BIRKIRKARA 1

Maia 4

MELITA 1

Borg Olivier 16 pen.

BIRKIRKARA

G. Volpe (79 M. Grech), I. Morello, K. Reid, T. Papazov, A. Satariano, N. Micallef (79 G. Yipkie), A. Coppola, N. Cross, S. Makoma, A. da Paixao, M. Maia.

MELITA

A. Lubik, K. Mohnani (53 J.P. Attard), A. Penha da Costa, A. Borg Olivier, M. Van De Font Bovenkamp, D. Xuereb (75 N. Cutajar), S. Martinez (90 P. Galea Testaferrata) G. Barone, K. Bondin, A. Sanches, H. Motta.

 Referee: Matthew De Gabriele.

Yellow cards: Bondin, Van De Font Bovenkamp, Morello, Sanchez

Melita claimed another creditable result against a top side, as they held Birkirkara at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

Playing the entire second half with their backs to the wall against Birkirkara, Melita managed to hold on to the point and edge away from the bottom six positions while also denting the Stripes’ hopes of going top of the Closing Round.

There was a slice of fortune about Birkirkara’s opener after just four minutes when Kurt Bondin tried to intercept Maxuel Maia’s run but only inadvertently diverted the ball to original target Alex de Paixao.

The Brazilian winger left Maia to continue with his run, outsprinting the onrushing goalkeeper to put the Stripes ahead.

De Paixao could have doubled the score but his inswinger from a corner was cleared off the line by the Melita defence.

Melita were getting little chance out of the Birkirkara defence until a mix-up at the back allowed Michael Borg Olivier to level.

Alessandro Coppola mistimed his intervention on André Penha da Costa in the box and referee Matthew Degabriele pointed to the spot.

From the spot kick, Borg Olivier sent Giacomo Volpi the wrong way.

The Stripes were left fuming as Coppola was penalised for a foul that started outside the box.

Melita were showing discipline and enterprise in equal measure, but then they failed to clear Ignacio Morello’s cross for an airborne Kemar Reid who hit the underside of the crossbar with a powerful header.

The Italian goalkeeper Volpe was tested as the interval approached, blocking a swerving drive from Andres Camillo Sanchez as a thrilling first 45 minutes drew to a close.

Birkirkara looked the more likely to break through after the break and Reid, Maia and De Paixao all had half chances as Melita held firm.

De Paixao hit a free-kick across the face of goal but it found no takers.

An error by Aleksander Lubik, saw Marc Van De Font Bovenkamp come to his goalkeeper’s rescue to clear his poor intervention before Maia could take advantage.

Maia had a header finishing just from an excellent Morello’s cross.  

Birkirkara were struggling to make any headway and coach Stefano de Angelis went to the point of replacing goalkeeper Giacomo Volpe with new recruit Matthew Grech to increase the foreign players’ quota on the pitch with the introduction of Gnamien Yikpe.

Birkirkara finished playing with four players upfront but there were no other scares for Melita as they held on to take a point.