Sliema Wanderers 1
Zerafa og 25;
Birkirkara 0
There was no joy for Birkirkara in the Euro Cup as Paul Zammit’s side finished bottom of the pre-season tournament with just one point from three matches after losing to Sliema Wanderers yesterday.
Early days these may be but the squad needs strengthening, especially up front to fill the void left by Shola Shodiya Haruna, Jhonnattann and Frank Temile.
The Birkirkara players showed commitment yesterday but created very few scoring opportunities against Sliema.
As for the Blues, they looked sharper on the ball but Michael Mifsud and Stanley Ohawuchi need more time to get to know each other and refine their movement.
Zammit effected just three changes from the Hibernians defeat. Nikola Vukanac replaced Mattheus Bissi, Joseph Zerafa was preferred to Ryan Scicluna and newcomer Edmond Agius was handed his first start in a 4-3-3 formation with Ryan Camenzuli and Edward Herrera playing either side of striker Terence Vella.
His Sliema counterpart Alfonso Greco shuffled his team. Former Tarxien midfielder Marko Potezica was deployed alongside Paltemio Barbetti in midfield with Mark Scerri playing just behind the attacking trio of Mintoff, Ohawuchi and Mifsud.
Birkirkara were the brighter side in the opening period but the Wanderers found themselves 1-0 up in bizarre circumstances as Zerafa turned Ohawuchi’s cross into his own net.
Four minutes from half-time, Paul Fenech surged towards the Sliema area, played an exquisite one-two with Herrera but his goalbound header produced a great save from Glenn Zammit, the Sliema goalkeeper.
Greco kept faith with the 11 starting players when the match resumed after half-time. Zammit made one substitution, Leighton Grech replacing Zach Muscat, dropping Herrera to the back four while the former Qormi winger playing on the right wing.
After a series of substitutions from both coaches, Alex Muscat created a good opportunity for Sliema but goalkeeper Adrian Murcia tipped his effort over the bar.
In the 87th minute, substitute Bissi was unlucky not to equalise when his header from Rafael Ledesma’s corner was kept out by Zammit.
Sliema Wanderers: G. Zammit, A. Muscat (65 L. Martinelli), A. Scozzese, M. Potezica, J. Mintoff, M. Scerri (60 M. Ciantar), M. Mifsud (60 G. Aquilina),S.Ohawuchi (65 H. Salama), P. Barbetti, B. Muscat (60 T.Cilia), S. Bianciardi (65 J. Mifsud).
Birkirkara: A. Murcia, A. Mendoza (59 R. Ledes-ma), N.Vukanac, T. Vella (68 R. Scicluna), J. Zerafa, P. Fenech, G. Sciberras (59 M. Bissi), R. Camenzuli (59 L.Omeru), E. Agius (68 K. Zammit), E. Herrera, Z. Muscat (46 L. Grech).
Referee: Marco Borg.