Birkirkara staged a remarkable comeback to snatch a 2-2 draw against Sliema Wanderers, despite being reduced to ten men inside the first half-hour.
The Stripes showed tremendous spirit and determination to fight back from two goals down, handing new coach Gianluca Festa an encouraging start to his tenure at the Valley club.
Sliema Take Early Control
Sliema looked to have the game wrapped up inside the opening 30 minutes as they raced into a two-goal lead while Birkirkara endured a nightmare start.
The Blues opened the scoring in the 19th minute when, following a corner, Plut cleverly flicked the ball into the path of Sulahmana Bah, who nodded home via the upright to give Sliema a deserved lead.
Just minutes later, Sliema doubled their advantage. Plut charged into the area and was brought down by Kurt Zammit, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Henrique Murillo stepped up, and although his initial spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Martinez, the Brazilian reacted quickly to slot home the rebound.
Zammit Sent Off as Birkirkara Collapse Further
Birkirkaraโs woes deepened only two minutes later. Zammit, already under pressure, miscued a backpass, allowing Plut to race through on goal. With the Sliema forward bearing down on Martinez, Zammit dragged him back and was shown a straight red card by referee Daniel Portelli, leaving the Stripes with ten men for the remainder of the match.
With a two-goal deficit and a man down, Birkirkara faced an uphill battle. However, instead of folding, they responded with grit and determination.
Reid Sparks Comeback
Their persistence was rewarded just before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Lucas Macula showcased superb footwork to weave his way into the box before cutting the ball back for Kemar Reid, who rifled his shot past Al Tumi to give Birkirkara hope heading into the break.
Buoyed by the goal, Birkirkara began to grow into the game and nearly equalized on 59 minutes when Maculaโs curling effort forced Al Tumi into a full-stretch save after a slick build-up led by Jonathan Makoma.
Late Drama as Stripes Earn Point
The equalizer finally arrived six minutes from time. Birkirkara were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Al Tumi fouled Morello inside the box. Morello stepped up and kept his composure, drilling the ball into the net to complete a stunning comeback and secure a vital point for the Stripes.
Tarxien Edge Naxxar in Five-Goal Thriller
Elsewhere, Tarxien Rainbows celebrated their first league win of the season with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Naxxar Lions.
Tarxien made a dream start, taking the lead after just seven minutes through Ofufu Ibeh. However, Naxxar responded strongly and equalized in the 22nd minute thanks to Vinicius Baiano.
The Lions continued to grow into the game and turned the match around on 59 minutes when Joao Moura found the net to put them 2-1 ahead.
But Tarxien refused to give up. Kyle Gatt struck in the 66th minute to restore parity before substitute Nhayson completed the comeback with the winning goal in the 76th minute, sending the Tarxien supporters into jubilation.
Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist
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