Debutant Andrei Agius scored a first-half winner as Birkirkara secured a deserved win over an unusual unadventurous Vittoriosa side.
The former Melfi player used all his know-how and skills to find the space between the Vittoriosa defenders and resolve the game with a gem of a goal after 38 minutes.
With Birkirkara still missing the services of Trevor Cilia, Paul Zammit paraded new signings Andrei Agius and Rodolfo ‘Alemao’ Kumbrevicius. Alan Tabone facing his former club provided the one change to Vittoriosa’s staring-line-up in place of Leighton Grech.
When the game began Birkirkara created a chance within a couple of minutes, Angus Buhagiar’s cross from the right to find Emiliano Lattes in front of goal but the midfielder was unable to put enough power into his low drive to trouble Simon Agius.
On the 21st minute Lattes combined brilliantly with Fenech to set up Terence Vella who rattled the underside of the bar as the ball bounced off the line to allow the Vittoriosa rearguard to clear the danger.
The Stars were denied moments later when Jorge Santos provided a teasing cross from the right which Agius acrobatically cleared the ball into a corner.
But it was Birkirkara who found the back of the net to give Vittoriosa a painful lesson in ruthless cutting edge football. A free-kick by Shawn Bajada caught the Stars cold and Agius showed his elegant technique as he chested down the ball before beating Agius with a beautifully-struck volley at the near post.
The Stars began the second half in more determined and soon after a set-piece cross almost had the Stripes defence in a tangle. Michael Fraser tried to punch the ball away from Clayton Micallef’s long-range free-kick but his tame clearance fell to Ryan Grech only for his lob to sail over the bar.
The chances did eventually arrive for Birkirkara after the interval. Paul Fenech was given time and space in the Vittoriosa area but his low drive was pushed away by goalkeeper Simon Agius following a three-man move.
But it was the Stripes who came through but not before Fraser tipped over the bar an effort by Micallef at death.