Birkirkara 2
Cilia 24, 80
Valletta 2
Sammut 27; Pace 39
The first league showdown between Birkirkara, the reigning champions, and Valletta, their fierce adversaries, enticed a crowd of close to 4,000 fans to the National Stadium last night.
Expectations of another gripping encounter were met emphatically as these two juggernauts served up another riveting, end-to-end spectacle that was embellished with a stunning goal from Trevor Cilia.
It was a game of oscillating fortunes as Valletta fought back from a goal down to edge 2-1 ahead by the end of the first half.
Birkirkara, who had suffered an early double blow after losing Shaun Bajada and Rowen Muscat to injuries in the space of four second-half minutes, had taken the lead against the run of play courtesy of man-of-match Cilia but the champions looked down and out when the superior Valletta won a penalty 20 minutes into the second half.
A dynamic figure in Valletta’s attack, Denni looked set to crown his performance with a deserved goal but his unconvincing penalty drive was blocked by the equally brilliant Manuel Bartolo whose vital intervention, one of many yesterday, laid the platform for Birkirkara’s late rally.
Newly-signed Scottish goalkeeper Michael Fraser started on the bench as Zammit kept faith with Manuel Bartolo in goal. Serbian defender Nikola Vukanac made his first league start for Birkirkara after seeing out the three-match ban he incurred for his part in the brawl with Valletta officials after the BOV Super Cup final.
Captain Gilbert Agius and defender Kenneth Scicluna were forced to watch the game from the stands as both are recovering from injuries.
Just over a minute from kick-off had elapsed when Valletta threatened to open the scoring. Capitalising on Vukanac’s hesitancy, Terrence Scerri seized possession inside the area before being pulled back by the Birkirkara defender.
As Scerri tumbled to the ground, the ball rolled to the unmarked Denni who pulled the trigger but Bartolo showed sound reflexes as he palmed the ball away for a corner.
The early stages belonged to Valletta. Danger beckoned Birkirkara when, after another prolonged City move, the ball reached Omonigo Temile just outside the box but the latter’s high-riser took a deflection and drifted over the bar.
With the Stripes struggling to get their passing game together, Valletta kept creating the better chances but were thwarted by Bartolo.
After blocking a dangerous grounder by Denni, Bartolo came to Birkirkara’s rescue again when he again opposed to the Brazilian who was clean through after exchanging passes with Kevin Sammut. The loose ball squirmed into the path of Scerri but his scrambled attempt was pushed away by Bartolo.
To compound matters for Birkirkara, they were forced to make two substitutions inside the opening 25 minutes as Bajada and Muscat were unable to continue after suffering injuries.
Simon Zahra came on for Bajada and Terrence Vella replaced Muscat but as Birkirkara were preparing to effect their second change, they received a timely boost.
Their first significant foray into opposing half paid instant dividends as Galea threaded a through-ball to Cilia who eluded his marker and prodded past Andrew Hogg.
The cheers of the Birkirkara fans had hardly died down when Valletta levelled matters.
Ian Azzopardi was the provider as his long pass from the inside-left channel found Sammut who drilled a low shot past Bartolo from a somewhat angled position.
A neat interchange between Briffa and the effervescent Denni would have produced a second goal for the Citizens but for Bartolo who smothered the ball away.
Valletta were rewarded for their persistence when on 39 minutes they doubled their lead. Sammut’s cross from a right-wing free-kick sparked chaos in the Birkirkara box as the ball arced towards Pace who fired home at the far post.
Hogg kept Valletta’s advantage intact as he fisted away Lattes’s swerving free-kick . At the other end, Scerri’s shot was inches wide .
Birkirkara tried to force the tempo at the start of the second half but they almost got punished on the counter after just six minutes. Denni advanced through the middle in a three-vs-two situation and switched the ball to Scerri but the latter’s shot flashed against the side-netting.
Vukanac had his team in a spot of bother when his backpass was handled by Bartolo who thus conceded a free-kick inside his own box. Luckily for the Stripes, a clutch of City players had strayed in an offside position as Denni took the free-kick.
With Birkirkara hurling caution to the wind as they pressed for an equaliser, Valletta’s pacy wingers and forwards were getting more chances on the break.
On 65 minutes, Valletta had a great opportunity to pull out of sight when they were awarded a penalty for Paul Fenech’s late challenge on Denni. The Brazilian assumed responsibility for the penalty but his low drive was blocked by Bartolo.
In no time, Birkirkara were shouting penalty as Azzopardi appeared to tug Galea’s shirt as the latter tried to reach Buhagiar’s pass in the area but the referee was unimpressed.
Drawing confidence from Valletta’s penalty miss, Birkirkara drove forward with intent.
Cilia shot wide after cutting in from the left but the Birkirkara winger silenced the Valletta fans when he hauled his team back on level terms with a stupendous goal 10 minutes from time.
There seemed little danger when the ball drifted towards Cilia well outside the box but the next thing the ball was in the net after the Birkirkara stalwart unleashed a ferocious volley that beat Hogg hands down.
Birkirkara
M. Bartolo-8, J. Zerafa-6, N. Vukanac-4, R. Harding-5.5, P. Fenech-5, T. Cilia-8 (86 T. Paris), R. Muscat (26 T. Vella-6), E. Lattes-6.5, S. Bajada (20 S. Zahra-6.5), M. Galea-7, A. Buhagiar-6.5.
Valletta
A. Hogg-5, S. Borg-6, J. Caruana-6.5, Ramon-7.5, R. Briffa-7 (74 E. Agius), J. Pace-7, O. Temile-5.5 (70 D. Falzon-4), K. Sammut-7, Denni-7.5 (79 I. Zammit), T. Scerri-5, I. Azzopardi-6.5.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Missed penalty: Denni (V) 66.
Yellow cards: Buhagiar; Cilia; Zerafa; Fenech; Zammit; Hogg; Pace;
BOV player of the match: Trevor Cilia (Birkirkara).
Attendance: 3,823.