BIRKIRKARA- 6
MOSTA - 3
Birkirkara: M. Kopic, C. Attard, G. Sciberras, C. Bubalovic, M. Andelkovic,G. Mujanovic, E. Zarate, R. Scicluna (K. Zammit), R. Camenzuli (M. Guillaumier), L. Seydi (A. Curmi), M. Smrekar
Mosta: Y. Cini, E. Micheletti (Z. Brincat), A. Borg, T. Farrugia, F. Alabi, L. Njousso (D. Xuereb), O. Guobadia, K. Frendo (L. Micallef), J. Brincat, R. Ekani, G. Menshah
Referee: M. Apap
Asst.refs: R. Vella, M. Borg
Additional asst.refs: M. Borg, G. Tonna
4th official: E. Spiteri
Scorers: G. Menshah 2, 89, I. Seydi 20, 42, 53 M. Smrekar 40, 87, A. Borg 52, R. Camenzuli 62
Yellow cards: R. Camenzuli
Player of the match: I. Seydi (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. I. Seydi 2. G. Mujanovic 3. O. Guobadia
Birkirkara ended their goal drought, after three barren league matches, putting six goals past Mosta to keep the fourth place well in sight. Seydi and Smrekar combined well to score five goals between them, with Camenzuli scoring the other.
In an absorbing match played almost on the farcical with both defences horribly out of shape, Birkirkara enjoyed the better of matters almost throughout after surviving a spirited start from Mosta.
Menshah had given Mosta the lead, and should have put the game beyond Birkirkara soon after, before Seydi and Smrekar took turns to score three goals for the Stripes before halftime that left keeper Cini hopelessly exposed and Mosta with little or no chance.
Birkirkara were on the backfoot as early as the second minute. The latecomers had not even taken their seat when Mosta went ahead. Guobadia won possession against Camenzuli from midfield on the right and played the ball forward for Godwin Menshah to chase as he breezed past the two central defenders Sciberras and Bubalovic and shoot past the helpless keeper Kopric.
That goal really unsettled the Stripes who struggled to settle into the game and were it not for Mosta’s profligacy, they could have been further behind before they eventually drew level and went on to win the match.
On the quarter hour, Menshah ran clear through the middle and outpaced the onrushing Birkirkara keeper, but with an open goal at his mercy, he shot wide.
Then Ekani again ran free and cut inside the Birkirkara area from the left, only for Kopric to block at his feet.
In their first genuine attack, Birkirkara restored equilibrium though. On 20 minutes, from a Mujanovic cross from the byeline on the right, L’Imam Seydi was allowed a free header that left keeper Cini rooted to his line.
Birkirkara coach Besek made a tactical change soon after, retreating Mujanovic on the left and switching Camenzuli wide on the right.
That worked because Birkirkara’s second goal, after they had laid siege to the Mosta goal with a series of long balls into the box, came from a good move down the right, with Camenzuli sending a low ball inside the area, Seydi putting it in the path of Matija Smrekar to beat keeper Cini with a low drive.
And two minutes later, Mosta fell further in arrears. Imam Seydi found space to advance towards the Birkirkara goal on Zarate’s pass forward and score with a defiant strike.
Mosta effected a double substitution at the start of the second period, putting in Lyden Micallef and Dexter Xuereb and pulled one back after only seven minutes. The Birkirkara keeper Kopric was caught off his line on a Guobadia long floating free kick and defender Adrian Borg scored witha looping header.
But hardly a minute later, Brikirkara restoired their two-goal lead as Seydi’s effort, on Camenzuli’s pass was tipped against the bar by the outstretched keeper Cini, only for the grounded Seydi to pick the rebound and score.
Ryan Camenzuli added another goal past the hour, picking Seydi’s pass to score with a low left foot drive from a tight angle.
Three minutes from time, Matija Smrekar scored his second, beating keeper Cini once again with a firm header on a Zarate cross.
Despite holding a measure of control, Birkirkara’s defence repeatedly struggled against Mosta’s forward line and before the match was out, conceding another goal as Gopdwin Menshah beat keeper Kopric with a placed low shot after enjoying freedom of the pitch.
***
VALLETTA - 2
ST ANDREWS- 1
Valletta: H. Bonello, J. Caruana, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, R. Briffa, R. Ledesma (U. Uchenna), J. Borg (M. Mifsud), F. Falcone, C. Pani, Jhonnattann (L. Cremona), A. Nafti
St Andrews: J. Galea, E. Beltre, D. Camilleri, B. Che, J. Cuestra (J. Walker), V. Oseghale, S. Wisdom, J. Farrugia, F. Onwudinjo, K. Nwoko (S. Oproiescu), M. Johnson
Referee: A.M. Sant
Asst.refs: A. Camenzuli, P. Abela
Additional asst.refs: M. Spiteri, P. Farrugia
4th official: L. Portelli
Scorers: A. Nafti 19, 82, E. Beltre 33
Yellow cards: S. Wisdom, R. Briffa, F. Falcone, R. Camilleri
Red card: M. Johnson
Player of the match: A. Nafti (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. A. Nafti 2.B. Che 3. F. Onwudinjo
Attendance: 1,096
Valletta were made to sweat more than expected to beat resilient opponents, at the foot of the standings, and maintain their lead at the top on a wekend when all their rivals in the top five places won.
For the most part, Valletta were the stronger and largely dominat team but given the efforts and committment in the course of 90 minutes, St Andrews deserved the reward of a draw. The Saints caught the eye with their sturdiness at the back and it was only in the final 17 minutes, when down to ten men, that they lost the plot.
This was the first defeat for St Andrews after three positive matches.
Valletta had Abdelkarim Nafti back in their side after injury, with Michael Mifsud sitting on the bench for a whole hour. The unfit defender Romeu was replaced by Jean Borg who played at right back with Ryan Camilleri on the opposite side.
St Andrews always showed a hearty appetite for the fight but when Valletta took the lead after 19 minutes, many thought that Jose Borg’s side would buckle.
Valletta enjoyed the expected majority of possesssion in the first half without making it pay.
Ledesma’s deep cross from the left was pushed out by keeper Galea for Falcone to head the ball towards the middle and Abdelkarim Nafti to shoot in from close range.
Valletta looked comfortably in control after that and threatened with crosses by Nafti and Jhonnattann from the right flank, ably dealt with by the Saints’ defence.
They always looked the more likely to score but strangely enough, the goal came on the opposite end past the half hour. Enmy Beltre robbed Borg of possession on the right, cut inside the Valletta area to beat keeper Bonello from a close angle.
In the second half Valletta still had the majority of the possession but laboured to get in behind the St Andrews’ defence, who kept seven or eight men behind the ball.
Efforts by Jhonnattann and Nafti were blocked before Valletta coach Paul Zammit effected a double substitution, putting in Michael Mifsud and Umeh Uchenna on the hour.
Valletta could manage only the most rudimentary pressure as they tried to take a stranglehold on the match, which they really did in the final 20 minutes.
On 73 minutes it took a twist when Jhonnattan went past Onwudinjo on the right, his cross was headed firmly towards goal by Falcone, only for St Andrews’ defender Johnson to palm the ball out. Johnson was dismissed but Falcone shot the resultant penalty against the underside of the bar.
Valletta immediately tried to capitalise on their extra man, as St Andrews put in Sorin Oproiescu for Nwoko. Jhonnattann’s headed effort thumped against the bar before keeper Galea did well to turn Camilleri’s shot into a corner.
Jhonnattann hit Nafti’s cross narrowly wide. St Andrews finally buckled under Valletta’s pressure eight minutes from time. Camilleri played a square pass from the right for Nafti to hit it low beyond the keeper’s reach.
The outcome of the match had effectively been decided.