Cejas at the double as Żabbar St Patrick stun Birkirkara and continue revival

BIRKIRKARA        0

ŻABBAR SP                   3       

Cejas 38, 62; Gambarte 57

BIRKIRKARA

M. Martinez, F. Lopez, M. Morello, S. Viveros (46’ J. Vrcic), A. Garzia (89’ N. Micallef)), K. Reid, S. Dimech (65’ J. Busuttil), A. Coppola, G. Acheampong (89’ L. Lacunza), D. Makoma, J. Bayo (65’ R. Santos).

ŻABBAR

I. Colombo, B. Figueiredo (89’ L. Micallef), P. Cejas (69’ L. Mota), B. Gambarte (81’ R. Scicluna), N. Agius (69’ V. De Paiva), J. Micallef, A. Majok (81’ I. Akpan), S. Jovancic, Z. Leonardi, K. Scicluna, J. Pisani.

Referee: Glen Tonna

Yellow Cards: J. Pisani

Red Cards: A. Coppola

Żabbar St Patrick continued with their recent revival when they brushed aside Birkirkara 3-0 at the National Stadium.

For the Żabbar side this was their first win in the Closing Round and reconfirms the huge impact made by new coach Gilbert Agius at the club.

Since the former Valletta FC coach replaced Aniello Parisi he led the team to successive goalless draws against Ħamrun Spartans and Valletta, earning five points from three matches following a disappointing run five defeats in the first five matches.

Żabbar were a better side right from the start and after taking the lead towards the end of a quiet first half, they sealed the issue with another two goals after the break.

For Żabbar, Agius opted to confirm the same players who had started the previous game against Valletta.  

On the other hand, the Stripes had two changes from the team which drew with Sliema Wanderers as Sebastian Viveros and Shaun Dimech were preferred to Neil Micallef and Roni Santos.

Birkirkara went close after just six minutes when off a Dimech corner from the left, a firm header by Alessandro Coppola was cleared into safety by a defender.

Żabbar replied with a Brian Gambarte effort from outside the area which was saved by Miguel Angel Martinez.

On 28 minutes, Ayom Majok hit high from close range following a corner by Brian Gambarte.

Żabbar managed to take the lead on 38 minutes. Bruno Figueiredo delivered a corner from the left and Strahinja Jovancic served Pedro Cejas whose overhead kick beat goalkeeper Martinez.

The Saints gained more confidence and a Gambarte free kick ended just wide on 44 minutes and in added time, another free kick by the Argentine forward was blocked by the goalkeeper.

Twelve minutes in the second half, Żabbar doubled the score.

Jovancic advanced upfield before serving Majok, who returned the complement and the Serbian midfielder gave a perfect assist to Gambarte whose conclusion from the right hit the crossbar before ending at the back of the net.

Two minutes later, to make matters worse for Birkirkara, Coppola was sent off for denying an obvious scoring opportunity for pushing Majok down as he was heading towards the area.

The Saints made it 3-0 on 62 minutes.

Cejas delivered a great freekick which hit the foot of the upright before ending at the back of the net.

From then onwards, Żabbar controlled without particular difficulty and could have extended the lead through Majok on 78 minutes.

In added time, substitute Jan Busuttil went close to reducing the gap but goalkeeper Ignacio Colombo somehow managed to block his angled free kick from the right.