Valletta-Birkirkara 0-1

Valletta: P. Marino, J. Caruana, R. Fenech, R. Briffa, H. Barry, D. Dos Santos, D. Falzon (E. Agius), J. Vandelannoite (A. Nyang), Y. Camilleri (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), A. Nafti, L. Dimech

Birkirkara: J. Haber, R. Muscat, A. Mendoza, Jhonnattan (D. Toure’), P. Fenech, J. Zerafa, G. Sciberras, Z. Muscat, S. Shodiya (T. Vella), F. Temile (D. Zerafa), R.Camenzuli

Referee: T.Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs: T. Debono, J. Spiteri

Additional refs: G. Tonna, M. Spiteri

4th official: R. Vella

Scorers: Y. Camilleri 32 og,

Yellow cards: Jhonnattan, H. Barry, L. Dimech, R. Camenzuli, J. Caruana, R. Muscat

Player of the match: Jhonnattan (Birkirkara)

TMI top three: 1. Z. Muscat  2. Jhonnattan  3. R. Briffa

Attendance: 2,508

Thanks to this narrow win, Birkirkara lifted themselves to third place, above the same Valletta, but still trail leaders Hibernians by five points and Sliema Wanderers by one point.

The all important goal was scored past the half hour, with the Valletta keeper Pietro Marino carrying much of the blame when failing to cut a high ball inside his area, which accidently hit defender Yessous Camilleri and rolled over the line.

Valletta thus succumbed to their second league defeat, following the first against Hibernians, and are showing in the process that a goal conceded is becoming unsurmountable for them despite the many attacking options in their side.

In the final analysis, Birkirkara deserved their win. The result was the most equitable outcome to a slow-burner that caught fire only for half an hour in the first half.

On their day, these two teams provide arguably the best and certainly the most aesthetically pleasing football in the Premier League, and this fixture held infinite promise. Birkirkara needed to dust themselves from defeat against Hibernians, while Valletta have been grinding out results without showing much conviction. For a long time, however, it went unfulfilled.

The first half was full of good intentions and good passing, but the second lacked real excitement and the last half hour was totally barren.

Birkirkara were missing the services of the injured flank player Edward Herrera and Zach Muscat was moved wide on the right with Joseph Zerafa the central defender. Another notable absentee was teh suspended midfielder Mathias Bissi. Their three-pronged attack consisted of Frank Temile, Shoda Shodiya and Jhonnattan and their running and interchanging proved quite a handful for the Valletta rearguard in the opening 20 minutes. The sight of Temile gesticulating towards the Valletta side, did not help to diffuse the tension of the City supporters.

Valletta, who had Ian Azzopardi unavailable and Yessous Camilleri playing as right back, gradually jerked into shape after a sluggish start. Nafti’s inswinging free kick from the left was tipped over the bar by keeper Haber into a corner.

On 23 minutes Temile foraged down the right, provided a testing cross but Jhonnattan could not apply the finishing touch.

At last both teams were up and running and continued to threaten from set pieces. Caruana headed a Nafti corner narrowly wide before the Citizens were forced to replace the injured Vandelannoite with Nyang.

Birkirkara remained more potent going forward. On the half hour, the volatile Jhonnattan sent a low ball inside the Valletta area, Fenech reached for it from the blind side but hit weakly and wide.

On 32 minutes, the Valletta keeper  Marino misjudged Shodiya’s cross from the left, the ball fell behind him between Jhonnattan and Yessous Camilleri, with the latter deflecting the ball over the line into his own net.

It was a sloppy goal to concede and that demanded an immediate response from Valletta. A Nafti scissors kick was blocked into a corner by Zach Muscat and on 37 minutes, Briffa’s drilling long range drive was smartly turned into a corner by keeper Haber. From Nafti’s resultant corner, Camilleri’s firm header was blocked by Haber, with the help of the upright.

On 39 minutes, the Stripes missed a good chance of doubling their lead. On a fast break, Shodiya was clear inside the Valletta area but instead of going for goal, he played the ball square in the path of Jhonnattan, who was surprised and lost the right momentum, only to shoot on the keeper from a closed angle.

The second half was less pleasant to watch and offered less scoring opportunities. The first, after three minutes, fell to Birkirkara. Shodiya ran through the middle, on Jhonnattan’s pass, but shot wastefully over. Valletta showed up with a Barry shot, safely blocked by Haber.

Two minutes short of the hour, Valletta took off Yessous Camilleri and Dyson Falzon, replaced by Mifsud Triganza and Edmond Agius, with Feench and Briffa dropping as wide backs. Nyang took a wider role as Valletta started to rake several long balls inside the Birkirkara area.

But Birkirkara remained compact and helped by Haber’s safe handling they never went through serious trouble to preserve the three points till the very end.