Valletta 0
Birkirkara 1
Mifsud Triganza 36;

“I’m proud of my players”.

This was Paul Zammit’s opening statement when talking to The Times on the eve of the ‘big match’.

If he could, the Birkirkara coach would probably have repeated his mantra a thousand times yesterday as the Stripes delivered an indefatigable performance to overcome the challenge of champions Valletta in this title clash.

Having hauled themselves back into contention after an extraordinary sequence of events and results in the past fortnight, Valletta had to win at all costs to keep their hopes alive but their impossible dream was snuffed out by a well-oiled Birkirkara team.

The game was a tale of two halves.

Making a mockery of suggestions that they may struggle to cope with the pressure of taking a star-studded side in a crucial encounter, Birkirkara demonstrated all the attributes that propelled them to the forefront of the title race in the first half.

They pressed all over the pitch and broke forward in numbers when in possession as their industrious midfield trio of Gareth Sciberras, Paul Fenech and Rowen Muscat outran their opponents.

Birkirkara’s tactical cohesion and aggressive running knocked Valletta off their stride to the point that there were no qualms about the legitimacy of the Stripes’ lead when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza fired them in front late in the first half after great work by the unflappable Edward Herrera, all action on the right wing.

Valletta flattered to deceive for much of the opening 45 minutes, just like they have in many games this season, but rallied in the second half.

Storming forward from the off, the Citizens had Birkirkara on the backfoot as tides of white shirts swarmed towards Justin Haber’s goal.

This was Valletta at their best but a combination of ill-luck and heroic defending by the unyielding Birkir-kara players kept them at bay as the outgoing champions were twice denied by the woodwork and also had a goal disallowed.

No-one can accuse the Valletta players of not trying hard to overturn the deficit yesterday but, not for the first time this season, their inconsistency left them with a mountain to climb.

For a short period, it looked like they could defy the odds but not this time as the Stripes withstood Valletta’s barrage to hold on to their slender lead.

Birkirkara’s joyous mood at the final whistle was in sharp contrast with their gnawing frustration at the end of the 1-1 draw with Hibs as this win takes them three points clear at the top but the Paolites, who face Mosta today, are still in the reckoning.

All will be decided in the final Premier League programme next weekend.

The changes in the Birkirkara team from the 0-0 draw with Mosta were to be expected as Alejandro Mendoza, Rodrigo Pereira, Paul Fenech and Rowen Muscat, all back from suspension, were awarded first-team roles but Paul Zammit’s selection did contain one surprise.

Brazilian Jhonnattann was left out as Zammit opted to deploy Shodiya Shola Haruna as Mifsud Triganza’s attacking foil.

Tactics-wise, Birkirkara lined up in their usual 3-5-2 formation with the speedy Herrera and Joseph Zerafa obliged to put in a double shift on the flanks.

Back in the fray after serving a one-match ban, striker Michael Mifsud was duly restored to Valletta’s starting team. Winger Dyson Falzon made way for the Malta captain who was handed a wide attacking position.

Miller opted for a three-pronged attack with Abubakar Bello-Osagie the central pivot and Denni given freedom to interchange with Mifsud on the wings.

In their previous meeting, Miller had elected to change his tactical approach as he fielded a three-man defence to counter Birkirkara’s threat on the wings but there was no repeat of that ill-fated experiment after Valletta succumbed to a 2-0 defeat.

The fans began to converge on the National Stadium hours before match with those of Birkirkara filling a good chunk of the Enclosure while the Valletta faithful daubed the Millennium Stand white and red.

As kick-off approached, the decibel levels rose with Birkirkara fans holding up yellow and red placards. The cheers reached a crescendo when the two teams stepped onto the pitch.

Denni’s cross after three minutes found no takers as Valletta shaded the early exchanges. A through-pass from Denni set Mifsud on a run but the latter’s weak shot posed no trouble to Justin Haber.

Birkirkara’s riposte was immediate, Herrera retrieving a seemingly lost ball close to the byline before accelerating into the box but his effort was turned away by Yenz Cini, the Valletta goalkeeper.

It was Birkirkara’s turn now to pile the pressure on Valletta. Cutting in from the right, Mifsud Triganza crossed for Herrera but the latter’s miscued shot was easily stopped by Cini.

Luke Dimech then rescued Valletta from a dangerous situation when clearing the ball away from Mendoza after Nikola Vukanac headed Fenech’s free-kick into the six-yard box.

The constant movement of the Birkirkara midfielders and forwards was clearly intended to confuse the City defenders with Herrera providing an additional attacking outlet with his swift incursions down the right wing.

Valletta relied mostly on their attacking trio of Mifsud, Bello-Osagie and Denni to create openings. Optimism among the City fans soared when Mifsud raced through the middle after Birkirkara had failed to clear Ian Azzopardi’s long ball, but Mendoza kept his composure to block the Valletta striker’s run.

Scoring chances were something of a rarity in the opening half-hour but Birkirkara were the more cohesive side and their brisker approach was rewarded nine minutes from the break.

Herrera, irrepressible on the right wing, advanced before swinging in an excellent cross that was headed on by Haruna with Mifsud Triganza applying the decisive touch to send the Birkirkara fans into delirium.

On 41 minutes, Fenech, the Valletta midfielder, embarked on a surging run through the middle but his shot was deflected away for a corner.

A series of crosses was all Valletta could muster after falling behind but Haber was dominant in the box.

Two minutes into the second half, Mifsud’s thunderous drive from the edge of the box whistled past the near post. Miller then made his first substitution, sending on Roderick Briffa for Edmond Agius who was clearly not happy with the decision.

Birkirkara should have doubled their lead when Herrera bustled his way into the box before squaring to Mifsud Triganza who blasted over with the goal at his mercy.

Denni then rattled the crossbar with a sizzling shot after good work by Jason Vandelannoite in midfield. This was the cue for Valletta to up their game.

Mifsud sent in a dangerous cross that was blocked and, from the ensuing action, Bello-Osagie fired over.

Mario Apap, the Gozitan referee tasked with officiating this needle match, turned down Valletta’s appeals for a penalty after Denni went down when challenged by Mendoza.

City continued to press forward, Mifsud heading over from Bello-Osagie’s cross. They came closer when William Barbosa’s inviting cross from a free-kick soared into the box and Denni’s header cannoned off the crossbar again.

Sensing his team’s difficulties to cope with Valletta, Zammit sought to refresh, throwing on Ryan Scicluna and Jhonnattann for Mifsud Triganza and Haruna respectively.

Valletta thought they had equalised when Vandelannoite headed home from Barbosa’s cross but their joy was cut short when Apap, who initially looked to have given the goal, deemed that Dimech had committed a foul on Haber.

Mifsud, far from his best yesterday, spurned a great chance. Receiving a pass from Denni, he was unmarked in the box but his tame effort was saved by Haber.

Valletta couldn’t believe their bad luck when Daniel Bogdanovic, who had replaced Bello-Osagie, had a goalbound effort deflected past the far post after Demba Toure, another late substitute, had teed up the Malta forward.

This missed opportunity proved too much for some City fans who began to leave the stadium. Toure blasted inside the side-netting from an angled position.

Valletta
Y. Cini-6, J. Caruana-6.5, I. Azzopardi-6, R. Fenech-7, E. Agius-5 (49 R. Briffa-6.5), M. Mifsud-4 (80 D. Toure), W. Barbosa-6, A. Bello-Osagie-5 (72 D. Bogdanovic-4), Denni-6.5, J. Vandelannoite-7, L. Dimech-6.5.

Birkirkara
J. Haber-7.5, R. Pereira-6, N. Vukanac-6.5, A. Mendoza-7, J. Zerafa-6 (75 R. Camenzuli), R. Muscat-7.5, G. Sciberras-6.5, P. Fenech-7, E. Herrera-9, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6 (66 R. Scicluna-6), S.S. Haruna-6 (66 Jhonnattann-6).

Referee: Mario Apap.

Yellow cards: R. Fenech; Zerafa; Pereira; P. Fenech.

BOV player of the match: Edward Herrera (Birkirkara).

Attendance: 4,597.

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