VALLETTA-1, BIRKIRKARA-1
Rivals Valletta and Birkirkara scored late goals as they shared the spoils in a game that came to life in the final 20 minutes.
Both teams needed a win to narrow the gap on leaders Hibs besides gaining a psychological boost before the start of the final round but for most of the match, Valletta and Birkirkara struggled to live up to their reputation as two of the leading teams in the Premier League.
All that changed in an exciting finale as Roderick Briffa's last-gasp header cancelled out Nikola Vukanac's opener for Birkirkara.
Italian goalkeeper Pietro Marino made his first league start since rejoining Valletta last month as Nicky Vella was demoted to the bench.
Paul Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, handed a starting role to Rowen Muscat who has re-signed for Birkirkara after a short spell in Hungary.
The game was off to a quiet start and a low-key atmosphere as the mood of the two sets of fans had been darkened by the failure of the two teams to turn up the pressure on leaders Hibernians.
Close to the 15th-minute mark, Valletta protested for a penalty when Hamza Barry dashed into the box only to go down when coming in contact with Nikola Vukanac but referee Esther Azzopardi allowed play to continue.
The champions began to show the better ideas. Tunisian winger Abdelkarim Nafti dragged in a fine cross from a free-kick but Justin Haber made himself big as he palmed the ball away from the danger zone.
Midway into the first half, the champions created a great chance as Barry's dipping cross from the right landed in the path of LLywelyn Cremona whose close-range flick appeared to take a deflection off the sliding Mauricio Mazzetti but Haber was in the right spot to push away the Valletta striker's effort. The ball came off Cremona but his attempt sailed across the face of goal before dropping wide of the far post, to the evident relief of the Birkirkara players.
Mazzetti then slid in to block a dangerous effort from Nafti.
It was not before the 32nd minute that Birkirkara produced their first chance as Edmond Agius's free-kick brought an easy save from Marino.
The first half ended goalless but Birkirkara improved after the change of ends. Agius blasted high and wide from the distance before Marino tipped away Edward Herrera's cross-shot.
Valletta striker Lateef Elford-Alliyu, who had just replaced Jonathan Caruana, was high with a half-volley 12 minutes into the second half.
Marino needed two attempts to stop Vukanac's ferocious free-kick from the distance as the Stripes gained courage.
They would have taken the lead but for a fine save from Marino who beat away Mattheus Bissi's grounder after Agius's corner had been deflected into the Brazilian's path.
With 14 minutes remaining, Dutch striker Nassir Maachi came on for the limping Rowen Muscat. A minute later, Birkirkara broke the deadlock.
Valletta were caught in disarray at the back as a long ball soared toward Haruna who headed it past Borg and towards defender Vukanac who rifled past Marino.
Birkirkara were in seventh heaven. As the minutes ticked away, Valletta rallied, forcing two quickfire corners.
The champions thought they had equalised when Nafti's cross was headed on by Vladimir Savicevic, who had just replaced Dimech, with the ball dropping at the feet of the incoming Briffa whose goalbound shot was blocked by Fenech.
There was to be no reprieve for Birkirkara the next time Valletta got the ball into the box as Briffa's powerful header, from Borg's cross, had the better of Haber.
The game sprung to life.
Maachi fired wide from the distance but the best chance came to Valletta as Nafti passed Fenech who took a touch before hitting a drive that was beaten away by Haber, The loose ball dropped to Elford-Alliyu but his rising effort was high.
Valletta kept coming. They had another opportunity to grab a late winner as Barry's cross from the right sailed towards the unmarked Nafti who turned before heading the ball goalwards but Haber saved the day for the Stripes.
Mazzetti, the Birkirkara defender, was named BOV player of the match.