Birkirkara 1
Tabone 18
Valletta 1
Zammit 56
Early days these may be in football terms but whatever the circumstances, Valletta and Birkirkara can be relied on to serve up competitive fare when their paths cross.
This was certainly the case last night at the Centenary Stadium when these two rivals clashed in the opening match of the Euro Challenge Cup, the first official fixture of the 2008-09 season. Two fine goals, a well-taken free-kick by Alan Tabone and a rasping volley by Valletta striker Ian Zammit, were the legacy of this match as the game ended in a one-all draw.
The Citizens, who take on Slovakian team Artmedia in the Champions League next week, dictated the run of play for long stretches but Birkirkara defended stoutly and were dangerous on the few occasions they managed to break on the counter, especially in the latter stages of the game when the heat and the early-season training workload appeared to take its toll on the players.
City coach Paul Zammit named three of his four new recruits in an all-Maltese line-up.
Luke Dimech partnered Josef Mifsud in defence, Cleaven Frendo took up a wide role in the right of midfield and Jamie Pace operated alongside Stefan Giglio in the centre.
Birkirkara, who have been drawn against Croatia's Hajduk Split in the UEFA Cup, had no newcomers.
Coach John Buttigieg left two of his most influential players out of the starting line-up, namely Michael Galea and Shaun Bajada, the latter having just returned from a trial in the Czech Republic.
Valletta might have opened the scoring as early as the third minute but Gilbert Agius's first-timer from the edge of the box was blocked by Martin Anastasi and Dimech's effort from the rebound was stopped by goalkeeper Omar Borg.
On 13 minutes, the Citizens threatened again as Dyson Falzon raced past Thomas Paris on the left and crossed low for the incoming Zammit whose effort was deflected away for a corner by Ronnie Hartvig, Birkirkara's giant Dane.
The Stripes had not posed much of an attacking threat in the opening stages but they put their noses ahead after 18 minutes. Their opener came courtesy of Tabone. His perfectly-weighted free-kick from the D beat Andrew Hogg hands down.
Valletta would have drawn level in the next two minutes but for an outstanding save by Borg who flung himself to the right to paw away Zammit's header from a Falzon cross. Moments later, a downward header by Agius flashed just wide of the near post as the tempo of the game went up by a few notches.
Pace did well to barge his way into the box with a typically strong run but his grounder was off target.
There was little in the way of scoring chances for much of the next 15 minutes but 10 minutes from half-time, City went close to restoring equilibrium. Captain Agius, cutting in from the left, darted into the box but his shot was diverted away for a corner.
On the stroke of half-time, Valletta, who had been the more enterprising side in the first half, were unlucky not to equalise as Falzon's clever ball invited Steve Bezzina to run unimpeded towards goal.
Borg came out but his attempt at a clearance ricocheted off the steaming City left-back who looked a certainty to push the ball home but Paris slid in to avert the danger.
Early in the second half, Zammit hit wide from the distance but 11 minutes after the restart, the City striker took centre-stage with a brilliant strike.
Frendo chested Falzon's cross towards Zammit who swivelled before rifling a rising volley past the diving Borg and into the top right-hand corner.
Six minutes later, Valletta had the ball in the net again, Frendo scoring from close range after Zammit's shot had been parried by Borg but the 'goal' was ruled out for offside.
At the other end, Hogg, who had effected a couple of timely interceptions when Birkirkara went forward on the counter, beat away a dangerous corner from Bajada who had replaced Paris early in the second half.
Fourteen minutes from time, Borg came to his side's rescue with a double save on a teasing Agius shot and Frendo's follow-up from point-blank distance.
Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, yesterday deployed as a lone strike, should have put Birkirkara back in the driving seat when Bajada's pass sent him clear but the final effort by the former Msida forward came off the post.
Shortly afterwards, Mifsud Triganza was again through, this time chasing a pass from Tabone, but Hogg sprinted off his line and cleared to safety.
In time added on, Borg denied Valletta a winner with another fine tipping save from David Camilleri's swerving free-kick.
Birkirkara
O. Borg, T. Paris ('57 S. Bajada), P. Fenech, J.P. Mifsud Triganza ('90 C. Zammit), A. Tabone, M. Anastasi ('73 M. Galea), L. Lombardi, R. Hartvig, J. Zerafa, G. Mallia, E. Yantchev.
Valletta
A. Hogg, J. Grioli, L. Dimech, S. Bezzina, C. Frendo ('79 C. Mattocks), J. Pace ('67 D. Camilleri), S. Giglio, D. Falzon ('75 E. Agius), J. Mifsud, G. Agius, I. Zammit.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: G. Agius; Tabone; Zammit.
Tomorrow (8 p.m., Centenary Stadium): Marsaxlokk vs Birkirkara.