BOV Premier League highlights

Valletta completed their first round commitments with a 4-1 victory over Dingli Swallows to reclaim top spot in the Premier League.

Qormi wasted the chance to stay clear of the field after slumping to a 5-2 defeat to Birkirkara who are now sharing second place with their latest victims, one point behind Valletta.

First-half goals from Ian Zammit, Terrence Scerri and Jordi Cruyff all but sealed the three points for the Citizens in their clash with bottom-of-the-class Dingli.

Kevin Borg pulled one back for the Swallows early in the second half but Cruyff restored Valletta's three-goal lead with his second of the match 14 minutes from time.

On Saturday, Birkirkara extended their rich vein of form with an emphatic win over erstwhile leaders Qormi.

The Stripes tore Qormi apart with a display of powerful attacking football in the first half. Shaun Bajada, Sylvano Comvalius, George Mallia and an own goal by Steve Wellman gave Birkirkara a 4-1 half-time lead after Camilo had temporarily levelled matters for Qormi.

Man-of-the-match Trevor Cilia put his name on the scoresheet 15 minutes from time before Ryan Deguara reduced the deficit for Qormi. Birkirkara finished with 10 men after Joseph Zerafa was sent off for two bookings.

Sliema Wanderers gained a breather on Saturday as Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza scored at the death to give the Blues a 1-0 win over champions Hibs.

While Stephen Azzopardi's men obtained their first victory in three matches, Hibs suffered their second defeat in their last three league outings.

Floriana also stretched their positive run with a dramatic 2-1 victory over relegation strugglers Msida St Joseph on Sunday.

When Msida's Tyrone Farrugia scored on the stroke of time to cancel out Ryan Darmanin's opener, everything pointed towards a drawn outcome but Orosco Anonam struck deep into stoppage time to boost the Greens' bid for a Championship Pool place.

On Friday, Ħamrun Spartans shrugged off the early dismissal of Roderick Fenech to beat Tarxien Rainbows 1-0.

The decisive goal came on the half-hour mark when Tarxien's Kurt Magro headed Clyde Camoin's free-kick into his own net.

Scorers

Birkirkara: Comvalius 6; Cilia 4; Galea 3, Mallia 3; Bajada 2; Fenech, Pulo, Buhagiar. Own goal - Wellman (vs Qormi). Red cards - Paris (vs Hibs), Zerafa (vs Qormi).

Dingli Swallows: Okonkwo 6 (2 pens), Borg. Own goal - Tabone (vs Birkirkara). Red card: Fiteni (vs Ħamrun).

Floriana: Wasiu 3; Anonam 2, Darmanin 2; Simmonds, Caruana, Ciantar. Own goal - Herrera (vs Hibs). Red card - J. Briffa (vs Hibs)

Ħamrun Spartans: Pereira 4 (1 pen.); Spiteri 3; Fenech, Mawete. Own goal - Magro (vs Tarxien). Red cards - Micallef (vs Birkirkara), Pereira (vs Floriana), Fenech (vs Tarxien).

Hibernians: Malasenoks 4; Galabov 2, Herrera 2; J. Caruana, Cauchi, Barbara, Cohen (pen.), Pulis. Own goals - Conceicao (vs Dingli), Fenech (vs Ħamrun). Red cards - Grech (vs Msida SJ), Muscat (vs Tarxien).

Msida SJ: T. Farrugia 2; Aganun, Spiteri, Lattes.

Qormi: Camilo 12; Effiong 2, Grima 2; Chetcuti, Deguara.

Sliema: Mifsud Triganza 5; Bartolo 2; Dronca (pen), Failla, Isaac, Mintoff. Own goal - T. Farrugia (vs Msida). Red card - Gatt Baldacchino (vs Floriana).

Tarxien Rainbows: Ribeiro 6; Denni 3; Calabretta 2; Shead, Everton. Red cards - Ribeiro (vs Dingli; vs Ħamrun).

Valletta: Scerri 6; Priso 5 (3 pens); Cruyff 4; Pace 2, Zammit 2; Den Ouden, Sammut.

Next fixtures

Friday: Tedesco Stadium - 7.30 p.m. Qormi vs Floriana.

Saturday: National Stadium - 2 p.m. Ħamrun Spartans vs Hibs; 4 p.m. Valletta vs Birkirkara.

Sunday: Hibs Ground - 2 p.m. Tarxien vs Dingli; 4 p.m. Msida St Joseph vs Sliema Wanderers.