Birkirkara striker Frank Temile (left) tries to reach the ball ahead Rabat Ajax’s left-back David Azzopardi. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Rabat Ajax 1
Licari 30;
Birkirkara 2
Temile 6, 45;

Frank Temile provided a clear indication of how important he could be for Birkirkara this season as the Nigerian marked his return to Premier League football with an exquisite brace that allowed the Malta champions to open their title defence with a hard-fought win over Rabat Ajax.

It was an efficient performance from Birkirkara who, despite failing to set any houses on fire, were still too strong for a Rabat side who clearly lacked quality up front to cause any problems to their opponents.

Temile was undoubtedly the star performer for the Stripes, netting two goals in key moments of the match to put his team on the way to victory.

His sixth-minute opener enabled the Stripes to settle down but his most important contribution came on the stroke of half-time when his acrobatic finish allayed any fears of a shock result as Birkirkara regained control after conceding an equaliser against the run of play.

Although the Stripes bagged the three points, coach Paul Zammit surely expects much more from his charges who looked too casual in front of goal for long spells of this match.

Zammit kept faith with the same players who started the Super Cup victory over Hibernians last week with Temile, Demba Toure and Shola Shodiya Haruna forming a three-pronged attack.

For his part, Rabat coach Steve D’Amato was forced to make do without injured duo Adam Smeir and Ryan Micallef. On the plus side, he gave a debut to Montenegrin goalkeeper Pavle Velimirovic and Spanish midfielder Daniel Pelaez while Jonathan Bajada, who joined the Magpies on loan from Mosta, was included among the substitutes.

Birkirkara took just six minutes to take the lead. Toure sped past Shaun Gauci before sending a precise cross towards Temile who tapped the ball past the diving Velimirovic for the first official goal of the 2013-14 Premier League season.

After that early breakthrough from the Malta champions, one thought that they would continue to swamp the Rabat defence but, for all their possession, they rarely tested Rabat goalkeeper Velimirovic.

Their best chance came on 26 minutes but Haruna fired just over after he had moved past two Rabat defenders.

Rabat continued to defend diligently and, as the minutes passed, tried to launch some quick raids with Diego Carrillo Pendas their main inspiration.

The Magpies’ fighting spirit was rewarded with an equaliser on the half-hour.

They were awarded a free-kick on the right and Pelaez sent a teasing ball inside the area where Malcolm Licari found time and space to head past Birkirkara goalkeeper Justin Haber.

The Stripes were stunned and quickly tried to regain the advantage. Four minutes from the break, Toure almost found the net when he anticipated his marker to reach Temile’s cross but his dipping header grazed the crossbar.

Rabat failed to heed the alarm signals as the Stripes doubled their lead with virtually the last kick of the first half.

The clock marked 45 minutes when Alejandro Mendoza burst clear on the right before sending a cross towards Temile who showed great composure to hit an acrobatic scissor-kick past the helpless Velimirovic.

After the interval, the game followed the same script with Birkirkara dominating possession and Rabat forced to defend and close all avenues to the opposing strikers.

D’Amato tried to give more impetus to his team’s play when, on 63 minutes, he withdrew Justin Felice and roped in Bajada.

The dearth of scoring chances saw Zammit withdraw the hard-working Rowen Muscat for Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, taking the number of Birkirkara strikers on the pitch to four.

Haruna dropped just behind Mifsud Triganza and Toure in the two central attacking roles with Temile operating on the right channel.

Yet, the move failed to reap dividends as Birkirkara continued to struggle to create scoring chances, let alone causing danger to the Rabat goal.

Birkirkara finally threatened three minutes from time when Ryan Scicluna, who had earlier come on for Toure, sped clear on the right before setting up the unmarked Haruna whose firm drive was pushed away by Velimirovic.

The Nigerian threatened again a minute later but this time his shot came off the upright.

A minute from time, Licari burst into the area but fell under the challenge of Zach Muscat. “Penalty” shouted the Rabat fans but the referee saw nothing untoward.

Deep into stoppage time, the woodwork again denied the Stripes when Mifsud Triganza’s curling drive hit the bar.

Rabat Ajax
P. Velimirovic-6, I. Carapic-6, J. Caruana-5.5, S. Gauci-5, J. Felice-5 (63 J. Bajada-5), C. Gauci-5, M. Licari-6, D. Falzon-5, D. Pelaez-5, D. Carrillo Pendas-5, D. Azzopardi-5.

Birkirkara
J. Haber-6, A. Mendoza-6, Z. Muscat-6, R. Camenzuli-6, F. Temile-7.5, P. Fenech-6.5, G. Sciberras-6.5, R. Muscat-6.5 (63 J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6), S. Haruna-6.5 (90 K. Zammit), E. Herrera-6.5, D. Toure-6 (82 R. Scicluna).

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Yellow cards: C. Gauci; Azzopardi; Herrera.

BOV player of the match: Frank Temile (Birkirkara).