Mosta secured their first point of the Closing Round after holding Birkirkara to a 0-0 draw in a match that produced limited clear scoring opportunities.
Birkirkara entered the fixture following consecutive wins, including victory over Valletta, and were seeking a third successive result. However, they encountered a Mosta side determined to register their first positive outcome after five defeats in their opening Closing Round matches.
The first half offered few chances for either team. An early attempt arrived after three minutes when Manuel Morello delivered a cross shot from the left, which was comfortably dealt with by Mosta goalkeeper Udoh Akpan. Despite that early effort, both sides struggled to create sustained attacking pressure.
Mosta threatened on 36 minutes when Prince Chibuzor Emmanuel struck an angled effort from the left, which was parried by Birkirkara goalkeeper Miguel Angel Martinez. Donovan Makoma responded for Birkirkara with a shot from outside the area that drifted just wide, while Pedro Cacho saw a diagonal attempt narrowly miss the target before the interval.
Birkirkara increased their attacking intent after the break. Geoffrey Acheampong tested Akpan with a powerful effort from distance on 59 minutes. The Mosta goalkeeper remained alert and produced another save on 78 minutes to deny Acheampong once more.
In added time, Akpan blocked a strong drive from Alessandro Coppola, and Kemar Reid’s follow up attempt was deflected behind for a corner.
Birkirkara made one change to the side that defeated Valletta, with Miguel Angel Martinez replacing Matthew Grech. Mosta handed debuts to new signings Gilson Costa and Azer Kozic, who came into the starting line up in place of Nathan Agius and Charles Oderinde.
The result leaves Mosta with their first point of the Closing Round, while Birkirkara’s winning sequence comes to an end as both sides share the spoils in a closely contested encounter.
