Highlights from the Premier League

Sliema Wanderers saluted 2003, the year they won their 24th Premier League crown, with another success. On Sunday, the Blues beat Valletta 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw at the end of the 90 minutes.

Murphy Akanji, the Sliema goalkeeper, was again the chief architect of his side's win as he stopped penalties from Valletta's Antoine Sacco and Ivan Zammit.

Jamie Pace struck Sliema's decisive kick to give his new club their third success in the Super Five Cup which, for the past few years, has been held during the Christmas period.

Nenad Veselji's cameo appearance could have been his last in a Sliema shirt as the Yugoslav-born striker is expected to join his former club Valletta on loan till the end of the season.

Hibernians, defeated 2-0 by Valletta in the semi-finals, clinched third place in the competition after a 4-2 victory over Birkirkara.

Scorers

Balzan Youths - Zahra 4 (1 pen.); Evi Parker 3; Valenzia 2; Muscat, Arpa, Tellus, Gera, Scerri (pen.) - W. Attard (Hamrun) own goal.

Birkirkara - M. Galea 10; Calascione 8; Doda 6; Dronca 4 (2 pens.); Nwoko 3; Mallia 2; Camenzuli (pen.).

Floriana - Do Nascimento 4 (1 pen.); Baldacchino 3, Cilia 3, Mifsud Triganza 3; Da Silva 2, Holland 2, Gango-Rtsa 2; Bajada, Mattocks.

Hamrun - Brincat 2, Spiteri 2, Sultana 2 (1 pen.); Bajada, Bencini.

Hibernians - Scerri 5, Paiber 5 (5 pens.); A. Mifsud 4, Cohen 4; Chukunyere 3, Schembri 3; M. Mifsud - S. Pace (Valletta) own goal.

Marsaxlokk: Barbara 10 (4 pens.); Slavtchev 3 (1 pen.); Licari 2; Bartes, Formosa, Buhagiar, Carabott.

MSIDA - Nwoke 7; Aganun 6 (4 pens.); Tirchett, Sciberras, A. Farrugia.

Pietà Hotspurs - Woods 6 (2 pens.); Debono 5; Borg 3; Azzopardi 2, Omam 2, Frendo 2, Okoh 2; Nisevic, G. Sciberras.

Sliema - Doncic 7; Brincat 4; Turner 2 (1 pen.), Veselji 2, Anonam 2, Giglio 2; Sylla, Mangion, Sammut, Bogdanovic, Said, Grima - C. Magro (Marsaxlokk) own goal.

Valletta - G. Agius 7 (1 pen.); Sacco 3, Ivan Zammit 3 (2 pens.), Theuma 3 (2 pens.); Forace 2, Tonchev 2; Penchev, Ian Zammit.

Next fixtures

Friday (Centenary Stadium)
7 p.m. Pietà vs Msida SJ

Saturday (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Sliema W. vs Hibernians
4 p.m. Birkirkara vs Floriana

Sunday (Hibs Ground)
1 p.m. Hamrun vs Balzan
3 p.m. Marsaxlokk vs Valletta

Saturday, Jan. 10 (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Hibernians vs Birkirkara
4 p.m. Valletta vs Sliema

Sunday, Jan. 11 (Tedesco Stadium)
1 p.m. Msida vs Marsaxlokk
3 p.m. Balzan vs Pietà