BIRKIRKARA 0 ULISSES FC 0
Birkirkara left the pitch with heads held high this evening after an inspiring display against Ulisses FC. Birkirkara not only limited the attacking threat of their opponents but fashioned the better opportunities with Vito Plut and Zach Muscat both coming close to break the deadlock.
Ulisses dominated possession in the opening stages. Their better start almost yielded an early goal inside the first five minutes when David Khurtsizde tried to surprise goalkeeper Justin Haber with a dipping shot that ended just wide.
Skipper Fenech was soon cutting an authoritive figure in the heart of the five-man midfield, winning important interceptions as Rowen Muscat was allowed to push forward from midfield as the Stripes tried to work their way into the game.
Past the quarter of an hour mark, Rowen Muscat’s looping ball fell to Plut just outside the area who set off on a run but he was quickly closed down by the onrushing goalkeeper Arsen Beglaryan.
Tedesco not only started to shout instructions to ensure that the team did not lose their grip on the match but he was also seen passing paper-scrap messages with orders to Fenech. In fact, another quick Birkirkara attack prised open the Armenian defence as Rowen Muscat surged forward before passing the ball to Ryan Camenzuli but the latter’s effort was kept out by the defence.
In the 35th minute, Tedesco had been forced into his first substitution as Haber suffered a foot injury after an aerial duel with Nika Piliev and was deemed unfit to continue playing. He was replaced by Ini Akpan.
One minute from half-time, Fenech’s free-kick whizzed across the face of goal before landing wide of the far post to the disbelief of the Birkirkara fans.
The Stripes remained the brisker side as Plut sped clear again but was denied by the onrushing Beglaryan with the ball falling to Rowen Muscat who saw his lob well off the mark.
Ulisses forced the tempo after the interval. They should have opened the score when Irakliy Geperidze slipped a through-ball to Khurtsidze who cut inside from the left but his rising shot finished above the crossbar.
Shy the hour mark, Agius caught Aleksanyan Artak in possession in midfield and played a through-ball to Plut but his effort finished on the side-netting.
Edin Murga came on for Plut for the final 25 minutes and the Bosnian forward was quickly into thick of things as he nudged the ball off an Armenian midfielder before laying the ball to Liliu whose effort was blocked by a sliding tackle of Geperidze.
The moment every Birkirkara fan had been waiting for arrived after 71 minutes when Miccioli replaced Agius.
Belying his lack of fitness, Miccioli started causing the Ulisses defenders all sorts of problems with his delicious touches. In the 72nd minute, his inswinger caused havoc in the Armenian box but Beglaryan produced a top drawer to deny Fenech from long-range.
His ability was there for all to see eight minutes later, when his cross caught Ulisses defenders wrong-footed again and Zach Muscat darted in to flash a header which finished just wide off the far post.
When Ivan Marmakhanov sent Liliu crashing to the ground for Birkirkara’s last venture towards the Ulisses penalty area, the free-kick was awarded in perfect Miccioli territory. But the Italian’s free-kick hit the wall and the Stripes’ last chance for the win went begging.