BoV Premier League highlights

Valletta FC edged a step closer to their 19th league title last weekend after chalking up their 15th victory of the Premier League season by beating Hamrun Spartans 4-2.

The Citizens are now five points clear at the top of the standings but the runner-up slot at the moment is filled by champions Marsaxlokk. They leapfrogged Birkirkara into second place thanks to a 2-0 victory over Floriana on Monday night.

On Saturday, Birkirkara failed to keep the pace with the front-runners when they were beaten by Sliema Wanderers 2-1.

Davy Amed Sylla fired the Stripes into an early lead but former Birkirkara striker Etienne Barbara scored twice, the second goal four minutes from time, to secure the points for the ailing Wanderers who slipped out of contention following a series of unconvincing performances before last weekend.

At first, it was not easy for Valletta to break down the Spartans' resistance. Gaetan Spiteri had given Marco Gerada's team the lead but City stepped up a gear and hit back with four goals from Sebastian Monesterolo and promising talents Justin Grioli, Frank Temile and Dyson Falzon.

Valletta were somewhat passive during patches of Saturday's match and Alfred Effiong underlined that statement when he ran past a static defence to score Hamrun's second goal just before the final whistle.

On Monday, Marsaxlokk made it clear they will fight till the bitter end to defend their title after a polished display against Floriana.

Kevin Sammut let fly a thunderous scorcher past Juergen Micallef and Carlo Mamo added another goal before half-time as Marsaxlokk got more wind in their sails following the dismissal of Greens defender Clifton Ciantar on 47 minutes.

In a Relegation Pool match on Monday, Msida St Joseph moved closer to safety after beating troubled Pietà Hotspurs 3-1. The result meant that bottom-placed Mqabba are now mathematically doomed to Division One football after only one year in the top flight.

Statistics

Birkirkara: Mifsud Triganza 11 (1 pen); Tabone 5 (2 pens), M. Galea 5, Sylla 5; Hartvig 4, Bajada 4; Tamboulas, Yanchev, T. Paris, Fenech, Anastasi. Own goal: Rod. Fenech (vs Hamrun). Missed penalty: Tabone (vs Floriana). Red card: Yanchev (vs Sliema Wanderers).

Floriana: Darmanin 9 (1 pen); Krsteski 4 (1 pen.), Micallef 4; Cilia 3, Bolasie 3, C. Caruana 3, Mifsud 3 (moved to Hibernians); Brincat 2, Cassar 2; M. Caruana, Sevasta, Levnaic. Own goal: Chetcuti (vs Sliema). Red cards: M. Brincat (vs Mqabba); Krsteski (vs Sliema); Gauci (vs Hibs); Cassar (vs Mqabba); Bugeja (vs Marsaxlokk); Ciantar (vs Marsaxlokk). Missed penalty: Mifsud (vs Msida).

Hamrun: Effiong 9; Spiteri 8; Sultana 6 (2 pens); Rod. Fenech 2, Ryan Fenech 2, Mangion 2, Cucciardi 2; Briffa, Timotic. Own goals: Conceicao (vs Marsaxlokk); Scicluna (vs Valletta). Red cards: Ryan Fenech (vs Pietà); Timotic (vs Birkirkara); Briffa (vs Pietà), Rod. Fenech (vs Hibs; vs Floriana; vs Birkirkara).

Hibernians: Scerri 10 (1 pen); Cohen 6 (1 pen); Doffo 2, Mifsud 2, Agius 2, Xuereb 2 (1 pen), Alcorse 2 (moved to Marsaxlokk); Edafe, Chukunyere, Failla, Camilleri. Own goal: Said (vs Sliema). Missed penalty: Cohen (vs Pietà). Red cards: Failla (vs Floriana), Edafe (vs Floriana; vs Marsaxlokk).

Marsaxlokk: Alcorse 8 (1 pen); Licari 7 (1 pen); Barbara 6; Frendo 5, Sammut 5 (1 pen.); Madzar 4; Gomes 2, Pace 2, Camenzuli 2, Pullicino 2; Da Silva, Templeman, Mamo. Own goals: Borg (vs Msida); Agius (vs Floriana). Missed penalties: Gomes (vs Sliema); Licari (vs Valletta). Red cards: Conceicao (vs Pietà); Alcorse (vs Sliema); Frendo (vs Valletta).

Mqabba: Pereira 12 (3 pens); Zarb 2, Silva 2 (2 pens); Gatt Baldacchino, Calleja, Nogueira, Bonnici, Briffa. Red cards: Pereira (vs Birkirkara); M. Psaila (vs Birkirkara); P. Psaila (vs Pietà).

Msida SJ: Doding 9 (3 pens); Pedrinho 7; A. Farrugia 4, T. Farrugia 4; Gilberto dos Santos 3 (1 pen); Borg 2; Baldacchino, Ogbonna, Magri. Red cards: A. Farrugia (vs Birkirkara); Brincat (vs Hibs); Pedrinho (vs Mqabba); Spiteri (vs Marsaxlokk); Doding, Cachia, Grima (all vs Sliema); Bartolo (vs Valletta), T. Farrugia (vs Mqabba). Missed penalties: Doding (vs Hibs); Pedrinho (vs Marsaxlokk).

Pietà Hotspurs: Deanov 6; Herrera 5, Kondev 5 (4 pens); Q. Refalo 2, Deliminkov 2; Galabov, Goodlip, Pulo. Red cards: Aquilina (vs Valletta); Kondev (vs Marsaxlokk); Montfort (vs Msida); Q. Refalo (vs Hamrun). Missed penalties: Kondev (vs Msida), Herrera (vs Hibs).

Sliema: Barbara 8 (1 pen.), Woods 8 (3 pens); Madzar 4 (moved to Marsaxlokk), Said 3; Anonam 2, Muscat 2, Briffa 2, Bartolo 2, Bajada 2; Milovanovic, Da Silva, Turner. Own goals: Bonnici (vs Mqabba); Sciberras (vs Pietà). Red cards: Bajada (vs Hamrun); Pace (vs Birkirkara); Da Silva (vs Marsaxlokk); Woods (vs Hamrun). Missed penalties: Woods (vs Birkirkara 2); Barbara (vs Floriana).

Valletta: Monesterolo 18 (4 pens); Temile 9; Zammit 8; Giglio 4 (1 pen); Camilleri 2, Scicluna 2, Agius 2, Backhaus 2, Mifsud 2; Mattocks, Bondin, Grioli, Falzon. Own goal: Mallia (vs Birkirkara). Red cards: Zammit (vs Pietà); Mattocks (vs Mqabba); Monesterolo (vs Floriana); Bezzina (vs Hibs). Missed penalties: Monesterolo 2 (vs Pietà).

Next fixtures

Saturday (National Stadium)
3 p.m. Hamrun vs Floriana
5 p.m. Sliema vs Marsaxlokk

Monday (National Stadium)
6 p.m. Msida vs Hibernians
8 p.m. Birkirkara vs Valletta.