Marsa-Birkirkara 1-2
Marsa: J. Debono, E. Yanchev, E. Mbong, D. Vella, K. Scerri, V. Bellia, A. Ewurun, W. Chircop (J. Casha), S. Cutajar, K. Cassar (R. Micallef), B. Zammit (D. Cucciardi)
Birkirkara: S. Sullivan, P. Borg, R. Sammut, W. Camenzuli, M. Calascione, E. Barbara, J.P. Mifsud Triganza, J. Holland, C. Micallef, G. Mallia, G. Gallovich (J. Zerafa)
Referee: P. Caruana, Ass. Referees: Ms. E. Farrugia, P. Apap, 4th Official: J. Attard
Scorers: B. Zammit, E. Barbara (pen), J.P. Mifsud Triganza
Yellow cards: S. Cutajar, E. Barbara, V. Bellia, D. Cucciardi, K. Scerri
Player of the match: Anthony Ewurun (Marsa)
TMI best three: 1. S. Sullivan 2. E. Mbong 3. J.P. Mifsud Triganza
Birkirkara registered their third league win, against bottom team Marsa, which has them climbing the table, but yesterday they hardly played like champions. Taking a 2-1 lead by half-time, they conceded Marsa too many openings in the second half and had only their keeper to thank for the final win. Sean Sullivan, back in goal for Bledzewski, was beaten hands down by Zammit’s direct free-kick in the opening minutes but then atoned in the second half with some top notch saves.
Birkirkara can lament the ever growing list of injuries, with Paradiso as the latest casualty. Other Italian Gallovich, despite making a start, played only 12 minutes and had to be substituted, probably not being fully fit.
Besides, Birkirkara were bereft of the services of the suspended Bonnici and Scicluna. Defender Lino Galea was not even included in their squad.
To their credit, the Stripes made a remarkable comeback after falling behind early in the game and by half-time they had turned the tables in their favour, besides twice denied by the woodwork, to preserve an important win.
Marsa also had some key players missing, in the likes of captain Bencini, Fasinelli and Andrew Scerri.
Displaying one of their best attacking games so far, the newly promoted side looked capable of taking at least a draw against depleted opponents but they were left to rue their many missed chances at the end.The post also denied them in the second half, which heralded their best spell.
Birkirkara were facing an uphill task as early as seven minutes when Brandon Zammit beat keeper Sullivan at the right hand post with an exquisite direct free-kick from outside the penalty area.
With no other option, Birkirkara surged forward to erase the deficit. By the half hour they were twice denied by the woodwork, first through Mifsud Triganza and then Camenzuli’s arrow-like drive from 30 metres out. Both efforts deserved a better fate.
In between, Marsa’s goalkeeper Debono did well to turn Holland’s free-kick from the left into a corner and then block Mifsud Triganza’s close range shot.
Birkirkara’s equaliser on 36 minutes was more than deserved albeit from a penalty, procured in ingenious fashion by Bellia who handled Micallef’s long cross before it could reach Mallia. Etienne Barbara did not fail from the spot to restore equilibrium.
Marsa, who had absorbed much of Birkirkara’s initiative, showed up on 40 minutes with an Mbong shot which had Sullivan beaten, but thumped against the bar.
They paid dearly for that miss three minutes later when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza connected well on Mallia’s low cross from the left to shoot in past the helpless Debono.
The second half was highly charged with the balance of power shifting dramatically in Marsa’s favour. With huge gaps in Birkirkara’s rearguard, Ewurun sprinted upfield from half pitch but his final shot lacked the required power and the grounded Sullivan saved.
On the hour, on another Marsa break,Ewurun served Chircop on the run but he lofted the ball. Two minutes later Ewurun again failed to capitalise on Sammut’s defensive slip when clear in front of goal as he was thwarted by Sullivan’s plucky save.
On 64 minutes, with Birkirkara’s defence looking vulnerable, Zammit’s powerful free-kick was turned into a corner by Sullivan, only for Mbong’s low drive ending narrowly wide as another Marsa chance went to waste.
Bolstered by their bright spell, Marsa effected a double substitution on 66 minutes, drafting in Cucciardi and Casha. Three minutes later they were also a man up as Birkirkara’s Barbara was dismissed for a second caution.
But Marsa still failed to capitalise on their numerical superiority as Birkirkara looked more menacing in the late stages with keeper Debono rushing out to halt Mifsud Triganza’s incursion inside the area on the left and then holding out Holland’s weighted free-kick and blocking at Mifsud Triganza’s feet on the loose ball.