Valletta 2

Birkirkara 1

Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, S. Borg, I. Azzopardi, A. Effiong (D. Falzon), R. Briffa, J. Pace, E. Agius, D. Dos Santos (O. Zongo), W. Barbosa, M. Mifsud

Birkirkara: J. Mora, T. Cilia (A. Tabone), J. Zerafa, R. Perreira, A. Decesare, D. Perisic (S. Shodiya), P. Fenech, T. Vella (L. Grech), R. Muscat, M. Avila, G. Sciberras

Referee: E. Azzopardi

Asst.refs: J. Camilleri, M. Debono

4th official: C. Lautier

Scorers: J. Pace 42, M. Avila 54, S. Borg 67

Yellow card: G. Sciberras

Player of the match: Edmond Agius (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. J. Pace 2. E. Agius 3. T. Cilia

Attendance: 3,166

Birkirkara were undone by two headed goals from set pieces against Valletta and succumbed to their third defeat yesterday despite holding to a draw for more than an hour when they were clearly under par.

It was a stern test for coach Paul Zammit, upon his return to Birkirkara after a few months.

The champions, who had striker Michael Mifsud back from injury and defender Steve Borg from suspension, now go back to the top by virtue of this win. Their passing football had the Stripes on the back foot for long stretches and after taking a first half lead, only some lack of concentration in defence allowed Birkirkara to draw level, thanks to the opportunism of their best scorer Moises Avila.

Ominously for their opponents, Valletta had plenty of top performances, from Jonathan Caruana and Steve Borg at the back to the industry of Edmond Agius, Jamie Pace and William Barbosa in midfield.

Serb defender Dragan Perisic was given a debut in the Birkirkara side as their fourth foreigner. That meant Shola Shodiya was exiled to the bench and went in as his substitute late in the game. Birkirkara also had Terence Vella making a start in the absence of the injured Angus Buhagiar.

The early exchanges were competitive rather than cohesive. Birkirkara were first to look menacing with a Cilia free kick going narrowly over after 11 minutes.

But Valletta gradually started to find rhythm of their own. On 20 minutes they threatened with a fast Barbosa break from a corner. He played an inviting pass to the unmarked Mifsud who however skied the ball from a promising position. Four minutes later, on a Barbosa cross, Denni shot narrowly wide.

Valletta had strong claims for a penalty turned down on the half hour when keeper Mora rushed off his line to block Effiong who fell inside the area.

Mora then held out Briffa’s powerful shot as Valletta were looking slightly the more enterprising side.

Three minutes before the break the champions made the breakthrough, when awarded a free kick outside the area for Sciberras’ foul on Pace. On Agius’ sailing kick, Jamie Pace beat keeper Mora with a looping header at the far post.

Valletta held the initiative for the first part of the second half and again went close with an Agius shot from outside the area after a Denni corner was cleared into his path.

On 53 minutes, Barbosa’s free kick forced Mora to stretch himself and save.

But they were rattled a minute later, caught cold by Birkirkara’s surprise equaliser. Cilia caught the Valletta defence square with his pass to Moises Avila who, clear in front of the keeper, scored with a defiant strike.

To their credit, Valletta were not demoralised, although they lost some of their gloss and regrouped after Dyson Falzon was roped in for Alfred Effiong.

On 67 minutes Valletta regained the lead, again from a dead ball situation. Defender Steve Borg headed past Mora as he rose inside the Birkirkara area to connect on Edmond Agius’ free kick from half pitch.

Birkirkara’s hopes of taking something from the match were dashed. They put in Leighton Grech and later Shola Shodiya, but by then Valletta had again taken the bit between their teeth and remained potent going forward. Agius had a fierce shot going wide and in added time, Falzon shot over after progressing well from the left.