Highlights of the Premier League

Floriana did it again on Sunday. Playing against strong contenders Birkirkara, they repeated their first-round feat and emerged winners from the fixture against the Premier League leaders. Ziya Yildiz's unyielding Greens earned three precious points to draw closer to a top-six berth.

Birkirkara sorely missed Lucian Dronca as Floriana left it late to surprise their opponents, goals from Stephen Wellman and Edoardo Do Nascimento stunning the Stripes who had two players - Doda and Briffa - sent off.

Sliema and Hibs both failed to profit from Birkirkara's slip as they cancelled each other in a poor match that produced neither goals nor fine play.

Jeffrey Chetcuti, of Sliema, skipped the match as he was suspended. However, he had other important things in mind as his wife Claudine last weekend gave birth to a first-born baby girl - Kayleigh.

Pietà coach Ray Farrugia would have been a happier man this week had his team beaten next-from-bottom Msida on Friday. They pulled back from a goal down for a one-all draw but the two points lost could have seen Farrugia's team leapfrogging Hibs in third place.

Valletta's woeful season knows no end. On Monday, their former striker Daniel Bogdanovic scored twice on his debut for Marsaxlokk in the southerners' 2-1 comeback win at the Centenary Stadium.

Valletta are now in deep trouble as they risk playing the rest of the season in the drop zone, something their fans never imagined it could happen to their team.

With four matches remaining for the end of the second round, Valletta face a tall order to grab a top-six placing. Two of their remaining matches are against Birkirkara and Sliema as their nearest rivals in the standings, Floriana, are now four points clear.

Perhaps, the Citizens' mistake was when they thought they had reached their goal after beating Floriana for a second time last month. Derby wins are a great boost but consistency is even better.

Scorers

Balzan Youths - Zahra 4 (1 pen.); Evi Parker 3; Scerri 2 (2 pens.), Valenzia 2; Muscat, Arpa, Tellus, Gera - 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 5 (1 pen.); Baldacchino 3, Cilia 3, Mifsud Triganza 3; Da Silva 2, Holland 2, Gango-Rtsa 2; Bajada, Mattocks, Wellman.

Hamrun - Bajada 2, Brincat 2, Spiteri 2, Sultana 2 (1 pen.); 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.); Bogdanovic 2 (one other goal for Sliema), Licari 2; Bartes, Formosa, Buhagiar, Carabott.

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

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

Sliema - Doncic 7; Brincat 4; Turner 2 (1 pen.), Veselji 2 (now with Valletta), Anonam 2, Giglio 2; Sylla, Mangion, Sammut, Bogdanovic (now with Marsaxlokk), 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, K. Zammit.

Next fixtures

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

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

Saturday Jan. 17 (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Floriana vs Hamrun
4 p.m. Birkirkara vs Sliema