Amazing comeback lifts Stripes

Birkirkara 4
Buhagiar 45; Mifsud Triganza 53, 66; Hartvig 59
Sliema Wanderers 2
Nisevic 24; Woods 28

Birkirkara are the sole leaders in the standings following a remarkable 4-2 comeback win over the erstwhile unbeaten Sliema Wanderers yesterday.

Trailing 2-0 by the first half-hour and with Ron Hartvig clearing the ball off the goal line to prevent Sliema going 3-0 up, the Stripes were staring a heavy defeat. However, Angus Buhagiar's goal on the stroke of half-time was the tonic Birkirkara needed to win this match.

John Buttigieg's interval talk must have fuelled his team to take to the second half in a different frame of mind as Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza notched a brace on either side of Hartvig's headed goal for the Stripes to emerge victorious and open a three-point lead at the top.

Wanderers coach Stephen Azzopardi fielded a compact 4-4-2 formation with the spirited Ivan Woods and Kosta Bjedov leading the Blues' attack. On his part, Buttigieg replied with a similar formation with skipper Michael Galea and Mifsud Triganza spearheading the attack aided by William Sander Landim on the flank.

The opening exchanges were lively with Sliema opening a two-goal lead midway through the half.

On 24 minutes, Severino lofted a corner inside the box and Nisevic towered into the air to head past Omar Borg.

Four minutes later, Borg conceded again as Woods beat the offside trap after receiving the ball from Muscat, drifted through and slid the ball past the Stripes' no.1.

It could easily have been 3-0 before the half hour as Woods was allowed time and space to apply a cute lob but Hartvig scampered to the goal line to deny Sliema.

Birkirkara tried to regroup and on the stroke of half-time they bridged the gap. Bajada delivered an inviting corner from the right and Buhagiar was on the right spot to beat Bonello with a header.

Birkirkara stepped up their efforts after the break and achieved their goal on 53 minutes as Mifsud Triganza latched on to a low cross and calmly beat Bonello to level matters.

Buttigieg's boys were now a rejuvenated side and Mifsud Triganza nearly beat Bonello with an excellent overhead kick but the ball thundered off the bar.

Birkirkara were on song and their third goal came as no surprise. Hartvig met Bajada's corner with a precise header which gave Bonello no chance - 3-2.

The Blues were now completely swept off their feet and lost all cohesion, particularly in defence.

On 66 minutes, Bonello was forced to collect the ball from the back of his net for the fourth time as Landim launched a long cross upfield towards Mifsud Triganza.

The striker was calm to control before squeezing past his marker and rifling a central shot from close range into the net.

With Sliema's offside game misfiring badly, Birkirkara almost added a fifth goal on 71 minutes as Mifsud Triganza was once again the protagonist with some slick footwork that saw him having the better of Bonello. An open goal was at his mercy but he dallied his shot and Sliema were able to recover and thwart the menace.

Azzopardi tried to change his team's fortunes by roping in Roderick Bajada in midfield but by now the side was completely overwhelmed.

In the dying minutes, Mifsud Triganza hobbled off the pitch but the points were already safe in Birkirkara's grasps.

Birkirkara
O. Borg-6.5, T. Paris-6.5 ('89 P. Borg), S. Bajada-7, R. Hartvig-7.5, E. Yanchev-6.5, A. Buhagiar-7, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-8 ('89 A. Tabone), G. Mallia-7.5, P. Fenech-7, W. Sander Landim-7 ('67 M. Anastasi-6.5), M. Galea-6.5.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-6, A. Muscat-6.5, I. Azzopardi-6, B. Nisevic-6, K. Bjedov-5.5 ('67 C. Ciantar-6), M. Bartolo-5.5 ('77 J. Vella), J. Chetcuti-6 ('56 R. Bajada-6), I. Woods-6.5, D. Severino-6.5, I. Ciantar-6, R. Briffa-6.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Yellow card: Galea.

BoV Player of the match: Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (Birkirkara).