TIGERS WIN IASC KNOCK-OUT FINAL

BIRZEBBUGIA TIGERS vs LUQA JUNIORS 2 - 0

Standing: M.Xerxen, C.Formosa, J.P.Barbara, S.Schwienbacher, M.Migneco, M.Scicluna, J.Fenech, M.Ciappara Squatting: D.Baldacchino, N.Tabone, R.Bugeja, R.Celeste, M.Axiaq

Birzebbugia Tigers clinched silverware on the last match of the season when they beat Luqa Juniors by two goals to nil to win the IASC Knock-out for the first time in their history.

The game, played under a scorching sun, attracted quite a significant crowd for the final showdown of the 2005-06 IASC season. The Tigers had M.Ciappara returning at the centre of the defence, although they were missing V.Camilleri due to suspension. The Tigers pushed forward right from the beginning of the match and after a few seconds R.Celeste was put down in the penalty area by Luqa goalkeeper Camilleri, but international referee Adrian Casha waved play on. During this first period Luqa were livelier in midfield although they never really threatened to score. R.Bugeja found space on the right after 17 minutes but his cross was cleared into a corner. Soon afterwards, Ciappara's long-range effort was saved into a corner by Camilleri. In a Luqa rare attack, defender Galea almost committed an own goal when he miskicked a cross by Psaila, but Tigers' goalie Xerxen was on the alert and avoided further trouble.

Luqa commenced the second half on the attack and after a few seconds, veteran Maurice Muscat hit the bar with a cross shot. After 8 minutes, the Tigers went ahead with a spectacular goal. A cross from thirty metres out was met in mid-air by towering forward Robert Bugeja, who unleashed a stunning left-footed volley that finished at the back of the net. The same Bugeja went close soon afterwards but his shot after a counterattack was saved by C.Camilleri in Luqa's goal. On the other end of the pitch, Muscat again went close when his shot from just inside the penalty area hit the crossbar. The best chance for Luqa to equalise came after 21 minutes when Psaila's close range header was saved courageously by Xerxen, the ball finishing again in Psaila's path, but his shot was cleared miraculously off the fatal line by Axiaq. R.Celeste was not in his best mood today as he was quite unprecise in his finishings, infact he could have sealed the match after 25 minutes but his lob from inside the area was saved by the opponents' goalkeeper. Two minutes afterwards, J.Fenech was put in an ideal position to conclude but he miskicked completely the ball with only the goalkeeper to beat. In the last minute of the match, the Tigers doubled their lead and sealed victory when Schwienbacher dribbled around a defender and deposited the ball coolly in the net to make the final score 2-0 and see the IASC knock-out trophy heading towards Birzebbugia.

After the match, Tigers captain Clive Formosa was presented by the trophy by MFA vice-president John Farrugia.

LINE-UP: 21 - MATTHEW XERXEN; 2- DANIEL GALEA (13 - MATTHEW SCICLUNA), 4 - DENNIS BALDACCHINO, 5 - MICHAEL CIAPPARA, 3 - MARK MIGNECO; 7 - MATTHEW AXIAQ (19 - STEFAN SCHWIENBACHER), 6 - NOEL TABONE, 8 - CLIVE FORMOSA (capt), 11 - JEFFREY FENECH; 9 - ROBERT BUGEJA (17 - JOHN PAUL BARBARA), 10 - RONNIE CELESTE

VIEW PHOTOS FROM IASC KNOCK-OUT FINAL

VIEW KNOCK-OUT FIXTURES AND RESULTS

VIEW BIRZEBBUGIA TIGERS' 1st DIVISION MATCH SCHEDULE

VIEW BIRZEBBUGIA TIGERS SQUAD

 

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