BoV Premier League highlights

It was party time at the capital last weekend as Valletta FC made sure of their 19th league title, an occasion they marked with a 2-0 derby win on Floriana after Birkirkara had done them a favour the day before by beating outgoing champions Marsaxlokk.

The Valletta end at the National Stadium on Sunday was a sea of red and white colours as the Citizens kick-started their title celebrations in style with victory over rivals Floriana.

The champions-elect played with ten men for the whole second half after the dismissal of livewire Frank Temile who retaliated badly to a foul in mid-pitch.

Celebrations continued in Valletta well deep into the night as the rowdy Citizens were marking their team's first league title since 2001.

Temile had given Valletta a headstart when running through to reach a Gilbert Agius cross before flicking the ball past the Floriana keeper. However, the Nigerian marred his day with a red card on 44 minutes when pushing Mauro Brincat in the face after a foul.

Agius, who else, made sure Valletta's celebrations will not be spoilt when scoring his team's second goal from 40 metres out. Indeed, a wonder strike from the loyal skipper, the darling of the City supporters.

Before this match, Sliema maintained their chances of finishing in the runners-up spot when beating Ħamrun in a high-scoring match which finished 5-3 for the Blues.

On Saturday, Birkirkara moved in second place and handed Valletta the league title when beating Marsaxlokk 2-0. Joseph Zerafa and Michael Galea were the scorers for the Stripes who are now one point ahead of Marsaxlokk with two matches to go.

In a basement clash on Saturday, Pietà had the better of Mqabba 1-0.

The scorer was Martin Deanov. Both Pietà and Mqabba will play in Division One next season.

Statistics

Birkirkara: Mifsud Triganza 11 (1 pen); Sylla 6, M. Galea 6; Tabone 5 (2 pens); Hartvig 4, Bajada 4; Tamboulas, Yanchev, T. Paris, Fenech, Anastasi, Zerafa. Own goal: Rod. Fenech (vs Ħamrun).
Red card: Yanchev (vs Sliema Wanderers).
Missed penalty: Tabone (vs Floriana).

Floriana: Darmanin 9 (1 pen); Micallef 5 (1 pen.); Krsteski 4 (1 pen.); Bolasie 4; Cilia 3, C. Caruana 3, Mifsud 3 (moved to Hibs); 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).

Ħamrun: Effiong 10; Spiteri 8; Sultana 7 (2 pens); Rod. Fenech 2, Ryan Fenech 2, Mangion 2, Cucciardi 2; Briffa, Timotic, Agius, Meilak.
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), Failla 2; Edafe, Chukunyere, Camilleri.
Own goal: Said (vs Sliema).
Missed penalties: Cohen (vs Pietà), Scerri (vs Msida SJ).
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).
Red cards: Conceicao (vs Pietà); Alcorse (vs Sliema); Frendo (vs Valletta); Pullicino (vs Sliema).
Missed penalties: Gomes (vs Sliema); Licari (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 10 (3 pens); Pedrinho 8; A. Farrugia 4, T. Farrugia 4, Gilberto dos Santos 4 (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 7; 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 Ħamrun); Pulo (vs Mqabba).
Missed penalties: Kondev (vs Msida), Herrera (vs Hibs).

Sliema: Woods 10 (3 pens); Barbara 8 (1 pen.); Madzar 4 (moved to Marsaxlokk), Bartolo 4, Bajada 4; Said 3; Anonam 2, Muscat 2, Briffa 2; Milovanovic, Da Silva, Turner. Own goals: Bonnici (vs Mqabba); Sciberras (vs Pietà).
Red cards: Bajada (vs Ħamrun); Pace (vs Birkirkara); Da Silva (vs Marsaxlokk); Woods (vs Ħamrun).
Missed penalties: Woods (vs Birkirkara 2); Barbara (vs Floriana).

Valletta: Monesterolo 19 (4 pens); Temile 10; Zammit 8; Giglio 4 (1 pen); Agius 3; Camilleri 2, Scicluna 2, Backhaus 2, Mifsud 2, Grioli 2; Mattocks, Bondin, Falzon. Own goal: Mallia (vs Birkirkara).
Red cards: Zammit (vs Pietà); Mattocks (vs Mqabba); Monesterolo (vs Floriana); Bezzina (vs Hibs); Temile (vs Floriana).
Missed penalties: Monesterolo 2 (vs Pietà).

Next fixtures - National Stadium

Thursday: 6 p.m. Mqabba vs Msida; 8 p.m. Birkirkara vs Floriana.

Friday: 6 p.m. Hibs vs Pietà; 8 p.m. Ħamrun Spartans vs Marsaxlokk.

Saturday: 5 p.m. Valletta vs Sliema.