Draw lands Stripes in top six

Floriana 0
Birkirkara 0

Birkirkara crawled their way into the Championship Pool yesterday. Needing a point to make sure of their place in the top-six zone, Birkirkara did just that after their final second round match against Floriana ended goalless.

As expected, Birkirkara pressed forward from the word go in search of a goal that would have steadied their fraught nerves but a combination of poor finishing and a series of fine saves by Floriana goalkeeper Simon Agius, including one from a penalty, prevented the Stripes from reaping a tangible reward for their supremacy.

Floriana, whose display in the first half had been low-key, were much better in the second half and created a string of scoring opportunities as Birkirkara grew increasingly tense but the stalemate prevailed until the final whistle, much to the latter's relief.

Birkirkara's plucky performance in the 2-1 defeat to Valletta on Monday didn't stop coach John Buttigieg from tweaking his line-up. Captain Michael Galea and Thomas Paris were demoted to the subs' bench as Buttigieg preferred to start with Roderick Sammut at right-back and Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, the latter forming a two-pronged attack with Dave Amed Sylla.

Danilo Doncic, the Floriana coach, also made a few alterations from the team that lost 2-1 to Hamrun Spartans. Clifton Ciantar resumed his patrolling duties on the left flank after missing Monday's defeat due to suspension. Mauro Brincat and Mano Micallef were also reinstated to the first team but Owen Bugeja was sidelined with injury and Chris Caruana was serving a one-match ban. Duncan Pisani was named among the substitutes.

Buttigieg had to make a substitution as early as the ninth minute after left-back Lino Galea's evening was curtailed by injury. Galea's place was taken by Joseph Zerafa.

Scoring chances were scarce in the opening exchanges but Birkirkara should have broken the stalemate after 19 minutes.

Alan Tabone swung over a left-wing cross into the area where Mifsud Triganza, who was left completely unmarked by the ball-watching Floriana defenders, stooped to head the ball but his effort sailed wide.

Birkirkara gradually took control of the match. Simon Agius, the Floriana goalkeeper, pushed away Shaun Bajada's cross from a corner but in the ensuing melee, Floriana's Darko Krsteski was deemed to have pushed Emil Yanchev as the latter was shaping up to shoot.

Referee Adrian Casha pointed to the spot but Tabone's shot, aimed at the left-hand corner, brought a fine save from Agius who also blocked George Mallia's follow-on flick.

Their spirit untainted by Tabone's penalty miss, Birkirkara continued to pound Floriana's fort. Sylla had a lofted chip flashing against the side-netting before Mifsud Triganza burst through the Floriana defence and then picked out Bajada on the left but the latter's shot lacked accuracy.

Two minutes into the second half, Birkirkara went close to seizing the lead. Running on to a through-pass by Bajada, Sylla stepped past Eboh and arrowed a low cross-shot which prompted Brincat to leap forward in an attempt to clear the danger but his intervention sent the ball skimming over the crossbar.

At the other end, Floriana manufactured their best scoring chance so far as Trevor Cilia's grounder was repelled by Omar Borg and Ryan Darmanin's effort from the rebound was deflected away for a corner.

Birkirkara survived another scare eight minutes into the second half. Ciantar's first meaningful overlap down the left saw him make headway before he lofted the ball to Yala Bolasie who crossed to the centre where Christian Cassar's first-time volley grazed the crossbar.

Birkirkara's Tabone had a long-rage shot ending just wide and Floriana responded with a grounder by Zoran Levnaic that was saved by Borg.

The Greens should have edged ahead on 62 minutes when Bolasie guided an excellent pass to Cilia inside the box but the latter sent the ball wide. The Stripes looked confused and uneasy in the face of Floriana's growing pressure. In an isolated attack, Bajada crossed for Sylla who headed goalward but Agius saved.

With 18 minutes left, Buttigieg withdrew Sylla, who suffered a knock in the second half, for Michael Galea.

Danger loomed for Birkirkara late on when Sammut conceded a free-kick after halting Bolasie's steaming run but Darko Krsteski's curling free-kick was off target.

Floriana: S. Agius-7.5, M. Micallef-6.5, S. Eboh-6 ('60 E. Sevasta-5.5), D. Krsteski-6, C. Ciantar-5.5, T. Cilia-5.5, Z. Levnaic-7, M. Brincat-5, Y. Bolasie-5, C. Cassar-6, R. Darmanin-5 ('85 M. Gauci).

Birkirkara: O. Borg-6.5, L. Galea ('9 J. Zerafa-5), R. Sammut-5.5, P. Fenech-6.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5, A. Tabone-6 ('90 T. Paris), R. Hartvig-6, S. Bajada-5, D.A. Sylla-6.5 ('72 M. Galea), G. Mallia-5, E. Yanchev-6.

Referee: Adrian Casha.

Missed penalty: Tabone (B) 27.

Yellow card: Sammut.

BoV Player of the match: Simon Agius (Floriana).