Valletta 1
Briffa 55;
Sliema Wanderers 1
Bajada 66;

Valletta failed to turn up the heat on leaders Hibernians as they could only manage a point against Sliema Wanderers with Roderick Bajada netting the equaliser midway through the second half.

The Citizens had the chance to open a two-point gap over Hibernians with victory at the Tedesco Stadium yesterday but they never really found their form and created few openings and in the end they had to settle for a point which left them level on points with the Paolites, who have a game in hand.

Valletta held sway for most of the match but given the workload of the respective keepers confirmed that this was a well-deserved point for the Wanderers.

Rumen Galabov was declared fit to start to provide the one change to Sliema’s starting line-up.

Jesmond Zerafa, the Valletta coach, awarded a first-team recall to Ryan Fenech, back in the frame for Valletta after serving a three-match ban.

William Barbosa was guilty of Valletta’s best chance of a frantic opening 15 minutes when he failed to hit the target from the angle after he was released by Denni on five minutes.

Two minutes later, Jackson Lima’s clever pass released Daniel Mitev who controlled the ball with a touch of finesse before his stinging drive strayed tantalisingly across the face of goal but found no takers.

Michael Mifsud’s pace was posing real problems for Sliema’s rearguard, and on 10 minutes his cross-cum-shot was cleared off the line by Steve Bezzina.

The 4-4-2 formation seemed to work fine for Sliema, with Mitev and Jorge Santos Silva playing wide either side, giving Valletta no point of reference.

The Brazilian in particular looked sharp on 13 minutes when he took advantage of a defensive mix-up between Steve Borg and Jamie Pace to sneak in front of both, before unleashing a fierce drive to test Andrew Hogg.

Sliema were rising to the challenge of ending their recent dismal run and Mitev should have given them the lead 10 minutes before half-time, but headed straight into the hands of Hogg from Lima’s cross.

Zerafa’s side started well again after the break and Fenech’s pass was met by Pace whose header went harmlessly over the bar after 51 minutes.

The goal that Valletta craved for eventually came four minutes later. Despite dominating possession, the Lilywhites struggled to penetrate Sliema’s defence but Roderick Briffa saw to that with a brilliant strike.

Receiving the ball from Edmond Agius, Briffa looked up and unleashed a thunderbolt that flew past a helpless Curmi.

As Sliema pushed forward in search an equaliser, Valletta launched a couple of swift counter-attacks with Curmi diving to his right to claw away Mifsud’s shot and he got on the end of the rebound by Denni after 64 minutes.

Bajada then gave the Wanderers the equaliser two minutes later. Darting from right to left, the Sliema midfielder’s intelligent run proved too sharp for Steve Borg and the nippy midfielder got the deftest of touches to send the ball past Hogg.

Valletta were pressing for the winner even in stoppage time with Edmond Agius prominent. His angled finish was brilliantly turned away by Curmi as the Blues fans celebrated a hard-earned point.

Valletta: A. Hogg-7, J. Caruana-6, S. Borg-5, I. Azzopardi-5, R. Briffa-7, J. Pace-6, E. Agius-6.5, R. Fenech-6.5, Denni-6 (74 G. Agius), W. Barbosa-5 (70 Effiong), M. Mifsud-6.5.

Sliema Wanderers: A. Curmi-7.5, A. Muscat-6 (75 T. Thomas), J. Mifsud-6, M. Scerri-6, D. Mitev-7, S. Bezzina-7, J. Lima-7, R. Galabov-8, R. Bajada-7.5, J. Santos Silva-6, C. Frendo-5.

Referee: Tristan Farrugia Cann.

Yellow cards: Borg, Mifsud, Mitev, Bajada, Galabov.

BOV player of the match: Roderick Bajada (Sliema Wanderers).

Attendances: 1,054.

The other Premier League matches this weekend...

Tarxien Rainbows vs Mqabba (today at 2 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).

Coach Patrick Curmi will make his debut for struggling Tarxien Rainbows as he leads his new team for this match against a Mqabba side ravaged by absentees.

Curmi, who was fired by Birkirkara last month but replaced Noel Coleiro at the start of this week, has almost a full complement at his disposal. Brazilian striker Daniel Mariano Bueno returns after missing the 2-1 defeat to Balzan Youths through suspension but his fellow compatriot Ricardo Costa must serve a one-match ban.

Mqabba coach Clive Mizzi faces a huge headache to name his starting formation as five first-teamers are missing through suspension.

Bojan Mamic starts a two-match ban for a red card against Hibs while Serbian duo Marko Potezica and Branislav Timotic, Clayton Micallef and Mark Anthony Psaila will be out for one match.

Qormi vs Mosta (today at 4.15 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).

Qormi are expected to be with the same group of players that starred in the 3-1 win over Marsaxlokk last week when they take on a revitalised Mosta side this afternoon.

Qormi coach Stephen Azzopardi is still without Brazilian midfielder Giuseppe Vela, who this week resumed training after a foot injury but is still short of full fitness. Greek defender Kristos Karamanolis is undergoing rehabilitation following knee surgery.

Mosta have a full squad available as Cameroon defender Yannick Ossok returns after missing the 3-2 win over Sliema Wanderers, the first for Oliver Spiteri’s newly-promoted team after a series of fruitless outings.

Balzan Youths vs Marsaxlokk (tomorrow at 2 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).

Buoyed by the 2-1 win over Tarxien Rainbows, Balzan Youths will be looking to pick up more valuable points when they play crisis club Marsaxlokk.

Ivan Zammit, the Balzan coach, is without defender Renie Forace who must serve a one-match ban.

Marsaxlokk have yet to appoint a coach since the sudden departure of Winston Muscat and his technical staff.

The southerners are said to be in talks with an English coach, who conducted training on Thursday, and are hopeful of reaching a deal in time for this match.

Defender Clive Brincat is out with a one-match ban while striker Jean Paul Farrugia is still sidelined with a knee injury.

Ħamrun Spartans vs Hibernians (tomorrow at 4.15 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).

Leaders Hibernians will be without Brazilian defender Diego Balbinot and defender Adrian Pulis for this match against Ħamrun Spartans.

Balbinot is out with thigh trouble while Pulis is down with a pulled hamstring. Nigerian winger Peter Anizoba (hamstring), Marcelo Dias (ankle) and Jonathan Pear-son (knee) are all rated as doubtful.

Ħamrun also have their fair share of problems as Swiss midfielder Carlo Polli is suspended while Clyde Camoin (cruciate) and Steve Bonnici (knee) are out. Dene Shields (hamstring) and Omar Borg (groin) are also in doubt for this match.

Off the field, the Spartans are set to effect changes in their administration after club president Daniel Sullivan showed his intents to dissolve the committee.

The Spartans are expected to call an Extraordinary General Meeting in the coming weeks during which a new administrative team will be appointed. Sources said new blood will be injected into the committee in a bold Reds’ bid to lift their team from a lower-half position in the standings.

Birkirkara vs Floriana (Monday at 7.30 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).

Floriana have lost Tyrone Farrugia for the rest of the season after he was diagnosed with a cruciate knee injury this week.

The central defender picked up the injury in the 1-0 defeat to derby rivals Valletta last week

Floriana coach Michael Woods is without striker Christian Caruana, who is nursing an ankle injury, and goalkeeper William Amamoo, currently serving a one-month ban imposed by the club.

The Greens are expected to field two new foreigners on Monday, a Brazilian forward and a Swedish midfielder, provided their registration is completed in time.

Birkirkara have no fresh injury worries as coach Paul Zammit is expected to make use of the same squad that figured in the 4-0 victory over Ħamrun Spartans last week.