Sliema Wanderers 0 Birkirkara 0
Birkirkara lost pecious points as they could only manage a draw against Sliema this afternoon.
The well-oiled Sliema defence relied on their fighting qualities and tactical cohesion to stem their opponents’ flair as the game ended goalless.
Birkirkara threatened to go ahead first after eight minutes when the ball reached Shodiya Haruna Shola in the six-yard box, but Clifford Gatt Baldacchino made a providential tackle to dispossess the Nigerian striker.
The ball was moved quickly to Barbetti and on to Zammit.
Matias Muchardi timed his run to pull Haber off the line but Alejandro Mendoza reading Argentine midfielder’s intentions, came to his goalkeeper’s rescue.
In an end-to-end encounter, few moments later, Martinelli was in the right place to clear Ryan Camenzuli’s inswinger off the line.
But Birkirkara’s superior punch upfront was beyond question.
In fact, Wanderers’ inability to penetrate their opponents’ defence was summoned up by a penalty shout turned down after 16 minutes when Bajada appeared to fall under the challenge of Mendoza.
The Stripes’ aggressive start had Sliema skipper Alex Muscat hookingHaruna’s headed effort off the line again on 20 minutes. After 34 minutes, Haruna glanced a header just off the far post from an inviting Camenzuli’s centre in a well-worked move.
The modus operandi was the same, few moments later as Fenech’s cross soared towards the far side of the Sliema box, this time the Nigerian striker controlled the ball on his chest before heading the ball wide.
Three minutes into the second half, Birkirkara wasted an inviting opportunity to forge ahead when Herrera’s floated pass released Haruana who glided past his marker but his shot was high and wide.
A stubborn Sliema defence and their inability to translate their enterprise into tangible openings was not being translated into tangible openings made for a nervy Stripes’ start in the second half.
Birkirkara’s frustration to carve any openings in the Sliema defence culiminated in the 68th minute when in a devastating counter-attack with three Birkirkara players against Stefano Biancardi, Herrera slipped just before he was about to square the ball for the unmarked Shola and Sliema cleared the danger.
Birkirkara’s renewed urgency had Glenn Zammit stretching himself to turn to corner a fine free-kick by substitute Yosimar Hernandes on 70minutes.
Two minutes later, Haruna chested the ball towards Herrera whose angled drive flashed just over the bar.
Inevitably, Birkirkara laid siege to Sliema’s goal in the closing exchanges, but creating only a few clear-cut chances, and by far the best of them fell to Haruna, six minutes from time, when the hard-working Fenech set up the ball towards Haruna but Zammit stopped the striker’s ground with his feet.