Valletta 0
Birkirkara 1
Camilleri 32 og;
With Hibernians setting the bar high after reeling off six consecutive wins from their opening six league matches, the onus was on Birkirkara, the defending champions, and Valletta, the perennial title challengers, to step up their challenge and keep the pace with the fast-starting Paolites.
When these two rivals face off, sparks usually fly and, although yesterday’s clash was the first episode of an expected four-chapter affair, expectations of a combative encounter were high.
Once referee Trustin Farrugia Cann sounded the initial whistle, these two teams tore into each other but as the game progressed, the diverse traits that led to these two heavyweights experiencing contrasting fortunes at the end of last season came to the fore.
The pattern of the game and the final outcome drove home some uncomfortable home truths for Valletta as they slumped to their second defeat of the season by the narrowest of margins.
Birkirkara, under some pressure to get back to winning form after their slip-up to Hibernians last week, took the points courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by Yessous Camilleri, but they were surely worth their success.
An excellent work ethic, tactical discipline and incisive counter-attacking underpinned their performance yesterday as the likes of Shola Shodiya Haruna, Jhonnattann and the tireless Gareth Sciberras, looking at ease in an advanced midfield position, caused endless problems to Valletta who looked vulnerable at the back every time the champions broke on the counter.
Valletta, who significantly have lost against their two main rivals in their opening six games, will feel probably aggrieved to have been undone by an own goal. Mark Miller’s troops did create some chances, the most notable being a glancing header by Camilleri in the first half which may have marginally crossed the line, but they flattered to deceive.
The Citizens do have a lot of quality players in their ranks but these have yet to gel into one solid unit. They pressed forward in the second half but it said all about Valletta’s disjointed efforts that the best chances fell to Birkirkara who would have won more convincingly had they been more clinical in front of goal.
Brazilian Denni and Tunisian Abdelkarim Nafti had their moments for Valletta but faded badly in the second half as, despite a series of positional switches effected by Miller to boost his team’s attacking prowess, Birkir-kara refused to yield an inch.
The inclusion of Hamza Barry at the expense of his Gambian compatriot Aziz Corr Nyang was clearly aimed at infusing steel into Valletta’s midfield. At left-back, Dyson Falzon stepped in for the injured Ian Azzopardi.
Miller’s approach was also more prudent than of late as midfielders Barry and Roderick Briffa provided an additional screen for the central duo of Ryan Fenech and Jason Vandelannoite. In attack, Tunisian Nafti operated behind Denni.
The absences of Brazilian defender Matheus Bissi, suspended, and Edward Herrera, injured, obliged Birkirkara Paul Zammit to indulge in some positional tinkering.
Joseph Zerafa switched to centre-back with Ryan Camenzuli coming in at left-back while Brazilian forward Jhonnattann on the left wing.
Nigerian forward Frank Temile, playing his first match against his former team since joining Birkirkara in the summer, granted licence to roam and interchange with Haruna in a fluid 4-2-1-3 formation.
It was clear from the early stages that Temile was in for a testing evening as the Valletta fans jeered the Nigerian from the outset. Their hostile reception unsettled Temile who gestured angrily at the City supporters after just five minutes.
Birkirkara hit the ground running, starting at a frenetic pace but Valletta stood firm.
It was Valletta who went close to taking the lead on 12 minutes but Nafti’s angled volley grazed the near post.
The Citizens picked up the pace. Nafti threatened again with an inswinging free-kick that goalkeeper Justin Haber did well to nudge over the bar.
There was little between these well-matched teams in the opening stages. Their inclination to sally forward in numbers made for an absorbing opening.
Midway into the first half, the champions squandered a glorious chance to put their noses in front when Temile, ignoring the boos of the City fans, made headway on the right before dragging in an inviting cross that just eluded the incoming Jhonnattann.
Miller was forced to revise his plans as Vandelannoite’s participation was curtailed by injury. Nyang came on for the Belgian as Briffa shifted to central midfield.
A minute short of the half-hour, Jhonnattann darted into the box after dispossessing Dimech before hitting a low cross that rolled into the path of Paul Fenech who skewed his effort.
Birkirkara managed to seize the lead on 32 minutes. Their goal owed a lot to good fortune as Yessous Camilleri and goalkeeper Pietro Marino got in each other’s way as they tried to cut out a cross by Haruna, the ball glancing off the City right-back before bobbling into the net.
At the other end, Nafti’s acrobatic effort was deflected over the bar after good work by Nyang.
It was then Haber’s turn to deny Valletta as the Malta goalkeeper pulled off a fine save to keep out Briffa’s howitzer.
From the ensuing corner, Nafti’s cross soared into the goalmouth and Camiller’s glancing header looked to have beaten Haber who managed to get a touch that sent the ball bouncing across the goal-line. The impression from the media zone was that the ball may have crossed the line but the match officials deemed otherwise.
Valletta were caught out on the counter as Sciberras played in Haruna on the right who crossed for Jhonnattann who was thwarted by Marino.
Twice in the opening minutes of the second half, the speed of the counter-attacking Birkirkara forwards had the Valletta defenders chasing shadows.
Jhonnattann was offside in the first instance but, moments later, Birkirkara were at it again as the Brazilian slipped the ball past the back-pedalling Valletta players and towards Haruna who rifled over with only Marino to beat.
Miller elected to ring the changes, both tactically and in terms of personnel, as Edmond Agius came on for Falzon with Fenech repositioned as left-back.
Briffa was detailed to fill in at right-back after Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, formerly of Birkirkara, replaced Camilleri.
In another fast raid, Birkirkara went close to a second goal as the enterprising Haruna strode towards the byline before directing a low cross towards the far post but Jhonnattann’s effort was wide.
Marino then blocked Jhonnattann’s effort as Birkirkara remained the more enterprising side.
When Zammit hauled off Temile in favour of Daniel Zerafa, a chorus of boos rolled down from the Valletta side but the Nigerian kept his emotions in check, applauding the Birkirkara fans before taking a seat in the dug-out.
For all their efforts to gain an equaliser, Valletta hardly troubled their opponents as they lacked fluency.
Their desperation was typified by Denni whose speculative shot from the distance in stoppage time was high and wide.
Marino left his goal to move upfield as Valletta were awarded a free-kick which was taken by Fenech. His cross was met by Luke Dimech whose dipping header fell into the hands of Haber.
Valletta
P. Marino-5.5, J. Caruana-5, R. Fenech-5, R. Briffa-6, H. Barry-6.5, Denni-5.5, D. Falzon-5.5 (57 E. Agius-5), J. Vandelannoite (27 A. Corr Nyang-6), Y. Camilleri-5.5 (58 J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6), A. Nafti-5.5, L. Dimech-6.5.
Birkirkara
J. Haber-7, R. Muscat-6.5, A. Mendoza-7, Jhonnattann-6.5 (68 D. Toure), P. Fenech-6, J. Zerafa-7, G. Sciberras-7.5, Z. Muscat-6.5, S.S. Haruna-8 (85 T. Vella), F. Temile-5 (78 D. Zerafa), R. Camenzuli-5.5.
Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann.
Yellow cards: Jhonnattann, R. Muscat Barry; Dimech; Camenzuli; Caruana.
BOV player of the match: Jhonnattann (Birkirkara).
Attendance: 2,508.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Hibernians | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 18 |
| Sliema | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
| Birkirkara | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 13 |
| Mosta | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 12 |
| Valletta | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 12 |
| Naxxar Lions | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
| Tarxien | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 7 |
| Vittoriosa | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 7 |
| Balzan | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 |
| Qormi | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 3 |
| Floriana (-6) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 1 |
| Rabat Ajax | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 0 |