Birkirkara 0
Tarxien Rainbows 0
Birkirkara and Tarxien Rainbows failed to make significant inroads in the Premier League standings after cancelling each other out in a goalless draw.
Following a promising first half, the two sides suffered a notable decline after the change of ends with both looking short of ideas up front.
The Stripes were the more dangerous side throughout the match but lacked a cutting edge. For their part, Tarxien sorely felt the absence of Brazilian Sergio who had been their creative force in their three-match winning run prior to yesterday’s stalemate.
Nevertheless, Tarxien are likely to be satisfied to have held the champions to a draw as they prolonged their unbeaten sequence to four games.
Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit confirmed the starting XI that achieved a 2-0 win over Qormi. Serbian defender Nikola Vukanac again missed out through injury but Trevor Cilia recovered sufficiently from a hamstring problem to take his place on the subs’ bench.
Noel Coleiro, the Tarxien coach, made two changes from the team that won the derby against Hibs with Ryan Grech replacing the injured Sergio and Daniel Mariano Bueno returning to lead the Rainbows’attack at the expense of Gianluca Calabretta.
Birkirkara were the more adventurous side early on. After 15 minutes, Emiliano Lattes tried his luck from just outside the area but his deflected shot ended just wide.
Tarxien responded three minutes later when Orosco Anonam dribbled his way past two Birkirkara defenders but his shot was too central to trouble Michael Fraser, the Stripes goalkeeper.
The match remained devoid of entertaining fare. We had to wait until the 26th minute for the next scoring opportunity Tarxien’s Ricardo Costa elegantly controlled the ball just outside the area and beat his marker with a feint before firing a low shot that was blocked by Fraser.
Two minutes later, Bueno sped past Joseph Zerafa to reach a long pass but the Brazilian’s rising shot finished just over.
On 32 minutes, Karl Pulo surged forward for the Stripes before sending a low cross that hit Manuel Caruana with the ball falling kindly to Lattes whose low drive drew a fine save from David Cassar, the Tarxien goalkeeper.
Eight minutes from half-time, Birkirkara went close again. Angus Buhagiar made a strong run down the left channel before squaring the ball to Pulo who miscued his shot.
Two minutes from the break, Bueno again made his presence felt in the Birkirkara box as the Brazilian did well to connect with Ricardo Costa’s cross but his overhead kick lacked precision.
Neither team effected any changes during the interval with Birkirkara dictating the tempo in the early stages of the second half but they had little to show for their efforts.
Lattes almost profited from a misunderstanding between Caruana and Cassar on 58 minutes but the Tarxien defender managed to keep hold of the ball before clearing the danger.
The scarcity of scoring opportunities continued for much of the second half as poor distribution of the ball in the final third diminished hopes of a breakthrough.
Zammit made two substitutions with almost 20 minutes to go as the injured Rowen Muscat and Pulo were replaced by Simon Zahra and Terrence Vella.
Thirteen minutes from time, Birkirkara threatened. The danger came from a Shaun Bajada free-kick but the unmarked Michael Galea failed to make contact with the ball in front of a gaping goal.
Vella should have won it for Birkirkara 10 minutes from time as he found himself in ample space in the Tarxien area only to hit wide after some excellent play by Lattes.
A minute later, it was Tarxien who almost broke the stalemate as Cristiano surged into the area from the right but his angled drive flashed past the upright.
The Rainbows were dangerous again a minute from time when Anonam was first to a Mark Tanti free-kick but the Nigerian-born midfielder was dispossessed as he was about to shoot.
Birkirkara
M. Fraser-6, P. Fenech-6.5, J. Zerafa-6.5, P. Borg-6, S. Bajada-5.5, R. Harding-7, R. Muscat-6 (74 S. Zahra), K. Pulo-5 (74 T. Vella), E. Lattes-7, M. Galea-5.5 (83 T. Cilia), A. Buhagiar-7.
Tarxien Rainbows
D. Cassar-6, M. Caruana-6.5 (75 R. Mintoff), Everton-6.5, Ricardo-5.5 (67 J. Vella-5), Cristiano-6, D. Bueno-6.5, L. Vella Critien-5, O. Anonam-5, R. Grech-5 (75 M. Tanti), L. Galea-6, J. Grioli-6.
Referee: Mario Apap.
Yellow cards: Vella Critien; Harding.
BOV player of the match: Emiliano Lattes (Birkirkara).
Attendance: 823.