B'Kara 2
Valletta 2
B'Kara: A. Hogg, E. Pepe, M. Vella ( E. Dos Santos 83'), K. Zammit, R. Briffa, F. Falcone, C. Attard, H. Prado Caio, O. Carniello, M. Alba (M. Mifsud 74'), R. Fenech
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, B. Kaljevic, J. Borg, E. Pena Beltre, J. Zerafa (R. Camilleri 73'), D. Packer, I. Dzaria (N.Pulis 45'), M. Fontanella, Y. Messias (S. Dimech 63'), K. Tulimieri
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Asst refs: Jurgen Spiteri, Mitchell Scerri
4th official: Matthew Degabriele
Yellow Cards: S. Borg, Fenech, Briffa, Tulimieri, Pepe, Zerafa, Vella, J. Borg
Scorers: S. Borg 9', R. Fenech 37', Pena Beltre 57', Alba pen. 69'
BOV Player of the Match: Henrique Prado Caio (Birkirkara)
TMI Top 3 : 1. H. Caio 2. S. Borg 3. R. Fenech
Bikirkara and Valletta shared four goals in an entertaining match which also attracted a good crowd to the National Stadium. Valletta were always in the lead but the Stripes never threw in the towel and deservedly took a point from this match against their arch rivals.
Birkirkara were still chasing their first win following two defeats and two draws facing a rather bumpy start which also resulting in parting ways with coach John Buttigieg and the drafting in of Andre' Paus.
Valletta also started with at surprise defeat at the hands of newcomers Santa Lucia, but made amends with wins over Sliema and Balzan and drew against Floriana.
From their last match Valletta made two changes with Packer and Tulimieri given a starting role instead of Dimech and Muscat respectively. On the other hand for Birkirkara one change as Maurizio Vella started instead of Tarabai.
Valletta took the lead as early as the 9th minute when there was some defensive uncertainty between Cain Attard and Andrew Hogg with the Stripes defender playing back the ball and Hogg getting hold of the sphere. The match official ordered an indirect free kick from which Tulimieri passed towards Steve Borg whose shot made its way past the Birkirkara rearguard and into the net.
On the half hour Birkirkara went near to draw level. Caio made his way on the right flank and crossed towards Alba but the latter from close range missed to find the net. Nine minutes from the end of the first half in a swift counter attack Zerafa found Tulimieri who wasted an easy chance to increase their lead.
The Citizens paid dearly for this missed chance when in the 37th minute Birkirkara drew level. Fenech played the ball towards Vella who continued towards Caio Pardo and the Brazilian striker lobbed inot the net.
Valletta regained the lead in the 57th minute when off a long ball from the left by Tulimieri it was Enmy Pena Beltre who rose high to head into the corner of the net.
In the 65th minute Caio missed to connect after being served by an Alba cross. Birkirkara drew level on 69 minutes when Caio was brought down in the area by Jean Borg and from the resultant penalty ex- Miguel Angel Alba converted in style.
Ten minutes from the end Bonello turned onto a corner a Michael Mifsud effort. And two minutes later the Valletta custodian turned over the bar a shot by Falcone.
The last minutes saw the Stripes trying to grab the winner which never arrived meaning that they are still winless following five matches. As for Valletta this was their second draw of the campaign and though they had their good moments in this match they are a far cry from what we saw last year.