Birżebbuġa win historic promotion to Premier League after edging Swieqi United on penalties

BIRŻEBBUĠA SP 1

SWIEQI UTD 1

(Birżebbuġa win 7-6 on penalties)

Birżebbuġa won their first-ever promotion to the YoHealth Malta Premier in the most dramatic of circumstances after edging past Swieqi United 7-6 in a penalty shoot-out after the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

It was a remarkable result for the Saints, who in their first year in the Challenge League managed to secure a place in the top-flight of Maltese football.

For Swieqi the defeat is a bitter pill to swallow after they had taken the lead early on but were pegged back by their opponents and in the end there was nothing to separate either side as the penalty shoot-out determined the team that will join Balzan in the top-flight next season.

The match was off to an eventful start as Swieqi United were awarded a penalty after only seven minutes of play.

Referee Philip Farrugia adjudged that Birżebbuġa defender Juan Bolanos had pulled down Kian Leonardi inside the area and pointed to the spot.

The Birżebbuġa clan was incensed and asked the referee to review the action on the Football Video Support, but Farrugia stood by his decision.

Zak Barbara stepped up for the penalty and drilled the ball past goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi.

Birżebbuġa hit back strongly and started to dominate play, with Swieqi happy to soak up the pressure and operate on the counter attack.

Birżebbuġa threatened on 15 minutes when Paul Lapira turned past two defenders but his shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Timothy Aquilina.

The Saints’ pressure finally yielded an equaliser on 26 minutes when Daniel Zerafa latched onto Alex Bruno’s delivery from a corner and headed the ball firmly into the net.

Birżebbuġa continued to push forward and were unlucky not to take the lead on 41 minutes when Duvan Torres’s shot smacked against the crossbar.

In the final minute of stoppage time, Lapira again threatened for Birżebbuġa but the nippy forward fired wide from an inviting position.

The second half failed to maintain the same intensity as the first, with Swieqi threatening on 56 minutes when Ayrton Attard saw his shot well saved by goalkeeper Azzopardi.

Swieqi had a glorious chance to restore their lead 15 minutes from time when Attard sped inside the area, and his shot beat goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi but defender Miguel Azzopardi was alert to acrobatically keep the ball out.

It was all Swieqi in terms of chances and ten minutes from time Julian Azzopardi misjudged a corner delivery but Ayrton Attard headed over as the match drifted into extra-time.

Scoring remained a rarity in extra-time with Birżebbuġa’s best chance coming on 110 minutes when Alex Alves cross found Leonardo Agius who fired wide.

No more scoring opportunities were created as the promotion had to be decided on penalties.

In the shoot-out, Birżebbuġa and Swieqi scored four of their opening five penalties with Paul Fenech, of Swieqi, and Chibuike, of Birżebbuġa missing from the spot. Ż

However, it was Birżebbuġa who prevailed when Samuel Okoh fired over to the delight of the Saints clan.

Penalty sequence: Bruno (B) scores 1-0; Fenech (S) saved 1-0; Zerafa (B) scores 2-0; Aguilar (S) scores 2-1; Chibuike (B) misses 2-1; Leonardi (S) scores 2-2; Xuereb (B) scores 3-2; Caseres (S) scores 3-3; Walker (B) scores 4-3; Kojo (S) scores 4-4; Vella (B) scores 5-4; Micallef (S) scores 5-5; Agius (B) scores 6-5; Agius (S) scores 6-6; Cassar (B) scores 7-6; Okoh (S) misses.