Marsaxlokk 0
Sliema Wanderers 0
With Premier League pace-setters Valletta not in action this weekend, yesterday's second round skirmish between Marsaxlokk and Sliema Wanderers presented the two title aspirants with an opportunity to keep up the pressure on the leaders.
Buoyed by a four-match winning run, Marsaxlokk ought to have been driven by the prospect of going top if they beat Sliema whereas victory would have lifted the Blues to second place alongside the southerners.
Victory was the key word but it didn't figure in either team's vocabulary at the end of a match which produced two red cards but no goals.
The score was perhaps a fair result as both teams cancelled each other out in an abrasive contest that offered little in the way of scoring chances.
Sliema will argue that they were the more adventurous side but the champions deserve credit for holding firm after Julio Alcorse's red card before numerical equilibrium was restored when Andre Rocha Da Silva was dismissed for two yellow cards.
The result meant that Marsaxlokk are now joint-top with Valletta on 32 points with Sliema three behind. The Citizens have a game in hand.
Da Silva shook off a groin injury to make his comeback after missing the last two matches but Brazilian Carlos Eduardo Ventura was out. He tore his ankle ligaments during training and is expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks. Matthew Bartolo was another significant absentee from Sliema's squad yesterday.
Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema coach, tinkered with players' positions as Ian Azzopardi started at left-midfield and Da Silva assigned attacking duties, playing just behind Ivan Woods in a 4-3-2-1 formation that also included Roderick Briffa.
There were no such tactical alterations from Brian Talbot as the Marsaxlokk coach stuck to his familiar 4-4-2. In goal, Reuben Gauci deputised for the unavailable Reuben Debono while William Camenzuli was back in the squad from injury.
Gareth Sciberras was preferred to Mark Barbara in Talbot's initial selection but Aleksandar Madzar, the former Sliema striker, and Stephen Wellman started on the substitutes' bench.
Goalmouth action was sporadic in a poor first half. Alcorse had threatened to give his side a first-minute lead but his tame shot brought a comfortable save from Murphy Akanji.
Sliema's response arrived five minutes later. Rising to meet Roderick Bajada's cross from a corner, Da Silva headed goalwards but the ball was kept out by Sciberras.
On another occasion, Mark Scerri, Sliema's young midfielder, sent his shot over the bar after the Marsaxlokk defence had partially cleared a Bajada free-kick.
Late in the first half, Alcorse headed wide from a Sammut cross and Woods did likewise from an Azzopardi service.
Talbot made his first substitution five minutes before half-time, bringing on Madzar for Pace who is struggling to regain form.
After Sammut and Alcorse hit wide from good positions, Madzar threatened to punish his former team-mates but his scrambled shot was off target.
The Wanderers began the second half in lively mode. Briffa set up Muscat who hit a low drive but Charlo Magro managed to get his foot to the ball and Gauci saved.
Licari then nipped in front of Briffa who was closing on goal and Said headed over after Woods's cross-cum-shot sailed in the Sliema defender's path.
Nine minutes into the second half, Sliema's optimism increased when Alcorse was shown a straight red for an obscene gesture. Referee Adrian Azzopardi took action after consulting assistant referee Ingmar Spiteri.
In no time, Sliema might have scored but Da Silva, under pressure from Magro, could only roll his shot wide of the near post.
Barbara came on for Branko Nisevic. This move demonstrated Azzopardi's intent to try and make the most of his team's numerical advantage but it also necessitated a tactical change as Sliema switched to 4-3-3.
However, Sliema were also reduced to 10 men 14 minutes from time. Da Silva, who was gunning against his ex-team, got a second booking after he appeared to raise his arms as he tried to reach a Barbara delivery.
Two minutes from time, Barbara sent in a menacing cross from the right but Orosco Anonam, who had just come on for Woods, was a trifle too late with his run into the box.
Marsaxlokk: R. Gauci-6, M. Licari-6, C. Mamo-6.5, R. Conceicao-7, C. Magro-7, G. Sciberras-7, P. Pullicino-6.5, J. Pace-5 ('40 A. Madzar-5.5), K. Sammut-6, C. Frendo-6, J. Alcorse.
Sliema: M. Akanji-6, A. Muscat-5 ('77 I. Ciantar), I. Azzopardi-5.5, B. Said-6, B. Nisevic-5.5 ('67 E. Barbara-5.5), M. Scerri-6.5, R. Bajada-6, J. Chetcuti-6, I. Woods-6 ('83 O. Anonam), A. Rocha Da Silva, R. Briffa-6.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Licari; Pullicino; Mamo; Da Silva; Scerri; Barbara.
Red cards: Alcorse (M) 54; Da Silva (S) 76.
BoV player of the match: Ivan Woods (Sliema Wanderers).