No joy after goalless stalemate

Birkirkara 0
Valletta 0

A goalless draw against rivals Birkirkara almost spelt finis to Valletta's flickering hopes of earning a place in the Championship Pool.

The Citizens knew that they had to beat their rivals to keep alive their chances of pipping either Floriana or Pietà Hotspurs for a top-six finish. Valletta sensed that they had to produce their best performance of the season against a Birkirkara side who took to the pitch determined to rediscover their winning touch after a negative run saw them suffering three consecutive league defeats.

There were a lot of positives in Valletta's game yesterday. The defensive partnership of Darren Debono and Todor Simeonov kept a firm control on the threat posed by Birkirkara's three-pronged attack of Michael Galea, Haruna Doda and Matthew Calascione.

In attack, Gilbert Agius seems to have found excellent support in Jamie Pace and Nenad Veselji as their constant mobility kept the Stripes' defence on its toes for most of the match.

Veselji had the best opportunity to break the deadlock in a drab encounter but he failed to take his chance. In the end, the result left Valletta with the almost inevitable fate of playing in the Relegation Pool as Floriana need to pick just one point from today's match against Pietà to guarantee a Championship Pool berth.

Birkirkara will rue their missed opportunity of taking full spoils as Valletta played the last ten minutes of the match with a man less. Their failure to defeat the Citizens means that the Stripes have now slipped three points below champions Sliema Wanderers, who have a game in hand.

Hibernians joined Birkirkara on the 32-point mark after their victory earlier yesterday.

Birkirkara coach Stephen Azzopardi would have preferred to field a full-strength formation but injury denied him the services of Roderick Briffa, Chucks Nwoko and George Mallia.

Atanas Marinov, the Valletta coach, was forced to renounce to the services of Bulgarian midfielder Milen Penchev and the flu-stricken Ivan Zammit. But he was boosted by the recovery of Veselji, who shrugged off hamstring trouble. This week the Citizens are poised to give a trial to Serbian midfielder Alexander Simoncic, who earlier this month also had a trial with Pietà.

Massimo Grima, the Sliema midfielder, could also join Valletta on loan in the coming days with Sharlon Pace possibly moving in the opposite direction.

Birkirkara took hold of proceedings early on with Valletta defending well and trying to operate on the break.

After only four minutes, a Michael Galea cross-shot was tipped to a corner by Sean Sullivan in the Valletta goal. From the ensuing corner kick, Adrian Ciantar's cross was again punched to safety by the City goalkeeper.

Valletta's reply arrived on 19 minutes when Daniel Theuma's low shot was well saved by Justin Haber.

Sullivan was again in action on 27 minutes when fisting away William Camenzuli's free-kick. Eight minutes from half-time, the Birkirkara fans erupted with joy when Galea hit the Valletta net from a Ciantar free-kick but the goal was annulled as the Birkirkara forward was signalled to be in an offside position.

On the change of ends, Valletta started to venture ahead more often and on 51 minutes a Jamie Pace shot skimmed just wide.

Twelve minutes later, Birkirkara threatened with a Calascione cross towards the unmarked Galea that was closed down by Sullivan.

However, the match remained largely low-key with both sets of defences prevailing on the respective forward lines.

Marinov roped in midfielder Jonathan Bondin in lieu of Kurt Farrugia in an attempt to boost his team's engine room.

Debono, the Valletta defender, surged forward and put Veselji in an ideal position to shoot home, but the former Sliema striker hit wide. This came after 67 minutes.

Birkirkara wing-back Lino Galea was forced to leave the pitch injured two minutes later. His place was taken by Clint Micallef.

The Stripes appealed for a penalty on 73 minutes when Calascione fell to a Debono challenge but referee Adrian Casha waved play on. Minutes later Micallef's volley was blocked providentially by Simeonov with Sullivan beaten.

Twelve minutes from time, substitute Ian Zammit almost made an immediate impact after coming on for Theuma but his header from an Agius corner was well saved by Haber.

Valletta were reduced to ten men on 80 minutes when Beppe Pace committed a second bookable offence.

On 83 minutes, Camenzuli's free-kick was fumbled by Sullivan but somehow the City defenders cleared the danger.

Time was running out but Valletta did not have enough strength to force a winner and, as the referee blew the final whistle, they left the pitch dejected, resigned to playing the last three months of the campaign in the Relegation Pool.

The Stripes too, on their part, were obviously unhappy with the two points lost.

Valletta: S. Sullivan, B. Pace, K. Farrugia (J. Bondin), R. Forace, T. Simeonov, D. Debono, D. Theuma (I. Zammit), S. Pace, J. Pace, G. Agius, N. Veselji (K. Zammit).

Birkirkara: J. Haber, M.A. Bonnici (A. Tabone), L. Galea (C. Micallef), P. Monye, W. Camenzuli, M. Calascione, H. Doda, M. Galea, L. Dronca, K. Scicluna, A. Ciantar.

Referee: Adrian Casha.

Yellow Cards: Monye; B. Pace; Debono.

Red Card: B. Pace 80.

MIA Player of the Match: Darren Debono (Valletta).