Birkirkara 1
Vukanac 15;
Floriana 1
Verma 63;
Having forfeited four points in ‘winnable’ fixtures against Balzan and Rabat, Birkirkara needed no reminding yesterday that victory was a must if they were to avoid dropping off the title pace.
They were also aware that their task promised to be anything but plainsailing as they ran into a rejuvenated Floriana team who have revived their top-six push by taking 10 points from their last four games.
After seeing his team throw away the lead in their previous outing, Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit will surely have devoted significant attention to cutting out his team’s defensive lapses and, for much of the first half, it looked as though his troops had heeded the message.
Indeed, so dominant were Bir-kirkara in the opening period that Floriana hardly had a sight of goal but as in their 3-3 draw with Rabat, the Stripes lacked the killer instinct as they failed to build on Nikola Vukanac’s early opener despite their distinct advantage, possession-wise.
Floriana’s resilience at the back was the only reason they stayed in the game but Stephen Azzopardi’s substitutions coaxed an improved performance out of his players which climaxed into a second-half equaliser that inevitably strengthened their self-belief.
What followed was somewhat predictable as Birkirkara lost their fluency, although they were also unlucky when the woodwork denied them from regaining the lead.
Their ensuing efforts were repelled by the Greens who were understandably delighted to salvage a point and extend their unbeaten run to five games. This was evident at the end of the match when coached Azzopardi raised two clenched fists towards the mirthful Floriana players as the two teams headed for the dressing rooms.
Not so can be said of Birkirkara whose third straight draw left them two points behind leaders Hibs and level with Valletta who have a game in hand.
Gareth Sciberras and Edward Herrera, both rated doubtful before the game, were given the go-ahead to start while Joseph Zerafa was restored to the starting formation.
Omitted from the first XI was Rowen Muscat while Ryan Scicluna, who is struggling with a minor injury, was on the bench.
There was nothing surprising about Zammit’s tactical approach as he kept faith with a fluid 4-3-3 with Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza deployed as central striker and the speedy Jhonnattann and Herrera on the wings.
Azzopardi stuck with the team that started the 3-1 defeat of Balzan with Sunday Wasiu pressing from the front in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
The early stages were shaded by Birkirkara and they deservedly forged ahead after 15 minutes.
Jhonnattann was the provider with an inviting cross from a corner and Vukanac glanced a powerful header past the diving Tony Warner.
The constant interchanging movement by Birkirkara’s attacking trident and the roaming of Yosimar Hernandez ensured that the Floriana defenders and holding midfielder Aman Verma, had their work cut out in the opening stages.
There were moments when Verma found himself outnumbered in the centre as the advanced midfielders failed to track back immediately when chasing possession.
Close to the 20th minute, Ini Aktpan, deputising for the injured Reuben Gauci, stopped a long-range free-kick from Verma.
There was little in the way of scoring chances for much of the next quarter-hour but Birkirkara should have doubled their lead close to the 35th-minute mark.
Herrera’s surging run took him to byline before he cut the ball back to Mifsud Triganza. Floriana captain Tyrone Farrugia managed to get a faint touch to the ball which rolled into the path of Mifsud Triganza but his tame effort was blocked by Warner.
Azzopardi made his first substitution seven minutes from half-time, hauling off Cilia in favour of Thomas Paris.
Still, Floriana were unable to gain ground with Wasiu cutting a lonely figure up front.
On the stroke of half-time, Mifsud Triganza and Jhonnattann combined perfectly as the two were involved in a quick interchange with the Brazilian sprinting infield to receive the return pass before arrowing a powerful shot that was tipped away by Warner.
The two teams were unchanged at the start of the second half.
Having failed to make an attacking impact in the first half, Floriana needed their more creative components, the likes of Igor Coronado and Mark Spiteri, to get more involved in the build-up play but the assiduous pressing of Sciberras and Paul Fenech stifled their opponents.
Eight minutes into the second half, Birkirkara squandered an inviting chance to increase their advantage when, after Floriana had partially cleared Jhonnattann’s corner, Herrera floated a cross towards the far post but Mifsud Triganza’s central header was stopped by Warner.
Moments later, Hernandez skewed his effort after the Spaniard was picked out by Mifsud Triganza.
The Floriana coach made a second change on the hour, bringing on Valdo Alhinho for Wasiu.
But, it was another midfielder, Verma, who delivered the goods for Floriana two minutes later as the Englishman’s backheader eluded Aktpan after Birkirkara had been undone by the quality of Coronado’s free-kick.
Verma’s goal was a setback for Birkirkara who had been in control until then.
They came close to re-establishing their lead when Jhonnattann, one of Birkirkara’s better players yesterday, let fly a curling drive from the distance that rattled the post before Floriana cleared the ball away for a corner.
From the corner, Alejandro Mendoza tapped the ball home but the Spanish midfielder was offside.
With 20 minutes remaining, Azzopardi made his third and final substitution as Owen Bugeja, a defender, came on for Spiteri, a winger.
Buttressed by their equaliser, Floriana moved through the gears with Coronado the driving force behind their revival.
Azzopardi’s substitutions and positional changes were also having the desired effect and this was evident when, 11 minutes from time, Duncan Pisani, pushed down the right wing, slipped a through-ball to Alhinho who advanced unimpeded on the right but the Portuguese hesitated and his cross-shot was intercepted by Aktpan.
As the game drew to a close, the Stripes upped the pressure in search of a late winner.
At the end of a prolonged raid, Fenech struck a low shot from outside the area but Farrugia hurled his body in the way of the Birkirkara midfielder’s shot. The loose ball fell to striker Jhonnattann but the Brazilian blasted over.
At the other end, Verma’s free-kick was high.
Birkirkara
I. Aktpan-5, E. Herrera-5.5 (76 R. Muscat), N. Vukanac-6.5, Z. Muscat-6, J. Zerafa-5.5, A. Mendoza-6, P. Fenech-6.5, G. Sciberras-6, Y. Hernandez-5 (86 R. Scicluna), J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6, Jhonnattann-7.5.
Floriana
T. Warner-6.5, K. Farrugia-6.5, T. Cilia-5 (38 T. Paris-6), A. Verma-6.5, I. Coronado-7, S. Wasiu-5 (61 V. Alhinho-6.5), M. Spiteri-6.5 (70 O. Bugeja-5), D. Pisani-6.5, T. Farrugia-7, C. Borg-6, S. Borg-6.
Referee: Chris Lautier.
Yellow cards: C. Borg; Mendoza; Verma; Coronado; Z. Muscat; Warner.
BOV player of the match: Jhonnattann (Birkirkara).
Attendance: 783.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Hibernians | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 33 | 18 | 31 |
| Valletta | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 10 | 29 |
| Birkirkara | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 30 | 16 | 29 |
| Sliema | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 16 | 26 |
| Mosta | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 16 | 25 |
| Tarxien | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 20 | 24 |
| Floriana | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 21 | 20 |
| Balzan | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 22 | 19 |
| Qormi | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 17 |
| Ħamrun | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 35 | 13 |
| Melita | 14 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 43 | 6 |
| Rabat Ajax | 15 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 35 | 5 |