Birkirkara 0
Mosta 0
Coming from an unexpected defeat to Qormi, Birkirkara were intent on getting back to winning ways in their encounter with basement side Mosta but the Stripes endured further misery yesterday.
Frustrated by their failure to break down Mosta’s dogged resistance, Birkirkara ended the match with nine men after Moises Avila Perez and Shaun Bajada were expelled in the dying stages.
The Stripes had justified cause to be disappointed as they were by miles the more creative side and produced the better chances only to be thwarted by a defiant Mosta and twice by the woodwork.
Mosta may have finished the match with two more men but seemed only too happy to conserve their hard-earned point after a second successive goalless stalemate.
The players’ work ethic will have pleased coach Steve D’Amato but, on the negative side, the Blues lacked flair and punch in midfield and attack.
Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit rang the changes in the wake of the upset to Qormi. Goalkeeper Jorge Mora, youngsters Ryan Scicluna and Ryan Camenzuli and Shola Shodiya Haruna were roped into the first team.
One of the alterations was enforced upon Zammit by injury to defender Rodrigo Pereira while goalkeeper Aleksandar Canovic, Alan Tabone and Trevor Cilia were among the substitutes. Midfielder Rowen Muscat failed to recover from injury.
Tactically, Birkirkara were set out in a 4-3-3 formation with their front trio of Haruna, Terence Vella and Avila Perez under orders to interchange in a bid to pull the Mosta defence out of shape.
Mosta’s starting XI showed only one change from the goalless draw against Marsaxlokk, Sheldon Grech coming in for Firaz Aboulezz.
D’Amato opted for a 4-1-4-1-cum-4-3-3 strategy with Michel Mvondo the central figure in their attack.
Five minutes into the game, Haruna cut inside from the right but his grounder flashed wide of the post.
At the other end, Mora flung himself to the right to beat away Bryan Agius’s free-kick.
Agius was prominent again with another sweetly-struck free-kick that Mora did well to palm over the bar.
The game continued to ebb and flow. Pouncing on a clearance by the Mosta defence, Paul Fenech let fly a thunderous drive that shook the crossbar.
Birkirkara began to assert themselves as the opening period reached its midpoint. They would have taken the lead but for two quickfire saves from Debono who repelled point-blank attempts from Vella and Haruna.
The Stripes’ off-the-ball movement was central to their growing supremacy. Vella swung in a precise cross for Avila Perez but the latter’s first touch was somewhat heavy and Federico Tisbi, a pillar in Mosta’s defence alongside man-of-the-match Yannick Ossok, cleared.
Mosta were struggling but they refused to yield an inch. A miscued clearance by defender Dragan Perisic almost led to a Mosta goal as Kurt Magro hit a first-time shot that Mora turned around his near post.
Already faced with a shortage of defenders, Birkirkara suffered another blow when Perisic’s participation was curbed by injury. Bajada replaced the Serbian as Gareth Sciberras dropped to centre-back.
When Joseph Zerafa embarked on a jinking run, danger beckoned for Mosta but after exchanging passes with Avila Perez, the Birkirkara left-back could not get sufficient power behind his shot.
Inside the first minute of the second half, a header by Avila Perez was deflected away for a corner. A free-kick by Bajada ended high as Birkirkara pressed forward in search of an opener.
At the other end, Zammit veered infield from the right before hitting a dipping shot that finished wide but Birkirkara remained the brisker side.
They were unlucky not to break the deadlock 18 minutes from time.
Avila Perez’s left-wing cross landed at the feet of Bajada at the far post and the Malta midfielder directed the ball towards the centre of the box.
Haruna’s header looked destined to hit the back of the net but the ball came off a post.
There was a brief pause as Birkirkara’s Buhagiar and Mosta striker Martin lay on the turf, far from each other, after picking up injuries.
Buhagiar was able to continue but Martin left the field on a stretcher before limping towards the dug-out after being replaced by Alex Cini.
Buhagiar took centre-stage again when Cilia’s corner was headed into his path but the former Floriana wing-back spooned the ball over the bar from routine distance.
Birkirkara’s faltering hopes of a winner looked all but over when Avila Perez was shown a straight red card after his flailing arm looked to have caught Tisbi in the head.
More misery befell the Stripes as Bajada was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Birkirkara
J. Mora-6.5, R. Scicluna-6, D. Perisic-5 (42 S. Bajada), G. Sciberras-6, J. Zerafa-7, P. Fenech-6, S. Shodiya Haruna-5.5, M. Avila Perez, A. Buhagiar-6.5, R. Camenzuli-6, T. Vella-7 (57 T. Cilia-5).
Mosta
J. Debono-7.5, A. Borg-5, B. Agius-6.5 (73 L. Martinelli), F. Tisbi-6.5, Y. Ossok-7.5, N. Bogdanovic-7, I. Zammit-6, S. Grech-5 (61 F. Aboulezz-4), K. Magro-6, G. Martin-6 (81 A. Cini), M. Mvondo-5.5.
Referee: Glenn Tonna.
Yellow cards: Mvondo; Fenech; Grech; Scicluna; Agius; Bajada; Debono; Haruna.
Red cards: Avila Perez (B) 90; Bajada (B) 90+.
BOV player of the match: Yannick Ossok (Mosta).