Mifsud Triganza's late goal downs Blues

Sliema Wanderers 2
Turner 39; Muscat 48
Birkirkara 3
Galea 8; Hartvig 47; Mifsud Triganza 81

News that Valletta had forfeited two points against Qormi ought to have given Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers an added incentive to take maximum spoils from their second round clash.

Although Birkirkara and Sliema are still bracketed among the top guns of Maltese football, they have been playing down their chances of taking up a leading role in the title race amid talk that Valletta are odds-on favourites to retain the crown.

Even if a tilt at the title proves beyond them, Birkirkara and Sliema have made no secret of their ambition to clinch a European qualifying berth and this match gave them the chance to consolidate their position in the upper part of the table.

In Sliema's case, a positive result was an absolute must to ensure a place in the Championship Pool but the Blues now find themselves under mounting pressure after finishing on the receiving end of a 3-2 defeat.

It was a game of oscillating fortunes and one that exposed the two teams' defensive shortcomings as Birkirkara twice surrendered a one-goal lead only for Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza to find his scoring touch in the final moments with a goal that brought hjs team within two points of Valletta.

Birkirkara coach John Buttigieg gave a debut to Mauro Di Lello who joined the Stripes on a short-term deal last month. The Italian defender, who played for Pietà Hotspurs and Sliema Wanderers in the past, started on the right of Birkirkara's four-man defence.

Jonathan Holland was ruled out by suspension for Birkirkara.

Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema coach, deployed veterans Noel Turner and Jeffrey Chetcuti in the heart of midfield as Mark Scerri was serving a one-match ban. Daniel Saverino, another midfielder, was unavailable for the Blues yesterday as he is having a trial with a Chinese club while Branko Nisevic is sidelined with a back problem. Samsiro Furfaro took up one of the two centre-half roles with the other going to Lucian Dronca who was facing his former team yesterday.

Barely two minutes from the start of the game had passed when Birkirkara goalkeeper Bernard Paris blocked a header by Dronca from a Roderick Bajada corner.

Birkirkara forged ahead after eight minutes, Michael Galea drilling a low shot past Bonello from a wide position.

A mistimed sortie by Paris caused anxiety in Birkirkara's defence as Bajada's corner soared past the lanky goalkeeper but Ian Azzopardi's header dropped wide.

Constructive football was only conspicuous by its absence for much of the remainder of the first half with Sliema looking incapable of exposing any cracks in Birkirkara's defensive armour.

With just over six minutes of the first half remaining, Sliema found a goal out of the blue, captain Turner turning the clock back to the time when his commanding presence and knack for goals made him an immovable figure in the Wanderers' team.

There seemed little danger for Birkirkara when the ball dropped to Turner deep in their half but the former Malta midfielder unleashed a dipping shot that soared above the out-of-position Paris and into the net.

One-all was the score at half-time but within two minutes of the start of the second half, Birkirkara had restored their lead. Ron Hartvig swept the ball home at the far post after Kiril Dimitrov-Mihaylov, who had just come on for Di Lello, had directed Alan Tabone's corner back into the Sliema box.

Birkirkara fans were still celebrating Hartvig's goal when Sliema made it 2-2, Alex Muscat hammering a shot past Paris after through-ball from Ivan Woods.

Sliema were now posing more problems to the Birkirkara defence. The Stripes breathed a sigh of relief when Woods spurned a golden opportunity, firing wide from point blank after Paris had parried Ian Azzopardi's free-kick.

With 16 minutes remaining, Bajada should have put Birkirkara back in the driving seat but he skied his shot high after Mihailov had laid the ball into his path.

Birkirkara moved ahead 10 minutes from time when Bajada spotted Mifsud Triganza's run into the box and duly served him with a perfect pass. The steaming Birkirkara striker took the ball past Bonello and deposited the ball into the net.

In stoppage time, Mifsud Triganza was thwarted by Dronca's goalline clearance as Sliema threw caution to the wind in a bid to salvage a draw. Their efforts proved futile.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-5.5, A. Muscat-6.5 ('82 J. Vella), I. Azzopardi-6, N. Turner-6.5 ('75 J. Mintoff), M. Bartolo-5.5, J. Chetcuti-5, I. Woods-5, L. Dronca-6.5, I. Ciantar-6, R. Bajada-5, S. Furfaro-5.5 ('87 M. Ciantar).

Birkirkara
B. Paris-5.5, M. Di Lello-5.5 ('46 K.D. Mihajlov-6.5), P. Fenech-5.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5, M. Galea-6 ('38 T. Cilia-6), A. Tabone-5.5 ('72 M. Anastasi), R, Hartvig-6, S. Bajada-6.5, J. Zerafa-5.5, G. Mallia-5.5, I. Sokolov-6.

Referee: Paul Caruana

Yellow cards: S. Bajada; R. Bajada; Hartvig; Fenech; Zerafa.

BoV player of the match: Alex Muscat (Sliema).