VALLETTA – 0
BIRKIRKARA – 0
Valletta: H. Bonello, I. Azzopardi, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, R. Briffa, F. Falcone (R. Ledesma), L. Cremona (J. Borg), C. Pani, U. Uchenna, Jhonnattann, A. Nafti (M. Mifsud)
Birkirkara: M. Kopric, C. Bubalovic, M. Mazzetti, C. Attard, M. Andelkovic, J. Zerafa, G. Sciberras, R. Scicluna (E. Agius), F. Temile, G. Mujanovic (R. Camenzuli), V. Plut
Referee: A.M. Sant
Asst.refs: R. Vella, P. Abela
Additional asst.refs: E. Azzopardi, M. Spiteri
4th official: D. Sultana
Yellow cards: J. Cruz, C. Attard, M. Mazzetti, J. Zerafa, M. Mifsud, U. Uchenna
Player of the match: M.Mazzetti (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. H. Bonello 2. C. Bubalovic 3. J. Zerafa
Attendance: 3,854
This hotly contested encounter between the leaders and third-placed team ended goalless and left a bitter taste for both Valletta and Birkirkara.
The atmosphere was euphoric, with a good crowd present at Ta’Qali. Play was not that exciting although the game shifted endlessly from one side to another.
Valletta’s lead at the top over Hibernians has now been trimmed dramatically to only one point within a fortnight, while Birkirkara remain six points adrift, and practically out of contention with two more games to play.
These are moments when potential champions have to show they can cope when the heat of the battle is dangerously close to intolerable.
On this evidence, no one can question Valletta’s nerve or spirit of togetherness, but ultimately this draw has to rank as two more dropped points in the chase for the title, following their defeat against Floriana the previous week. They had also the kind of good fortune that all sides in their position need, when saved by the woodwork as a stronger Birkirkara threatened seriously to win the game in th dying minutes. The post also denied Valletta in the first half.
In the absence of the suspended Jonathan Caruana and Romao, Valletta coach Paul Zammit had to tinker with his defence. Ryan Camilleri moved at the centre, alongside Cruz, with Ian Azzopardi and Uchenna as wide backs.
Valletta were playing a side who pride themselves of being obdurate opponents, having won alll their previous five matches. Coach Drazen Besek had guarded his defence with two imposing centre backs – Mazzetti and Bubalovic with two fighters like Cain Attard and Joseph Zerafa on the flanks. Gareth Sciberras and the more inventive Mislav Andelkovic provided good cover in front of them. Vito Plut started in attack in the absencxe of the still injured Matija Smrekar.
Temile was the most energetic player for Birkirkara in the opening minutes and gave Valletta’s left back Azzopardi a hard time. After five minutes he reached for Scicluna’s long cross but keeper Bonello managed to put a hand on the ball and turn it into a corner.
Valletta were trying to exploit spaces on the flanks playing wide balls to Jhonnattann and Nafti as Birkirkara were defending high up the pitch.
On the quarter hour Jhonnattann thumped his shot from the edge of the area against the bar in Valletta’s first real threat.
Surely it was no tranquil atmosphere. Juan Cruz’s booking, which looked harsh, after 18 minutes, incensed the Valletta bench. Earlier, the referee had looked too lenient not to punish more dangerous fouls by Temile and Mazzetti.
On the half hour Plut failed to connect to a loose ball inside the area when the Valletta defence looked in shambles.
With halftime looming, Mazzetti cleared the ball poorly at Jhonnattann’s feet. The cross fell to Nafti who, unhindered, headed the ball wide.
On the other end, Scicluna won possession inside the Valletta half but shot hastily over from a distance.
It was still goalless at halftime.
And with the match heading towards sterility in the second half, both coaches were aware that something had to change. Valletta were the first to introduce Michael Mifsud for Nafti on the hour. Mifsud immediately outpaced Zerafa and advanced from the right. His shot was deflected into a corner. Then Jhonnattann presented Falcone with a good ball but the Valletta forward shot wastefully off target.
The game somehow changed complexion when Birkirkara introduced Edmond Agius instead of Scicluna for the last 20 minutes to give them more solidity in midfield. Later, the Birkirkara coach also put in Ryan Camenzuli for Mujanovic as Valletta replaced the anonymous Falcone with Rafael Ledesma.
Yet Valletta lived dangerously in the dying minutes. Agius whipped a wicked free kick from the left which keeper Bonello did well to turn into a corner. With a minute of normal time remaining, Temile played the ball wide to the advancing Plut who pout his shot beyond Bonello but the ball struck the foot of the post.
And in added time, keeper Bonello denied Birkirkara a dramatic winner, pulling a superlative save off Plut’s point blank shot.
What relief for the leaders at the end!
NAXXAR LIONS- 1
QORMI – 1
Naxxar L: A. Gallinetta, A. Scicluna, R. Grech, D. Toure’, D. Falzon, J. Godar Pereira, J. Debono, D. Fenech (D. Bonnici), A. Buhagiar, E. Hamutenya, M. Fenech
Qormi: J.M. Vella, E. Vella, K. Magro, D. Leeflang, A. Cassar (P. Viggiani), O. Sidibe, N. Ojuola, T. Vella (I. Zammit), C. Gauci, R. Micallef, N. Go (Y. Yankam)
Referee: F. Zammit
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, C. Francalanza
4th official: M. Apap
Scorers: D. Falzon 72, N. Ojuola 85
Yellow cards: R. Micallef, J. Godar Pereira, A. Scicluna
Red card: R. Micallef
Player of the match: D. Falzon (Naxxar L)
TMI top 3: 1. E. Hamutenya 2. C. Gauci 3. J. Debono
Qormi’s fate is still hanging in the balance after a plucky 1-1 draw against other strugglers Naxxar Lions yesterday.
Five minutes from the end, Qormi looked doomed to defeat and automatic relegation but an Ojuola equaliser meant they survive another day, although hopes remain bleak.
Naxxar could have put their minds at rest after Daren Falzon had given them the lead in the late stages but can still hope to go for a play-off if they avoid defeat against St Andrews, the team five points below them, next week.
Following their draw against Pembroke, Naxxar introduced Jurgen Debono and Demba Toure’ from the start and Qormi also made three changes, putting in Jean Matias Vella in goal, Emerson Vella in defence and Ryan Micallef in attack, in a bid to improve upon their abysmal record of having scored two goals in five matches.
Quality was in short supply in the first half but the looseness of the game meant both sides got chances. Profligacy and some good goalkeeping meant the first half was barren.
A Debono effort for Naxxar narrowly missed the target with Gauci’s shot from a promising position inside the Naxxar area was deflected into a corner.
Naxxar went closest to opening the score on the half hour. Toure’ played the ball square to the unmarked Falzon inside the area but keeper Vella strteched himself to hold out.
Qormi could have gone themselves in front five minutes later. Gauci connected well to Magro’s cross from the left and hit a powerful shot from the edge of teh area but Naxxar keeper Gallinetta responded well with a reflex save into a corner.
Terence Vella fluffed another opportunity for Qormi just before the break, lofting the ball after Leeflang had headed it in his direction.
The contest showed signs of warming up a little after the interval, with Naxxar stepping up a gear and pressing Qormi into their own half, but still looked erratic in their finishing. Hamutenya clipped the bar with his header from a Falzon corner kick and then a Mark Fenech effort went wide.
Qormi also had half chances. Micallef headed Gauci’s free kick wide before a Vella free kick was repelled by Gallinetta who also saved Micallef’s close header on the rebound.
On 70 minutes Naxxar fluffed another good chance. Substitute Bonnici went past Emerson Vella and ran clear inside the area but instead of going for goal himself, he opted to pass the ball where no mate could reach for it.
Luckily the Lions atoned for that miss two minutes later when Toure’ reached for a loose ball from near the byeline on the right and headed it over the onrushing keeper Vella for the unmolested Daren Falzon to knock it over the line.
But when Qormi’s fate looked all but sealed, Noah Ojoula rose high to head in Gauci’s corner and level matters.
Although their forwrad Ryan Micallef was sent off for a second booking deep into three minutes of added time, Qormi went close to winning the match with the last shot of the match. Only keeper Gallinetta saved Naxxar from an embarrassing defeat, holding out Ojuola’s effort when put clear inside the area.