Avila-Perez four minutes later.
Anthony Curmi, the Sliema goalkeeper saved Mifsud Triganza's effort and the striker pounced on the rebound to square for Avila-Perez who tapped the ball home for the easiest of finishes.
Four minutes later, the Spaniard then turned provider to send Tabone through in the middle before slotting home, leaving Curmi stranded.
An instant reaction was imperative for Sliema to get back into contention. Beppe Muscat's teasing cross from the right sailed dangerously towards the Birkirkara's area where Trevor Cilia turned well inside the penalty box to send the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Three minutes, the former Birkirkara player almost equalized when his cross-cum-shot from the left flew past Reuben Gauci but cannoned off the bar.
But the boys in stripes always looked likely to cause problems and Tabone restored Birkirkara's two-goal cushion after 50 minutes with an excellent goal, surging in from the left, nutmegging Andrew Caligari and firing a rising finish past Curmi.
Just over the hour mark, Birkirkara moved the ball quickly up front to Zammit who sliced open the Sliema defence with a lovely pass for the powerful Mifsud Triganza who chipped the ball home to make it 4-1.
HIBS SEE OFF BALZAN
Hibernians were back to winning ways with a routine 3-0 victory over Balzan Youths at the National Stadium this afternoon.
The Paolites were in control right from the outset but despite their territorial dominance they were denied by some fine blocks from Balzan goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri.
Hibs finally found a breakthrough three minutes into the second half when from a Clayton Failla corner kick Jason Vandelannoitte anticipated his marker to head the ball into the net.
The Paolites kept pushing forward and doubled their lead seven minutes later when from another corner-kick, taken this time Jackson Lima, picked Rodolfo Soares at the far post to stab the ball into the net.
More woes followed for Balzan as two minutes later they were reduced to ten men when Jamie Pace was shown a straight red card for a crude challenge on Andrew Cohen.Balzan were all but dead and buried and Hibs struck a third goal on 72 minutes when Cohen drifted with the ball towards the edge of the area and unleashed a powerful drive that flew past the helpless Camilleri and into the top corner of the net.
Hibernians striker Andrew Cohen was voted as the BOV Player of the Match.