Naxxar Lions hold Birkirkara to remain in a strong position for Top 6 berth

NAXXAR LIONS         0

BIRKIRKARA               0

NAXXAR LIONS

M. Debono, J.P. Iseppe, T. Kruger, G. Felipe, M. Fenech (85 M. Fenech), L. Pahama, E. Farias, Vitinho (77 G. Costa), D. Letherby, Rosiel, V. Baiano.

BIRKIRKARA

M. Martinez, F. Lopez, M. Morello (77’ J. Busuttil), K. Reid, L. Macula (82’ J. Vrcic), L. Lacunza, N. Micallef, G. Acheampong (60’ S. Viveros), R. Santos, D. Makoma, A. Garzia.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit

Yellow cards: Iseppe, Farias, Macula.

Naxxar Lions preserved their two-point lead over Birkirkara as the two teams shared the spoils in a goalless draw at the Centenary Stadium.

The result had a significant bearing on the race for a Top Six berth as with two matches to go, the Lions re-join Gżira United in fourth place on 14 points, one ahead of Valletta and Sliema Wanderers, and two ahead of the Stripes, who are now eighth.

The game turned out to be a balanced affair.

In the second half, Birkirkara held the initiative for the first 15 minutes, but then Naxxar started to push harder, and with no goals being scored, they had to settle for a draw.

Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit made four changes to the team, which lost to Żabbar St Patrick in their last league outing, as Roni Santos deputised for the suspended Alessandro Coppola, while Neil Micallef, Leandro Lacunza and Macula replaced Sebastian Viveros, Shaun Dimech, and Jacques Bayo.

On the other hand, Winston Muscat confirmed the same starting eleven of the previous match against Tarxien Rainbows, which they had won 2-1.

Shots at goal were few and far between during the first half as the two teams shared the exchanges.

Donovan Makoma went close with a shot from outside the area, which was turned into a corner by Matthias Debono after eight minutes.

Naxxar threatened late in the first half, with Vinicius Baiano testing goalkeeper Miguel Angel Martinez with a shot from outside the area on 40 minutes.

Three minutes later, Louis Pahama entered the area from the right, but Roni Santos cleared the ball into safety.

Two minutes in the second half, Manuel Morello had a powerful shot from the left blocked by goalkeeper Matthias Debono. Macula took the rebound, but his effort was cleared off the line by JP Iseppe.

On 64 minutes, Morello delivered a cross from the left, and Neil Micallef had a first-time effort blocked into a corner by a defender.

However late in the game, Iseppe had a shot from outside the area ending just wide and in added time, Martinez came to Birkirkara’s rescue, blocking a close-range effort by Gabriel Costa and then pushing away a Louis Pahama effort from the left.