Birkirkara 1
Mifsud Triganza 49;
Tarxien Rainbows 0
Birkirkara received another dose of confidence when they beat in-form Tarxien Rainbows who were coming from seven positive results on the trot.
Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza edged his side past the Blues and earned them a place in the fourth round of the FA trophy.
It was a moment of opportunism from the lethal striker that swung this tie Birkirkara’s way just four minutes into the second half but it was a deserved success as the Stripes turned in a disciplined performance that takes added value when one considers that they played the last 34 minutes with a man short following Joseph Zerafa’s dismissal.
Injury deprived Birkirkara of captain Gareth Sciberras as coach Paul Zammit awarded a starting role to Ryan Scicluna who flanked Paul Fenech and Ryan Camenzuli in a 4-1-3-2 formation.
Edward Herrera filled in for Zach Muscat in what appeared to be a last-minute change.
Striker Danilo was the most notable absentee for the Rainbows. The Brazilian was relegated to the bench and Luiz Romulo de Castro was making a return to the first team after suspension kept him out of last week’s victory over Sliema.
Daniel Mariano Bueno was Tarxien’s most advanced player with Andrezinho and Mark Tanti providing support from the wings.
Scoring chances proved elusive in the opening stages and the first glimmer of a chance came on 11 minutes when Camenzuli’s ball drifted towards Mifsud Triganza inside the box but his shot flashed wide.
An attempt from the distance by Fenech was also off target as the game remained devoid of any creative football.
On the half hour mark, Jhonnattann waltzed his way into the Tarxien box after running past Ryan Sammut and David Fenech before crossing towards the far post. The Tarxien defenders managed to clear but only as far as Mifsud Triganza who skewed his shot wide.
Tarxien were lacking their usual fluency but when Tanti retrieved possession in midfield, an inviting chance beckoned. Bueno chested the ball down for Andrezinho who did well to find space but his diagonal shot crashed against the upright.
The Stripes tore into the Tarxien at the start of the second half in their best move of the game.
Fenech started the action on the right flank. He released Jhonnattann whose piledriver took a deflection off Evaldo and into the path of Mifsud Triganza who poked the ball home.
Six minutes later, Jhonnattann made another storming run down the Tarxien half before pulling the ball back but Mifsud Triganza smashed a right-foot volley wide.
Birkirkara’s growing optimism was undermined, however, when just before the hour mark Zerafa was expelled after collecting a second booking for a dangerous foul.
The Rainbows’ reaction was tame. Evaldo tried to breathe life into his team with a ferocious free-kick that ended over the bar.
Zammit gave Josimar Gonzalez-Hernandez his debut on 73 minutes as the striker replaced Scicluna.
The 10-man Stripes drew on their resilience to keep Tarxien at arm’s length as their fans became more vocal. Tarxien were relying too heavily on hopeful shots from the distance but Zammit did not take risks and introduced Rodrigo Pereira for Jhonnattann late on, a way of shutting up shop.
Birkirkara
R. Gauci, R. Scicluna (73 J. Hernandez), N. Vukanac, J. Zerafa, R. Camenzuli, R. Muscat, P. Fenech, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (90 M. Clinch), E. Herrera, Corjuo, Jhonnattann (88 R. Pereira).
Tarxien Rainbows
D. Cassar, Evaldo, J. Grioli, Andrezinho, M. Tanti (56 Danilo), D.M. Bueno, L. DeCastro (46 M. Caruana), D. Fenech (56 K. Pulo), O. Anonam, S. Bonnici, R. Sammut.
Referee: Andre Arciola.
Yellow cards: De Castro, Bueno, Andrezinho, Zerafa.
Red card: Zerafa (B) 56.