Mosta and Birkirkara play out drab stalemate

MOSTA                 0

BIRKIRKARA        0

MOSTA

U. Akpan, G. Costa, N. Portelli, K. Zammit, J. Victor, A. Kozic (69’ S. Diamanka), P. Emmanuel (90 S. Zibo), W. Salomao, P. Cacho (74 G. Goncalves), J. Vassallo, L. Fernandes.

BIRKIRKARA

M. Martinez, F. Lopez, M. Morello, A. Garzia, K. Reid, S. Dimech (64’ N. Micallef), A. Coppola, G. Acheampong (86’ S. Viveros), R. Santos, D. Makoma, J. Bayo (64’ J. Vrcic).

Referee: Ishmael Barbara

Yellow card: G. Acheampong

Mosta earned their first point in the Closing Round as they held Birkirkara to a goalless draw.

Following back-to-back wins over and Valletta, the Stripes were targeting a third win on the trot but found a determined Mosta side eager to register a first positive result after five defeats in the first five matches.

The game turned out into a drab encounter with hardly a shot at goal during the first half and although Birkirkara pushed a bit harder during the second, they were denied by goalkeeper Udoh Akpan.

Birkirkara had one change from the team which defeated Valletta as Miguel Angel Martinez deputised for Matthew Grech.

Mosta, on the other hand, had new recruits Gilson Costa and Azer Kozic making their debut as they replaced Nathan Agius and Charles Oderinde.

After only three minutes of play, Manuel Morello tried his luck with a cross shot from the left which was neutralised by Akpan.

Both teams failed to build on those early chances, as for much of the first half, scoring chances were a rarity.

The next opportunity arrived on 36 minutes, and it was Mosta’s Prince Chibuzor Emmanuel had an angled shot from the left parried by Martinez.

Donovan Makoma went close for Birkirkara with a shot from outside the area ending just wide three minutes later.

Four minutes from the half-time interval, Pedro Cacho had a diagonal shot from the right which just missed the target.

Geoffrey Acheampong tested Akpan with a powerful shot from outside the area on 59 minutes.

The Mosta goalkeeper came to his team’s rescue once again on 78 minutes with a good save on an Achemapong effort from outside the area.

Deep in added time, Akpan blocked a powerful drive by Alessandro Coppola with Kemar Reid’s attempt being deflected into a corner by a defender.