Premier League pacesetters Hibernians and Valletta maintained an iron grip on the leading two positions after both bagged maximum points from their matches last weekend.
Hibernians made amends for their 3-2 upset to Sliema Wanderers in the first round by edging the Blues 1-0 thanks to an early header from Terrence Scerri, who was voted player of the match.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the second half. Scerri's flick from a Clayton Failla cross came off the upright and in the dying stages of the game, Mark Scerri's scorcher for the Blues cannoned off the far post with Mario Muscat beaten.
Victory lifted Hibs five points clear of Valletta but the latter cut the gap back to two points on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Tarxien Rainbows at the Hibs Ground.
On an afternoon when the eyes of the Valletta faithful were on new signings Paulo Massaro and Roderick Briffa - the Brazilian started the match but the Malta midfielder was an unused substitute - Tarxien stunned their more-quoted opponents when Mark Tanti fired them ahead on 12 minutes.
The Citizens staged an immediate reaction and Dyson Falzon levelled matters with a curling free-kick on 19 minutes.
Seconds before half-time, Ian Zammit beat Tarxien goalkeeper Anthony Curmi with an unstoppable shot and 20 minutes into the second half, captain Gilbert Agius sealed Valletta's win with a well-hit shot from a free-kick.
The race for the final place in the Championship Pool may have taken a decisive twist last weekend as Msida St Joseph pulled off a 1-0 win over Qormi to join Floriana in fifth place on the 21-point mark.
Pedro Dos Santos Calcado scored what proved to be the winner inside the opening two minutes. Qormi finished the match with 10 men after Keith Fenech was sent off five minutes from time.
On Saturday, Marsaxlokk ended a run of three straight defeats after coming from 1-0 down to beat Floriana 2-1.
Ryan Darmanin headed the ball home after seven minutes to give Floriana a 1-0 lead in their first match under new Brazilian coach Antonio Carlos Vieira.
Marsaxlokk equalised through Marcelo Pereira on 34 minutes and sealed their comeback early in the second half when Kevin Sammut scored with a low shot to give Patrick Curmi his first win since taking over the former Malta champions.
Statistics
Scorers, red cards
Birkirkara: Mifsud Triganza 4, Galea 4; Buhagiar 3, Mallia 3; Tabone 2 (2 pens), Hartvig 2; Bajada, Fenech. Red cards - Bajada (vs Marsaxlokk); Zerafa (vs Hibs); Holland (vs Msida).
Floriana: Darmanin 6; Anonam 4; M. Briffa 2, Madzar 2; Brincat (penalty), Doffo, Caruana. Red cards - Bugeja (vs Ħamrun); Caruana (vs Valletta); Borg (vs Birkirkara).
Ħamrun: Cucciardi 4 (1 pen.); Spiteri 3, Micallef 3; Kokavessis 2; Ortega (penalty), Levnaic, Sultana, Comvalius. Red cards - Spiteri (vs Floriana), Spiteri (vs Msida), Spiteri (vs Floriana); Roderick Fenech (vs Marsaxlokk).
HIbernians: Scerri 11 (1 pen.); Failla 5, Cohen 5 (2 pens); Galabov 2, J. Caruana 2, Farrugia 2, Mbongo 2; Grech, Callejas, Pulis. Own goals - Micallef (vs Ħamrun); Bonnici (vs Ħamrun). Red cards - Mbongo (vs Valletta), Scerri (vs Valletta).
Marsaxlokk: Pereira 6; Alcorse 5 (3 pens); Licari 3 (1 pen); Said, Mattocks, Barbara, Cassar, Pullicino, Sammut. Red cards - Camenzuli (vs Birkirkara); Said, Wellman (vs Msida SJ).
Msida: Calcado 11 (2 pens); Aurelio 4; Magro, T. Farrugia, Da Silva, Camilleri. Red cards - Da Silva (vs Ħamrun); T. Farrugia (vs Marsaxlokk).
Qormi: Effiong 4; Da Silva 3; Chetcuti 2; Grima 2; Farrugia. Red cards - Chetcuti (vs Hibernians); Nwoko (vs Ħamrun); Fenech (vs Msida).
Sliema: Woods 5 (1 pen.); Bjedov 3; Bajada 2, Muscat 2; Severino, Azzopardi, Nisevic, Briffa, Coto, Dronca. Red card - Bjedov (vs Ħamrun).
Tarxien: Bueno 9 (1 penalty); Chircop, Tanti. Red cards - Carapic, Decesare (vs Qormi).
Valletta: Priso 8 (3 pens.); G. Agius 5; Zammit 4; Falzon 3; Dimech, Bondin, Frendo, Tolomeotti.
Next fixtures
Saturday (National Stadium): 2 p.m. Hibernians vs Marsaxlokk; 4 p.m. Valletta vs Birkirkara.
Sunday (Tedesco Stadium): 1.30 p.m. Floriana vs Qormi; 3.30 p.m. Ħamrun Spartans vs Tarxien Rainbows.