League Play-Off

Għajnsielem
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Alessio Vassallo might have been able to make a better finish in the 4th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Tarcisio Galea. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Alessio Vassallo ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 7th minute Nathaniel Cassar Desain shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Robbie Cassar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A collision led to OUT LIGHT getting a freekick after 8 minutes play. Adriano Meilak hit a great ball. Alessio Vassallo sent away a hard shot on goal in the 11th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Alessio Vassallo in the 16th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Tarcisio Galea saved Birkirkara from getting behind. Indrì Bisazza sent away a hard shot on goal in the 18th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Alessio Vassallo had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 20th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Nathaniel Cassar Desain fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 22nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Robbie Cassar having to interfere. Robbie Cassar didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Indrì Bisazza went, in the 25th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-1 was the resulting score. Joseph Ricard hit a great freekick 28 minutes into the match. In the 31st minute Indrì Bisazza shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Robbie Cassar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After a defensive mix-up in OUT LIGHT's zone, Indrì Bisazza stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Robbie Cassar came out of the goal and Indrì Bisazza tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 36th minute, Nathaniel Cassar Desain managed to get in a good position for a shot. Birkirkara's supporters rose to their feet, but Nathaniel Cassar Desain was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Robbie Cassar breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After having played for 38 minutes, Alessio Vassallo managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. OUT LIGHT's supporters crossed their fingers, but Alessio Vassallo was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. 42 minutes into the match, Alessio Vassallo had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Tarcisio Galea. Birkirkara's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Alessio Vassallo was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. The first half was very even, with the score at 1-1 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Nathaniel Cassar Desain was the one to do the kick off. The audience thought a goal was coming when Indrì Bisazza got free with Robbie Cassar in the 52nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. When Chris Tanti came up free with the goalie in the 53rd minute, the OUT LIGHT fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Chris Tanti couldn't finish the play. In the 55th minute, Indrì Bisazza got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Robbie Cassar took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Michele Cricchiola, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Chris Tanti sent away a hard shot on goal in the 62nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 65th minute, Vince Naudi hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 66th minute of the match Michele Azzopardi shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Robbie Cassar showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. 69 minutes into the match, OUT LIGHT's Alessio Vassallo sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Tarcisio Galea narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Antoine Grech Cumbo kicked well hit freekick during the 70th minute of the match. Michele Spiteri's late challenge caught a Birkirkara's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Michele Spiteri helped the player get up and apologised. The Birkirkara fans' excitement grew in the 92nd match minute when Birkirkara's Luigi Sant' Angelo looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 1-2 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. A hard shot 97 in the game by Indrì Bisazza from a close distance when the talented Robbie Cassar managed to make a qualified save. OUT LIGHT's players were relieved. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Birkirkara eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.