Valletta 1
Agius 80
Birkirkara 1
Comvalius 47
The jockeying for positions in the upper part of the Premier League gave the second round duel between Valletta and Birkirkara an extra edge. On Friday night, Qormi had made a strong statement of intent as they responded to their defeat to Birkirkara with a 6-2 demolition of Floriana, in the process turning up the heat on the Citizens and the Stripes.
For much of the first half, this game had failed to live up to the hype but the encounter ignited after the erstwhile subdued Birkirkara nosed ahead.
Valletta's reaction saw them mount one attack after another as the well-drilled Birkirkara switched to hold-what-you-have mode but their resistance was broken 10 minutes from time when man-of-the-match Gilbert Agius grabbed a deserved equaliser.
The stalemate was certainly well received by Qormi who retained top spot on 22 points, one ahead of Valletta and two better off than Birkirkara.
A one-way title race? The indications so far suggest otherwise.
Luke Dimech and Doding Priso were restored to Valletta's starting line-up after suspension forced them to miss the 4-1 defeat of Dingli. Ton Caanen kept faith with Steve Borg but Dimech's return prompted the City coach to switch the former Mosta bulwark from centre-half to right-back as Roderick Briffa manned the left flank.
Suspension deprived Paul Zammit of two key components in left-back Joseph Zerafa and midfielder Paul Fenech but to the Birkirkara coach's relief, Sylvano Comvalius and Angus Buhagiar recovered in time.
Valletta's tactical module was 4-2-3-1 with Terrence Scerri their focal point in attack while Birkirkara played 4-5-1-cum-4-3-3. Their forceful wing play relied mainly on the in-form Trevor Cilia and Comvalius with Michael Galea keeping his position as front man.
At one point, sights were drawn to the Birkirkara side as the Hibs fans who had left the stadium after an altercation with those of Valletta joined the Stripes on the other side of the enclosure.
The game was 12 minutes old when Jamie Pace tested waters with a low strike that whistled just wide of the near post.
Creative football remained conspicuous by its absence but Valletta's hopes soared on the half-hour when Kevin Sammut slipped a through-pass to Scerri. The former Hibs striker strode forward but fell at the merest hint of a challenge from Jorge Mora, the Birkirkara goalkeeper. Referee Adrian Azzopardi booked Scerri for simulation.
Valletta should have put their noses ahead when Agius lofted the ball into the path of Scerri who was clean through but the latter's grounder was blocked by Mora who diverted the ball past the far post.
From the corner, Jordi Cruyff passed to Sammut whose cross-shot was deflected goalwards but Mora saved.
On the cusp of half-time, Borg made a scything run down the right and whipped in an inviting cross that looked destined to reach Cruyff but Buhagiar anticipated the Dutch midfielder and headed the ball away for a corner.
The second half was two minutes old when Birkirkara struck from their first menacing attack.
Comvalius used his body strength and pace to storm past Borg before lifting the ball over Andrew Hogg. Having created the better chances in the first half, Valletta now found themselves a goal in arrears.
The Citizens continued to toil to get back into the match as the gritty Stripes refused to yield an inch.
Just past the hour mark, Agius rose to head Dimech's lofted pass towards Scerri who took the ball past Nikola Vukanac but pulled his shot wide.
Hogg was compelled to sprint out of goal to clear the ball away from the advancing Cilia after young midfielder Rowen Muscat's long ball flew over the back-pedalling City defenders.
With 21 minutes left, Valletta came close to an equaliser when Cruyff's headed assist found Agius unmarked in the box but the latter lifted his shot over the bar.
Mora then saved Scerri's header from Sammut's free-kick as Valletta, with Cruyff joining Scerri in attack, kept up their attacking charge.
Caanen made a double substitution, throwing on Stefan Giglio and Steve Bezzina for Pace and Briffa.
In next to no time, Valletta levelled matters when another of their strong forays triggered panic in the Birkirkara box as Cruyff slid to pull the back from the byline. Scerri touched it to Agius who blasted his shot which squeezed through a posse of Birkirkara defenders and into the net.
Valletta
A.Hogg-5, S. Borg-6, R. Briffa-5 ('79 S. Bezzina), K. Scicluna-6.5, L. Dimech-6, G. Agius-7.5, J. Pace-5 ('79 S. Giglio), K. Sammut-7 ('88 D. Falzon), J. Cruyff-7, T. Scerri-6, D. Priso-6.5.
Birkirkara
J. Mora-6, T. Cilia-6 ('86 K. Pulo), B. Nisevic-7, N. Vukanac-6, R. Muscat-6, G. Mallia-6, A. Tabone-6, S. Bajada-6, S. Comvalius-6, M. Galea-5 ('90 A. Scicluna), A. Buhagiar-6 ('69 T. Paris-5).
Referee Adrian Azzopardi.
Yellow cards Nisevic; Agius; Scerri; Borg; Mora; Dimech; Cruyff.
BOV player for the match Gilbert Agius (Valletta).