Ten-man City oust Stripes

Valletta 3
Pace 6; Mifsud 22; O'Brien 90
Birkirkara 1
Galea 81

Dark clouds hung over the capital for much of the past week in the wake of Valletta's reverse to Birkirkara in last Sunday's summit showdown.

With the morale of their fans at its lowest ebb, the onus was on the 'galacticos' to make amends for their inept showing last weekend by moving into the FA Trophy semi-finals at Birkirkara's expense.

As a prominent Birkirkara official remarked before the match, this game was an opportunity for their high-flying team to serve up further confirmation of their pedigree but roles were reversed yesterday as it was Valletta who had the last laugh.

Galvanised by two goals inside the opening 22 minutes, Valletta looked to be cruising towards victory and a place in the semi-finals as Birkirkara had struggled to emulate their feisty performance of the previous week in the first half. However, the tone of the game changed when Valletta captain Gilbert Agius was dismissed on 65 minutes and Michael Galea's headed goal nine minutes from the end ensured a thrilling finale.

Birikirkara's stirring fightback ended when Declan O'Brien, a second-half substitute for Roderick Briffa, landed the knock-out punch in stoppage time as mixed feelings of relief and delight gripped the City fans.

Birkirkara's starting XI featured two alterations from last weekend's league match against Valletta.

Karl Pulo deputised for Dutch winger Sylvano Comvalius, who is recovering from a hamstring strain, while Joseph Zerafa, an enterprising performer for the Stripes after coming on for Comvalius last week, received Paul Zammit's nod ahead of Carlo Mamo.

Despite all the criticism for Valletta's lethargic showing in the 1-0 defeat to Birkirkara, Ton Caanen kept faith with the same players who started Sunday's top-of-the-table clash.

The spirits of the City faithful rose when the white-shirted players put their noses in front after five minutes. Doding Priso surged forward through the middle and threaded an excellent through-ball to Jamie Pace and the Malta midfielder kept his cool to flick the ball past Jorge Mora.

Pouring forward with verve and purpose, two traits that were conspicuously missing from their performance last weekend, Valletta threatened to increase their lead. Another intelligent ball from Priso invited Michael Mifsud to sprint through the Birkirkara defence but the Malta striker stumbled after he had swept past Mora.

From the ensuing corner, the ball fell to Priso who accelerated into the box from the left and let fly a rising shot from a tight angle that Mora pushed over the bar.

Valletta's travails to penetrate Birkirkara's rearguard in their previous meeting prompted Caanen to adjust his tactical strategy. The Dutchman switched to 4-5-1 with Mifsud taking up a central position behind lone forward Terrence Scerri.

Birkirkara, who stuck with 4-3-3, had to wait until the 20th minute to record their first attempt at goal. Trevor Cilia cut inside Steve Bezzina on the right but his central effort posed no danger to Andrew Hogg.

Barely two minutes later Valletta doubled their lead, Mifsud glancing the ball past Mora from a right-wing cross by Roderick Briffa.

On 34 minutes, the Stripes threatened to pull one back when Cilia ran past Cruyff and dragged the ball back for Pulo who was thwarted by Hogg.

There was little in the way of scoring chances in the remaining minutes of the first half but on the brink of half-time, Priso blasted wide from just inside the box.

Four minutes from the start of the second half expired when Shaun Bajada, who had been subdued in the opening period, hit a low shot from the edge of the box but Hogg saved.

Caanen made his first substitution on 63 minutes, Kevin Sammut replacing Scerri who was visibly upset at the coach's decision as he headed straight to the tunnel.

Two minutes later, Valletta's apprehension grew as Agius was expelled by referee Chris Lautier after receiving two quickfire yellow cards, presumably for sarcastically applauding the referee. The Valletta captain had earlier shown dissent for Lautier's decision to award Birkirkara a free-kick after a melee outside the City box ended with Paul Fenech tumbling to the ground after a challenge by Briffa.

With 21 minutes left, Mifsud might have steadied Valletta's nerves as the nimble forward, fastening on to a pass from Briffa, ran himself into a shooting position but he lifted the ball over the bar.

With his team down to 10 men, Caanen instructed his team to play 4-4-1 with Mifsud leading their attack. Mifsud did well to send Priso clear on the left as Valletta broke on the counter but the Cameroonian winger miscued his effort and a golden chance went begging.

Birkirkara resuscitated their hopes when, with nine minutes left, Galea narrowed the deficit, heading firmly past Hogg after getting on the end of Zerafa's measured cross.

The force was now with Birkirkara. Hogg prevented the Stripes from equalising when he kept out Cilia's angled effort six minutes from time.

Mifsud should really have put the game to bed when the elusive Priso slipped a through-ball to the former Coventry striker but the latter's grounder flashed against the base of the post.

Galea's goal conjured up a pulsating finale as Birkirkara pressed hard for an equaliser but in so doing, left themselves exposed at the back.

Valletta duly capitalised when, deep in stoppage time, Mifsud advanced unimpeded before releasing the unmarked Declan O'Brien who beat Mora with a low shot that went in via the near post.

Valletta
A. Hogg, J. Cruyff, R. Briffa ('77 D. O'Brien), S. Bezzina, S. Borg, J. Pace, D. Priso, L. Dimech, G. Agius, T. Scerri ('63 K. Sammut), M. Mifsud.

Birkirkara
J. Mora, J. Zerafa, N. Vukanac, B. Nisevic, S. Bajada, A. Buhagiar, P. Fenech ('81 A. Tabone), R. Muscat, K. Pulo, M. Galea, T. Cilia.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Yellow cards: Vukanac; Agius; Pulo; Muscat; O'Brien.

Red card: Agius (V) 65.