mar 11 2007 17:24

BIRZEBBUGIA TIGERS - LUQA JUNIORS 3 - 0

Birzebbugia Tigers ended their first division campaign for this season with an emphatic win over relegated Luqa Juniors to gain the right to compete in the Amateur Cup final against Msida Red Stars. It was a fine display by the Tigers who secured the win with three second half goals.

The Tigers were a much depleted side and were missing a string of key players. The initial minutes of the game were altogether a quiet affair and it was not until 15 minutes had passed when P.Carabott Damato had a diagonal shot saved into a corner by the Luqa goalkeeper. R.Celeste went close with a close-range header that was cleared by the Luqa defense and moments later, defender Scicluna's low shot went just wide. Ronnie Celeste went twice close to open the account for the Tigers but first he saw his lob going over the crossbar, then he was denied by the onrushing Psaila as he found himself completely unmarked in the penalty area. Fullback A.Agius had a rare attempt at goal when his cross shot almost surprised the Luqa defence but the ball went wide off the far post.

In the second period, Birzebbugia Tigers continued to surge forward in search of an opening goal and after five minutes a C.Camilleri shot ricocheted off Celeste into the path of Paul Carabott Damato who slammed home with a rising shot. There was no time for the same midfielder to express his joy at this goal when he was substituted by J.P.Barbara seconds later. On the 14th minute mark the Tigers doubled the score when Peter Cachia's fine volley from outside the area sailed past Psaila into the net. On the other end, debutant goalie J.P.Mercieca produced a fine save to deny Luqa from scoring when he rushed to the edge of the penalty area and stopped Farrugia's shot. Barbara was denied by Psaila from scoring when the latter saved his left-footed effort. After 21 minutes the Tigers widened further the gap when after a fine overlap by Anthero Agius, Schwienbacher's cross from the right flank was met mid-air by Ronnie Celeste who headed home to make the score 3-0. Barbara went again close to score but his fierce shot from inside the area hammered against the post. In the final minutes two veteran players, J.Attard and C.Sladden were brought in to mark their comeback after several years, with the same Attard going close when his low shot missed the target by few inches right at the end.

LINE-UP
99.	JEAN PAUL MERCIECA
2.	ANTHERO AGIUS
3.	MATTHEW SCICLUNA
4.	GORDON MIZZI
5.	MARK MIGNECO
6.	STEFAN SCHWIENBACHER (c)
7.	PAUL CARABOTT DAMATO
8.	CHARLTON CAMILLERI
9.	ANDREW GALEA
15.	RONNIE CELESTE
11.	PETER CACHIA
IN	14. JOHN PAUL BARBARA
OUT	PAUL CARABOTT DAMATO
IN	13. JOE ATTARD
OUT	ANTHERO AGIUS
IN	10. CHRIS SLADDEN
OUT	PETER CACHIA

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