BOV Premier League - Birkirkara FC 2-2 Valletta FC
by Ayrton Galea - 28th September 2019
Birkirkara FC remained without a win after five matches in the BOV Premier League, as they shared the spoils against Valletta FC with a 2-2 score in a highly-entertaining match.
In a classic match between the two sides that their rivalry has left its mark in Maltese football for the last three decades, Birkirkara came twice from behind to share the spoils and take a point in a top match.
Without a win in the first four matches, the Stripes were all-out for the victory but an early goal in each half by Valletta forced them to chase to result for most of the match and they had to rely on their resilient attitude to take a point for the third consecutive match.
Coach Andre Paus, meeting his former side for the first time, made just change from the last match as Maurizio Vella was awarded a place in the starting-eleven selection at the expenses of Tarabai.
The First Half
Valletta took the lead after just ten minutes. Referee Malcolm Spiteri adjudicated a back pass inside the box and ordered an in-direct free-kick. From the resulting set-piece, Tulmieri served Steve Borg whose deflected shot ended behind the goal-line.
The Stripes struggled at first, but they began to step-up their rhythm. They went close after twenty-three minutes when Fenech set Alba in a good position on the right side, but his shot ended well over the bar.
Birkirkara continued to push forward went close on the half-hour mark. Rocha outpaced Zerafa and served Alba who miscued his back-heel in-front of Bonello as the Citizens survived the scar.
The Citizens replied with an isolated action on the thirty-fifth minute. Zerafa made a dazzling run going past four players before he served Tulmieri but his erratic shot ended wide.
The Stripes were rewarded for their efforts by the equalising goal eight minutes from half-time. In a neat combination, Fenech served Vella who put Rocha through and the rapid-winger showed great confidence to lob the ball over the on-rushing Bonello.
Just before half time, Valletta suffered another drawback as Georgian midfielder Irakli Dzaria suffered an injury and was replaced by Nicholas Pulis.
The Second Half
The Stripes dictated the match in the opening proceedings of the second half, but just like the first half, Valletta scored in their first scoring chance on the fifty-eighth minute. Tulmieri lobbed the ball inside the box and Pena Beltre's header hit past Hogg.
Forced to chase the result again, Birkirkara put more numbers forward and they should have made the score level twenty minutes inside the second half when Alba's cross found the unmarked Rocha but his header ended wide by inches.
However, Rocha, who once again had an outstanding match, made amendments for his previous opportunity lost as the Stripes made the score level on the sixty-ninth minute.
The rapid-winger tormented the City defence by an excellent run as he bursts into the area before floored by Jean Borg. From the spot, Miguel Alba converted his third penalty kick this season as he sent Bonello the wrong way.
Boosted by this goal, the Stripes were now all over their opponents. Aware of his side's superiority, Paus introduced Mifsud off Alba as the Birkirkara Coach sought for a fresh pair of legs up front.
The veteran forward almost left his mark instantly as he was put through by Rocha, but his fierce shot from the edge of the box was denied by a great save of Bonello.
The Valletta goalkeeper was the protagonist again few moments later when he produced an excellent save to deny an uprising shot of Falcone as the match ended in a draw.
For the second consecutive match, Caio Rocha was named the BOV Player of the Match.
BIRKIRKARA: Andrew Hogg, Enrico Pepe, Maurizio Vella (83' Edison Luis Dos Santos), Kurt Zammit, Roderick Briffa, Federico Falcone, Cain Attard, Caio Rocha, Oscar Matias Carniello, Miguel Alba (75' Michael Mifsud), Ryan Fenech.
VALLETTA: Henry Bonello, Steve Borg, Bojan Kaljevic, Jean Borg, Enmy Pena Beltre, Joseph Zerafa (73' Ryan Camilleri), Douglas Ricardo Packer, Irakli Dzaria (45+2' Nicholas Pulis), Mario Fontanella, Yuri De Jesus Messias (63' Shaun Dimech), Kevin Tulmieri.
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, Mitchell Scerri.
Fourth Official: Matthew Degabriele.
Yellow Cards: 22' Ryan Fenech, 45+5' Roderick Briffa, 48' Enrico Pepe, 56' Maurizio Vella (Birkirkara), 18' Steve Borg, 46' Kevin Tulmieri, 55' Joseph Zerafa, 68' Jean Borg (Valletta).
Scorers: 37' Caio Rocha, 69' Miguel Alba (Birkirkara), 10' Steve Borg, 58' Enmy Pena Beltre (Valletta).
BOV Player of the Match: Caio Rocha (Birkirkara).
Photo: Elena Bonello.
comments powered by Disqus
