Watch: Sliema Wanderers fight back to overcome ten-man Birkirkara

Sliema Wanderers came from a goal down to see off Birkirkara 2-1 and move up to third in the Top Six.

It was a hard-fought victory for the Blues, who found themselves behind after four minutes of play when Leandro Lacunza put the Stripes in control.

But the game turned on its head early in the second half when Birkirkara goalkeeper Miguel Martinez was shown a straight red card for a violent challenge on Vito Plut.

From then on, Sliema took control and managed to turn the game around with goals from Roko Prsa and Steve Pisani to secure three vital points that lifted them to joint-third in the standings on 22 points, four adrift of leaders Floriana.

Birkirkara were off to a flyer as after four minutes they took the lead. From a corner taken by Shaun Dimech, the Wanderers failed to clear the ball and Lacunza’s shot flew past the diving Rashed Al Tumi and into the net.

One expected the Wanderers to fight back, but their reaction was futile with Birkirkara goalkeeper Martinez rarely tested.

In a rare foray for the Blues, midfielder Steve Pisani booted the ball forward in a bid to find the sprinting Sulahmana Bah, but the forward was anticipated by the onrushing Martinez.

Sliema threatened again just once before half-time when Adam Magri Overend connected to Roko Prsa’s cross, but Martinez was alert to block.

Four minutes into the second half, Birkirkara saw their hopes suffer a mjajor blow as goalkeeper Martinez charged out of his goal to intercept the sprinting Plut, but the Spanish goalkeeper barged onto the Sliema forward.

Referee Alex Johnson brandished a straight red card on the grounds of a violent challenge, and he reconfirmed it after he was asked to review the action on the Football Video Support.

The Stripes brought on Matthew Grech while Sliema roped in Fernandinho in a bid to add more speed to their forward line.

 Sliema’s pressure yielded an equaliser on 64 minutes when, from a Pisani corner-kick, Prsa adjusted his body to perfection to volley the ball into the top corner.

The Wanderers were now stepping up the pressure and ten minutes from time Pisani hit a fierce drive that was turned to a corner by Grech.

However, Pisani was not to be denied as from the ensuing flag-kick, taken by Prsa, the Sliema midfielder’s header was blocked by the Birkirkara defenders but Pisani was on hand to bundle home the rebound.