BIRKIRKARA-2, METALURG SKOPJE-2
Birkirkara twice came back from a goal down to gain a creditable 2-2 draw against Macedonian side FK Metalurg Skopje in the first leg of their Europa League qualifying round match at the Hibs Stadium.
The Stripes produced a gutsy performance which should have rewarded them with a win but two sloppy goals, the first inside the opening two minutes, undermined their hopes of gaining a victory that would have boosted their chances of reaching the second round.
Birkirkara had fallen behind after two minutes. Metalurg Skopje broke on the counter through Kemal Alomerovic who ran clear through the middle before passing to Blagojce Ljamcevski who had overlapped on the left. Ljamcevski ran into the box before crossing low for the unmarked Ilija Nestorovski who poked the ball home.
Conceding so early in their home match was a setback for Birkirkara but they improved as the first half progressed.
Scoring chances were few and far between for most of the opening period with Birkirkara going close on 18 minutes when Rodrigo Pereira’s free-kick from the distance flew just wide.
Seven minutes from half-time, Birkirkara missed a great opportunity to level matters. Brazilian winger Jorge pounced on a mistake by Mile Krstev to burst into the box but his low strike was kept out by Igor Pavlovic, the FK Metalurg Skopje goalkeeper.
Birkirkara equalised seven minutes into the second half. Ryan Camenzuli sent a through-pass to Jorge who went round Metalurg goalkeeper and fired home from an angled position.
Yet, within a minute of Jorge’s goal, Birkirkara conceded again. Blagojce Ljamcevski was afforded time and space to send in dangerous cross from the left and Cvetan Churlinov anticipated Birkirkara goalkeeper Reuben Gauci to head home.
The Stripes made an instant reaction. Nigerian forward Shola Shodiya Haruna dragged the ball back for Camenzuli but his shot from the edge of the box came off the back of Ryan Scicluna.
Scicluna’s long-range free-kick sailed over the bar. Seventeen minutes from time, Haruna dribbled past Mile Krstev along the byline but his cross, driven across the face of goal, was cleared by Metalurg.
Joselito, who was making his debut for Birkirkara, went close with a rising effort which sailed over the bar.
Three minutes from time, Birkirkara snatched a deserved equaliser. Camenzuli’s low cross from the left was missed by Jorge but the ball fell to Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, a late replacement for Joselito, who poked home.
Bolstered by their equaliser, Birkirkara laid siege to Metalurg’s box in the closing stages.
Haruna had a curling drive pushed away by Pavlovic and Mifsud Triganza hit wide from just outside the box.