Valletta 1

Birkirkara 1

SILVIO VELLA

Birkirkara inflicted some significant damage to Valletta’s title prospects, as they scored a late penalty to salvage a point that keeps them firmly alone in third place.

Courtesy of this draw, Valletta have been joined by Hibernians in top spot.

It might not have been the classic match such a fixture so frequently produces, but the final 20 minutes were eventful and equally dramatic as much as controversial.

With Hibernians winning in the afternoon’s first match and going temporarily on top, the pressure shifted back on Valletta, who were looking for maximum points, having already dropped two in their previous two matches. But against in-form opponents in the mould of Birkirkara, who now remain unbeaten in their last four matches, it was always going to be an intriguing match for the champions.

Birkirkara in fact made the more assertive start and Valletta had to defend with their customery diligence to keep them out in the first half.

In the second half, the tide began to turn in Valletta’s favour and after taking the lead through Denni Dos Santos on 70 minutes, the leaders looked heading towards another win, only to be denied by a late Moises penalty five minutes from the end.

After thrashing Balzan Youths on Tuesday, Valletta rested Gilbert Agius, with Roderick Bajada starting the match. Mifsud and Panandetiguiri were still not fully fit, although the latter went is as a late substitute.

Birkirkara were an unchanged side after beating Floriana in midweek.

They had much the more enterprising part in the first half hour and threw embarrassment to the Valletta defence. Fenech reached for Silva’s cross, lobbed over the onrushing keeper Hogg but Azzopardi cleared.

On 20 minutes, Fenech advanced on the right. His low drive took a wicked deflection but Hogg managed to turn into a corner. And from the ensuing corner kick, Shodiya ran havoc inside the Valletta area but his final effort was blocked. Before the break, another Bajada inswinging corner from the right, was saved with difficulty by keeper Hogg.

Valletta, not to the usual, were mostly bystanders and showed up with an Edmond Agius free kick from the right which Zongo headed narrowly out, five minutes from halftime.

Valletta put in Alfred Effiong for Cekulajevs at the start of the second half. They nearly scored within three minutes when Briffa put Denni clear on the right to thump his effort against the bar.

Short of the hour, Gilbert Agius went in for Bajada and Valletta gradually worked their way into ascendancy as one might have expected.

Barbosa shot his free kick wide and on 69 minutes Effiong played a high ball towards Denni but his lob lacked power and Pereira could clear the danger.

But Valletta took the lead on 70 minutes. Zongo’s cross from the right was picked by Edmond Agius who played it short to Denni Dos Santos to beat keeper Gauci.

Birkirkara put in Mifsud Triganza but still looked out of sorts and with Valletta looking good value for their advantage by then, Birkirkara’s equaliser with five minutes remaining, came as an anti-climax. As Shodiya made his way inside the Valletta area, shielding the ball from his opponent, he fell under Borg’s push and assistant Camilleri flagged the infringement amid harsh protests from the Valletta players. Finally substitute Avila Moises tucked away the penalty to earn Birkirkara a late point.

Valletta’s misery continued with Effiong’s dismissal three minutes later for making excessive contact with defender Pereira as they chased the ball inside the Birkirkara area.

Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, S. Borg, A. Cekulajevs (A. Effiong), I. Azzopardi, R. Briffa, E. Agius, O. Zongo (S. Panandetiguiri), D. Dos Santos, W. Barbosa, R. Bajada (G. Agius)

Coach: J. Zerafa

Birkirkara: R. Gauci, R. Pereira, N. Vukanac, J. Silva (A. Moises), S. Bajada, R. Scicluna (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), P. Fenech, A. Buhagiar, G. Sciberras, J. Zerafa, S. Shodiya (R. Muscat)

Coach: P. Zammit

Referee: G. Tonna

Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, M. Scerri

4th official: E. Azzopardi

Scorers: D. Dos Santos 70, A. Moises 85 pen

Yellow cards: R. Bajada, S. Borg, J. Zerafa, N.Vukanac, A. Moises

Red card: A. Effiong

Player of the match: D. Dos Santos (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. P. Fenech 2. O. Zongo 3. R. Pereira

Attendance: 2,427