Ememe brace sinks critical Birkirkara

BIRKIRKARA         0

MOSTA                     3

Ememe 64, 72

Kaljevic 86

BIRKIRKARA: A. Hogg-4.5; E. Pepe-4.5, M. Guillaumier-7, P. Mbong-6, K. Zammit-5.5, Y. Yankam-6, F. Falcone-5, C. Attard-5, C. Bonnani-5.5, Caio-6.5, O. Carniello-4.5.

MOSTA: Y. Moto-6; D. Debono-6 (63 L. Portelli), C. Ememe-7, D. Bonnici-6, C. Failla-6, G. Sciberras-6 (63 Nixon), T. Farrugia-6.5, M. Muchardi-6, Rafael-7, B. Kaljevic-6, K. Tulimieri-6 (80 M. Attard).

Referee Ishmael Barbara.

Yellow cards Debono, Zammit.

BOV Player of the Match Christ Ememe (Mosta).

A second-half brace from youth Christ Ememe earned Mosta a valuable 3-0 victory over a crisis-hit Birkirkara side.

Both teams headed into this game striving for a first victory after missing out on the three points in their league opener.

Birkirkara lost to Valletta 4-2 and this game was the golden opportunity to hit the right note in this campaign. However, a dismal performance led to a disappointing defeat that leaves Andre Paus with a lot of questions after two defeats in the opening two league games.

Mosta, on their part, now have four points after their opening draw with Gudja United and the well-deserved win over Birkirkara.

2001-born Ememe was their revelation in this game having grabbed a precious brace, to open his Mosta account for this season.

The heavy winds that hit the Maltese islands over the weekend made it harder for Birkirkara and Mosta to impose their game.

In the opening stages, both sides to tried to be a threat with a handful of set-pieces that did not cause any harm to either team.

Birkirkara were looking to break Mosta’s badckline through their central links between the midfield and the forward line but their low intensity was not allowing them to find the required rhythm.

The Blues, on their part, were looking to catch Birkirkara on the break but they also failed to record a single shot on target.

Birkirkara’s first attempt of the game arrived on minute 22 through Caio Prado but his effort went wide.

On the brink of half-time, they recorded their only shot on target through Guillaumier whose free-kick hit the crossbar before being cleared away by the Mosta backline.

After the break, Birkirkara came close to draw first blood when Guillaumier lobbed the ball over the Mosta custodian from the edge of the area just to be inches wide.

Nonetheless, it was Mosta who forged ahead when Christ Ememe exploited an Enrico Pepe indecision to fire a low drive into the back of Andrew Hogg’s net.

The Nigerian forward stunned Birkirkara again when he dispatched onto a loose ball in the penalty box to send the ball into empty net and double the lead for Mosta.

Moments later, Birkirkara had an effort on goal through Yannick Yankam but goalkeeper Yves Moto managed to block on the Malta U-21 international.

Late in the game, Bojan Kaljevic added a third as he darted towards goal before slotting the ball past Hogg.