VALLETTA            1

BIRKIRKARA        0

Valletta: Y. Cini, J. Caruana, J. Vandelannoite, I. Azzopardi, R. Briffa, L. Dimech, D. Dos Santos, J. Gabriel (J. Ogunuppe), W. Barbosa, D. Falzon (K. Magro), I. Zammit (M. Mifsud)

Birkirkara: R. Gauci, R. Scicluna, A. Mendoza, J. Zerafa, R. Muscat, P. Fenech, Z. Muscat, E. Herrera, H. Shodiya, Y. Hernandez (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), Jhonnattan

Referee:  A.M. Sant

Asst.refs:  A. Camilleri, A. Grech

4th official: M. Apap

Scorers: I. Zammit 44

Yellow cards: D. Dos Santos, Z. Muscat, R. Scicluna, P. Fenech, W. Barbosa

Red card: D. Dos Santos

Player of the match: J. Gabriel (Valletta)

TMI top 3:  1. J. Gabriel  2. A. Mendoza  3. W. Barbosa

Attendance: 3,068

Valletta’s morale after this win against challengers Birkirkara is again on a high. Yesterday, their colourful and noisy fans again returned in quite a good number and the team responded with another accomplished performance despite playing with 10 men for a whole 50 minutes.

By virtue of this victory, Valletta are alone enjoying the view from the top of the Premier League, having edged Birkirkara by three clear points and only Hibernians can bridge that gap today by winning against Sliema Wanderers.

Valletta looked superior for long stretches, with a performance that recaptured the spirit of buoyance in yesterday’s circumstances. Having an important player like Denni Dos Santos rightly sent off after only 40 minutes they still demonstrated stength in the face of adversity and scored the winning goal on the stroke of halftime. That came through their darling Ian Zammit, who will probably be transferred out in the coming days. They shut up shop in the second half but still were dangerous on the counter.

Birkirkara were highly disappointing. The fluidity of their dominating display against Tarxien the week before was conspicuously lacking and the team remained in second gear yesterday.

They showed the inclination to go forward, but so rarely the co-ordination or penetration to disturb the Valletta goal.

Both teams had registered comfortable wins in their previous matches. Valletta beat Hibernians 4-1 with an accomplished performance while Birkirkara had  swept Tarxien Rainbows aside with a thumping 5-0 victory.

Still, both coaches deemed it fit to make changes in their line-ups. Valletta had Ryan Fenech and Demba Toure’ missing through suspension, and gave starts to Joao Gabriel and Dyson Falzon.

Birkirkara made four changes. Nikola Vukanac, Ryan Camenzuli, Rodrigo Perreira and Mifsud Triganza were all absent and replaced by Zach Muscat, Joseph Zerafa, Yosimar Hernandez and Jhonnattan, in what looked like a too offensive side.

Valletta made the early running, threatening with a fierce Barbosa free kick that rebounded off the Birkirkara bar, with keeper Gauci hooked to his line, after 11 minutes.

Birkirkara were no bystanders though and caused the Valletta rearguard some uncomfortable moments with their swift movement around the area. Most of the menace came from the flanks. Azzopardi headed out Herrera’s squeezed cross from the left and on another Herrera cross, Jhonnattan’s effort was blocked by the crowded Valletta defence.

The two most noteworthy episodes came in the last five minutes of the half though. On 40 minutes, Denni Dos Santos was sent off for a retaliation on Zach Muscat as the Valletta player had been grounded by Rowen Muscat on the edge of the Birkirkara area.

Although down to 10 men, Valletta still managed to make the breakthrough four minutes later. Gabriel went past Zerafa down the right and his cross caught Zach Muscat out of position, allowing Ian Zammit to nip in unhindered and head past the helpless keeper Gauci.

Valletta’s scorer was replaced by Michael Mifsud eight minutes into the second half as Valletta opted to play on the counter, allowing Birkirkara plenty of possession but very little space. Vandelannoite and Barbosa provided adequate cover in front of the defence.

The Stripes, who remained an unchanged side until 15 minutes from the end, were allowed to shoot from a distance. Scicluna’s effort landed on the roof of the net, while Fenech let fly a searing left footer which keeper Cini stretched himself to save after 65 minutes.

But Birkirkara looked short of ideas and fell flat against more silid opponents. The innocuous Shodiya tried to go past Dimech inside the Valletta area but Azzopardi cleared the danger.

Valletta were potent going forward on fast breaks. On 73 minutes Azzopardi galloped down the left flank, played a low pass to Mifsud who was blocked by the alert Mendoza inside the area.

Birkirkara put in Mifsud Triganza for the last quarter hour. They raked crosses galore inside the Valletta area but found no finishers as the City defence went through some nervous moments.

But Birkirkara failed to capitalise and ran the risk of conceding a second goal themselves in the late stages. Barbosa’s fierce free kick from the left flashed over the Birkirkara goal before susbstitute Ogunuppe won possession and advanced from the middle of the field , only to be blocked by keeper Gauci into a corner.