QORMI-1, BIRKIRKARA-2
Two goals in the first half enabled Birkirkara to dismiss the challenge of Qormi but the Stripes again failed to impress.
They controlled possession as Qormi set out to defend like they did in the goalless draw against Sliema Wanderers but Birkirkara were too predictable going forward.
A defensive mistake in the dying stages led to a nervy finale as Qormi pulled one back but Birkirkara held on to get back to winning form after their draw against Mosta.
After just two minutes, Fabrizio Miccoli put in a teasing cross from the right but Zach Muscat headed over.
The Stripes dominated the early exchanges.
Miccoli was wide from outside the box.
Paul Fenech's low strike ended just wide but, two minutes short of the half-hour, Birkirkara struck.
Making headway on the right, Cain Attard sent in a low cross into the box, Liliu's flick wrong-footed Andreas Vella and Vito Plut poked home.
Birkirkara remained in control but had to wait until five minutes from half-time to create another scoring opportunity.
A one-two between Miccoli and Plut opened up the Qormi defence as the Italian raced into the box to receive the return pass but his drive was parried away by Vella.
Qormi were reprieved but not for long.
Four minutes from half-time, Gareth Sciberras sent a through-ball to Miccoli whose a cross-shot came off the hands of the sliding Kurt Magro.
After a short pause, the referee pointed to the spot a penalty and Miccoli sent his shot past the diving Vella.
Qormi had a great chance to reopen the issue early in the second half.
Alex Nilsson evaded Zach Muscat as he sprinted on to Sidibe's long pass but the Swede rifled wide from inside the box.
At last, Qormi began to offer something going forward.
Sidibe headed over from Carlo Monti's corner nine minutes into the second half.
A powerful run by Monti saw him dash into the box from the right but his cross found no takers.
At the other end, Miccoli's piledriver was fisted away by the diving Vella.
The game remained generally dull with Birkirkara showing the better ideas without really stretching the Qormi defence.
With nine minutes remaining, Edmond Agius's corner from the right dropped to Liliu but the Brazilian lifted his effort over the bar.
The match looked over as a contest but a mistake by Birkirkara goalkeeper Justin Haber gifted Qormi a goal.
There seemed no danger when Marcelina allowed the ball to run to Haber but Nilsson nipped in to dispossess the stuttering Birkirkara goalkeeper and tapped the ball into an empty net.
In stoppage time, Birkirkara should have sealed it. They broke on the counter with Edmond Agius, who had come on for Miccoli, heading the ball into the path of the sprinting Juan Barraso, another substitute, but the Spaniard overhit his pass towards Rowen Muscat.
Birkirkara midfielder Paul Fenech was named BOV player of the match.