BoV Premier League Highlights

Sunday's match between Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers was widely expected to offer an indication about the outcome of this year's title race but this was not forthcoming.

A 1-1 draw left things as they were at the top of the standings, Birkirkara maintaining a two-point gap over the champions with five games remaining.

Played before the biggest crowd of the season, Birkirkara and Sliema displayed plenty of commitment in a keenly-contested encounter but it is a credit to both teams that they kept their nerves under check and never resorted to bad tackles that usually blight matches of this sort.

The two goals came in the last six minutes of the first half. Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza had given Birkirkara the lead but it took Sliema less than three minutes to get back on level terms when man-of-the-match Ivan Woods sealed a one-two move with Danilo Doncic with a low shot past Dave Simon.

Birkirkara had a glorious chance to move closer to victory when referee Adrian Casha deemed that Darren Debono had impeded Lino Galea's cross with his hand and awarded the leaders a penalty. Akanji had the last laugh though with a top-drawer diversion on Michael Galea's penalty strike.

Hibernians put an end to a five-match winless run with a 3-1 defeat of Marsaxlokk. Andrew Cohen, Roderick Baldacchino and Haruna Doda were on target to give Hibs a three-goal lead by the 53rd minute against a below-par Marsaxlokk team who, just four minutes before Hibs' third goal, had spurned a chance to get back in contention when Shaun Bajada's penalty was saved by stand-in keeper Alex Camilleri.

Marsaxlokk's consolation goal was scored by Andrè Schembri 15 minutes from time. In the final stages of the game, Marsaxlokk had Charlò Magro sent off for holding the goalbound Cohen.

Valletta and Msida St Joseph shared four goals in an entertaining match.

Sebastian Monesterolo netted twice for the Citizens to take his tally to nine goals in eight games. The Argentine's scoring form was not enough to earn Valletta the three points though as Msida twice came from behind with goals from Daniel Nwoke and Daniel Theuma.

In the Relegation Pool, Mosta maintained their revival with a 1-0 victory over the now struggling Floriana. A second-half goal from Ikechukwu Chibueze allowed Mosta to record their third win in as many Relegation Pool matches and send Floriana reeling to their second defeat on the trot.

Floriana have now been caught by Mosta on 13 points, two more than Pietà and three better off than Hamrun with the latter two teams having a game in hand.

Premier League Scorers

Birkirkara: M. Galea 19 (5 Pens.); Barbara 10; Calascione 5; Zahra 4; Camenzuli 4; Ciantar 4; Mallia 4; Briffa 3; Mifsud Triganza 3; L. Galea. Own Goal - J. Debattista (Vs Hamrun).

Floriana: Mifsud 10 (2 Pens); C. Caruana 3; Cilia 3; Micallef 3; Eviparker 3; Baldacchino 2; I. Ciantar 2; Cassar; Azzopardi.

Hamrun: Spiteri 9; Okoro 6 (2 Pens.); Sultana 5 (1 Pen.); Nwankwo 4; Mangion 2; Fenech 2; Galea; Cucciardi; Zammit; Borg.

Hibernians: Cohen 13 (4 Pens); Doda 7; Scerri 6; D. Camilleri 5 (1 Pen); Mbong 4; Baldacchino 3; Failla; Zahra; Vella; Pulis. Own Goal - I. Deanov (Vs Pietà).

Marsaxlokk: Frendo 11; W.S. Gomes 9; Schembri 9; Licari 4; Bajada 3 (1 Pen.); Pace; C. Mamo; K. Mamo; Sammut; N. Gomes. Own Goals - Newell (Vs Mosta); Xuereb (Vs Hibs).

Mosta: Chibueze 8 (1 Pen.); Nwoko 6; Falzon 4; Sciriha 4 (3 Pens); Bilocca 3; Okonkwo 2 (1 Pen.); Borg; Camilleri.

Msida SJ: Nwoke 13; Theuma 5 (1 Pen.); Bajada 4 (1 Pen.); Babatunde 4; Farrugia 2; Carabott; Micallef; Sciberras; Fenech.

Pietà: M. Deanov 8 (2 Pens.); Sciuto 3 (1 Pen.); Camenzuli 2; Calleja 2; Decesare 2; Darmanin; I. Deanov (Pen.); Hogg; Sciberras; Camilleri; Galea; Okoh; Marius.

Sliema: Woods 13 (1 Pen.); Doncic 11; Bogdanovic 10; Giglio 6; Brincat 5; Bajada; Said; Muscat.

Valletta: Monesterolo 9; Zammit 5; Agius 4; Nisevic 3; Mattocks 2; Grima 2 (2 Pens); Bondin; Galea; Forace; Camilleri; Chukunyere; Ani. Own Goal - Muscat (Vs Hibs).

FA Trophy QFs

Saturday - National Stadium
3 p.m. Hibernians vs Hamrun S.
5 p.m. Marsaxlokk vs Sliema W.

Sunday - National Stadium
3 p.m. Floriana vs Msida SJ
5 p.m. Valletta vs Birkirkara