BIRKIRKARA -                                     1

VALLETTA-                                          0

Birkirkara: J. Haber R. Pereira, E. Herrera, N. Vukanac, A. Mendoza, J. Zerafa (R. Camenzuli), G. Sciberras,P. Fenech, R. Muscat, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (R. Scicluna), S. Shodiya (Jhonnattan)

Valletta: Y. Cini, J. Caruana, R. Fenech,  I. Azzopardi, E. Agius (R. Briffa), M. Mifsud (D. Toure’), W. Barbosa, A. Bello-Osagie (D. Bogdanovic),  D. Dos Santos,  J. Vandelannoite, L. Dimech

Referee:  M. Apap

Asst.refs: M. Scerri, P. Abela

4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorers: J.P. Mifsud Triganza

Yellow cards: J. Zerafa, R. Pereira, R. Scicluna, R. Fenech

Player of the match: E. Herrera (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3:  1. E. Herrera  2. D. Dos Santos  3. A. Mendoza

Attendance: 4,597

Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza scored a goal of immeasurable importance yesterday that enabled his side Birkirkara to narrowly, but deservingly, beat Valletta and make a giant leap towards the championship win. Birkirkara play Tarxien Rainbows in the final match and hope main challengers Hibernians falter against either Mosta or Valletta.

Birkirkara overcame their recent upsets that saw them drop four points against Hibernians and Mosta to beat Valletta and dethrone the champions. By virtue of this defeat, Valletta are now out of the running as they trail the leaders by six points with just a game left to play.

This was a hard-working, organised Birkirkara team, with Alejandro Mendoza and Rodrigo Pereira showing solidity at the back, Rowen Muscat a tireless worker in front of the defence and Paul Fenech, Gareth Sciberras closing down in midfield. On the wings, Edward Herrera and Shola Shodiya were a constant menace.

Valletta dropped Dyson Falzon and gave a start to the returning Michael Mifsud, with an offensive  4-1-3-2 formation that included Bello-Osagie and Denni Dos Santos. For Valletta this was an opportunity to put themselves back on course, with an outside chance of defending the title.

But while Birkirkara began like a team who believed the championship was within their grasp, Valletta were a group of individuals, who were not sure of anything.

Valletta were better after the interval but they continued to struggle for rhythm. They enjoyed the vast majority of possession but they created very few opportunities and only went close on two occasions, when  bold efforts by Denni were held out by the crossbar.

After their disappointing goalless draw with Mosta, Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit adjusted his formation to give his side more solidity in midfield as they stemmed the flow towards their goal. The Stripes  were strengthened by the return of Rodrigo Pereira, Alejandro Mendoza, Paul Fenech and Rowen Muscat. Zach Muscat was suspended and Jhonnattan only went in as a second-half substitute.

Both sides were tactically well disciplined in the opening stages and allowed each other few openings. After eight minutes Herrera advanced from the byeline on the right and shot straight on keeper Cini who turned into a corner.

Valletta’s response came past the quarter hour. Bello-Osagie’s header on a Barbosa free kick was headed into a corner by Mendoza.

Birkirkara managed to take the lead after 36 minutes. Caruana and Shodiya went up for Herrera’s cross from the right, the ball fell to Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza who shot in from close range. It was a goal the game, as a spectacle, badly needed.

Valletta were facing an uphill task in the second period. They introduced Roderick Briffa for Agius but Birkirkara looked menacing on 51 minutes again through Herrera who advanced from the right, beating Dimech, Barbosa and Caruana  before playing a short pass to the unmarked Mifsud Triganza who skied his effort from a promising position.

Valletta mounted some sustained pressure and were twice denied by the woodwork. On 54 minutes Denni’s goalbound shot from outside the area thumped against the bar. Less than ten minutes later, Denni was again unlucky, heading Barbosa’s free kick against the bar with keeper Haber beaten on both occasions.

In between, Pereira cleared Mifsud’s low cross inside the area before Denni could connect.

Birkirkara tried to mitigate the danger and made a double substitution on 67 minutes, putting  in Ryan Scicluna and Jhonnattan.

Soon after, Valletta scored when Vandelannoite headed in a high ball but the goal was rightly disallowed by the referee for a Dimech foul on the Birkirkara keeper.

On 72 minutes Valletta replaced Bello-Osagie with Bogdanovic as they increased their efforts. But their huffing and puffing produced very little. On Denni’s low cross, Mifsud shot weakly and Haber could save.

Valletta coach Miller played his last trump card, putting in Demba Toure’ for the final ten minutes and nearly capitalised on a Birkirkara defensive slip, following a Vandelannoite cross. Toure’ laid the ball in the path of Bogdanovic who completely missed the target.

And when Barbosa drilled his free kick over in the dying minutes, Valletta knew that their time was up