Birkirkara 1
Liliu 22;
Sliema Wanderers 0
A frenetic start by Birkirkara yielded a host of early chances and an early goal from Brazilian striker Liliu.
Chasing a win to atone for their 1-0 defeat to leaders Hibs, Birkirkara tore out of the blocks, in the process raising the prospect of a straightforward victory over Sliema Wanderers but this did not materialise.
The game can be described as a tale of two halves as, while Birkirkara were the more enterprising side in the first half, Sliema rose to the challenge after the break.
Driven on by their energetic captain Mark Scerri, the Blues tore into Birkirkara but they ultimately paid the price for their lack of spark and bite in the final third as Guy Gnabouyou and Fabio Mangiacasale had an off day.
Michael Mifsud again failed to score but he moved around much brisker than of late. He was denied his first goal for the Blues by the alert Justin Haber who was protected by a solid defence well marshalled by Matheus Bissi in the absence of the injured Nikola Vukanac.
Birkirkara started brightly.
Coach Paul Zammit had Liliu leading the forward line alongside Shola Shodiya Haruna and Rafael Ledesma in the proverbial hole of Birkirkara’s 3-5-2 formation.
With Edward Herrera full of sprightly movement on the right and linking well with Rafael Ledesma, the Stripes ventured forward with intent.
Four minutes into the game, Paul Fenech drove high from the distance while Ryan Scicluna’s shot was charged down by Luca Martinelli.
Mifsud twisted and turned to make headway in the Birkirkara box but he miscued his shot.
Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema coach, encouraged Mifsud to flit in and out of his wide position on the right wing with French forward Gnabouyou at the tip of the Blues’ 4-1-4-1 formation.
At the other end, Fenech again tried his luck from the distance but his drive was marginally off target.
Birkirkara’s early pressure produced a deserved opener midway into the first half. Shola Shodiya Haruna breezed into the box across the byline before laying the ball back to Liliu who prodded home from close range.
The Blues would have levelled matters but for a fine save from Haber who dashed off his line to parry away Mifsud’s dangerous effort.
At the other end, Ryan Camenzuli had a good opportunity to increase Birkirkara’s lead but his tame shot, with his weaker right foot, rolled into the grateful hands of Glenn Zammit.
Sliema were let off the hook again when Ledesma burst clear on the right but his cross just eluded Camenzuli as the ball ricocheted off the sliding John Mintoff.
The Blues grew into the game as the first half progressed but scoring opportunities remained scarce.
Just before the half-time whistle, Haruna threaded a through-ball towards Liliu but Zammit was quick off his line to avert the danger.
Early in the second half, Mangiacasale, fastening on to Mifsud’s raking pass, darted into the area from the right but his cross found no takers.
Sliema were now passing the ball better to seize control as Birkirkara’s early brio ebbed away. Their midfield struggles prompted Zammit to send on Edmond Agius for the tiring Haruna.
Agius’s first intervention was to intercept a pass with Liliu retrieving possession before laying the ball to Ledesma who struck wide.
Ledesma stole attention for the wrong reasons 12 minutes from time. Having just been booked for his slow walk towards the dug-out to be replaced by Vyancheslav Shevchenko, Ledesma received as second caution followed by the red after sarcastically applauding referee Alan Mario Sant.
Luckily for Birkirkara, the substitution had already been effected.
Two minutes from time, Herrera nearly sealed it for Birkirkara but his shot, hit on the turn, flashed wide.
Birkirkara
J. Haber-7, M. Bissi-7.5, Liliu-6 (84 L. Grech), S.S. Haruna-6 (66 E. Agius-6.5), A. Mendoza-6.5, R. Ledesma (77 V. Shevchenko), P. Fenech-6, Z. Muscat-6.5, R. Scicluna-7, E. Herrera-6.5, R. Camenzuli-6.
Sliema Wanderers
G. Zammit-6.5, L. Martinelli-6.5, A. Scozzese-6.5, G. Gnabouyou-5.5 (79 T. Cilia), J. Mintoff-6, M. Scerri-8, M. Mifsud-6, A. Pisanu-6, C. Gatt Baldacchino-6, M. Potezica-6.5 (70 F. Talato), F. Mangiacasale-5.5.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Yellow cards: Ledesma; Pisanu; Cilia.
BOV player of the match: Ryan Scicluna (Birkirkara).
Attendance: 1,392.