FLORIANA 1GŻIRA U 1
Floriana: I. Akpan, J. Baldacchino, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, A. Cini, E. Marcelina, A. Henrique, M. Vella, D. Grima (L. Grech 78’), I. Varela, M. Fontanella
Gżira: J. Haber, G. Muir, S. Diamoutene (L. Brincat 83’), C. Gatt Baldacchino, K. Pulo (J. Corbolan 65’), M. Avila Perez, R. Briffa, A. Cohen, E. Okoye, A. Samb, S. Tounkara
Yellow Cards: M. Avila Perez 43’, K. Pulo 53’, A. Samb 60’ (G), I. Varela 78’, J. Baldacchino 87’, L. Grech 91’ (F)
Red Card: S. Tounkara 84’ (G)
Scorers: M. Vella 47’ (F), A. Samb 94’ pen (G)
Referee: Alan Mario Sant
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Paul Apap
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Vella (F), 2. A. Samb (G), E. Marcelina (F)
BOV Player of the match: Maurizio Vella (Floriana)
Leaders Gżira United stayed unbeaten as they managed to snatch a late goal to finish in a draw against Floriana. Considering that the game was between the first two teams in the table, the match disappointed those present, with very few actions to note especially in the first 45 minutes.
Floriana were more compact in defence, and after they took the lead they seemed to control well their opponents. Coach Giovanni Tedesco protested heavily with the referee after the penalty he awarded, and as things stood, it looked like Floriana had lost the game.
The Italian coach made two changes from their last game as Artur Henrique and Dylan Grima were included in the first eleven. On the other hand, Gżira had only change, as Justin Haber made the debut for Gżira against his former club.
Gżira could have taken the lead after 28 minutes. The Floriana defence failed to clear the danger after Akpan blocked partially the run by Briffa, Samb headed to Samba Tounkara, but the striker failed to hit the ball, in what would have likely been a goal. Six minutes later, Andrew Cohen tried an effort from distance but his shot finished off target.
Floriana broke the deadlock with their first danger in the second minute of the second half, as a bad shot by Dylan Grima in the penalty area, finished in the direction of Maurizio Vella, who had no problem of scoring in a practically empty net.
Floriana seemed to control the game without difficulty as Gżira were failing to mount serious pressure towards Ini Akpan. In fact, fifteen minutes from time, Floriana almost doubled their lead, with a personal action by Maurizio Vella, but Justin Haber was ready to save his low shot.
Ħames minutes later, Okoye tried with a first time shot that finished well off target. To make matters worse, Gżira were reduced to ten men after Samba Tounkara was shown a straight red card by referee Alan Mario Sant after a kicking his feet towards an opponent.
The rhythm of the game stayed the same and Gżira kept trying in their limits to save the game. They managed to get a penalty in the 94th minute, as Alan Mario Sant pointed to the spot after a clear hands ball by Alex Cini. Amadou Samb made no mistake from the spot.
VALLETTA 3
Birkirkara: P. Schranz, C. Attard (E. Nfor 74’), N. Vukanac, M. Klein, M. Landry, M. Guillaumier (E. Herrera 61’), M. Andelkovic, J. Grech, R. Camenzuli (A. Nilsson 61’), B. de Brito, L, Montebello
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, J. Borg (N. Pulis 69’), J. Zerafa, J. Cruz Gill, C. Pani (M. Piciollo 28’), S. Malano, I. Saleh, M. Mifsud (D. Rocha dos Santos 46’), K. Nwoko
Yellow Cards: M. Landry 23’, E. Nfor 84’ (B), D. Rocha dos Santos 83’ (V)
Scorers: M. Mifsud 12’, K. Nwoko 31’, D. Rocha dos Santos 62’ (V)
Referee: Mario Apap
Assistant Referees: Christopher Francalanza, Peter Abela
TMI Top 3: 1. I. Saleh (V), 2. K. Nwoko (V), 3. J. Borg (B)
BOV Player of the match: Ibrahim Saleh (Valletta)
Attendenza: 2026
Valletta showed their true potential after a shaky start to the season, beating Birkirkara with a resounding 3-0 scoreline that is a mirror of how the game went. Zoran Popovic’s team showed more hunger to clinch the three points and looked a different team from the side that lost to Balzan.
Considering the results of other games, this win proved to be a six-pointer for Valletta, as they are now alone in second place, three points under Gżira United. On the other hand, Birkirkara are in a bad spot in the bottom half of the table, nine points after the leaders with only six games played.
Till now, Paul Zammit hasn’t managed to turn Birkirkara’s fortunes after sacking Peter Pullicino, and after four games in charge, won twice and lost twice. The stripes weren’t tought enough as they should be, and were controlled by their opponents.
Valletta showed their intentions from the get going, but Birkirkara created the first danger in the early minutes with a shot by Luke Montebello that finished well over the bar.
The Citizens took the lead on the 12th minute mark thanks to veteran striker Michael Mifsud who made the most out of a mistake by Cain Attard and fired past Philip Schranz after receiving a cross.
Both teams had occasions to score as Birkirkara almost equalised a minute later when Jake Grech had a shot practically cleared off the line after a blunder by Bonello, while Saleh had a shot from an ideal position that finished wide.
Michael Mifsud was dangerous on the left side and on the 18th minute, had a personal action that finished with a diagonal shot but it missed the target. Just before the half hour mark, Valletta were unlucky as a shot from outside the box by Nwoko, was partially saved by Schranz and hit the upright.
But two minutes later, Schranz couldn’t do anything as Nwoko connected from a corner by Saleh and hit past the Birkirkara goalkeeper with a fine header.
Birkirkara seemed helpless and also failed to make a proper reaction after the break. To continue Birkirkara’s off day, Valletta scored the third goal after the hour mark, just as soon as Paul Zammit introduced Edward Herrera and Alex Nilsson in order to shake things up.
Valletta caught their opponents’ defence on one foot as Saleh passed to substitute Denni Rocha dos Santos who advanced and beat Schranz for the third goal, and his first after returning to play in a Valletta shirt.
Birkirkara kept trying to at least reduce the margin, but their attacks weren’t dangerous to the Valletta defence and Henry Bonello, as Valletta kept controlling the last part of the game.
Birkirkara only had a shot by de Brito in the last 15 minutes that finished over the bar, while a shot by Kyrian Nwoko in the last moments of the game, also finished off target.
Draw takes Hibernians down a notch
HIBERNIANS 1
NAXXAR LIONS 1
Hibernians: A. Hogg, M. Kreuzriegler, D. Vella, R. Gomes (J. Bezzina), R. Soares, M. Dias, C. Failla, B. Kristensen (J. Degabriele), J. Elias, A. Agius, M. Sahanek
Naxxar L: C. Nicht, S. Fenwick, R. Grech (M. Fenech), D. Falzon (G. Nagaoka), D. Bonnici, J. Debono, D. Bustos (R. Cassar), A. Buhagiar, N. Ousseynou, A. Cascaval, A. Mendy
Referee: S. Spiteri
Asst.refs: J. Spiteri, W. Debattista
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: S. Fenwick 7, J. Elias 26
Yellow cards: R. Gomes, A. Agius, A. Buhagiar, A. Mendy, C. Nicht
Red card: A. Mendy
Player of the match: C. Failla (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. C. Failla 2. D. Falzon 3. A. Hogg
Attendance: 555
Champions Hibernians had to settle for a draw against lowly Naxxar Lions, and drop to fourth place in the standings, overtaken by Valletta.
Hibernians had enough to win the game, after fighting their way back from a goal down, and having two goals disallowed, the second in very controversial circumstances. Still, they did not look clinical enough to down Naxxar who gritted their teeth, stuck out their chest and hung in for the kind of point that is winning them a new sort of admiration, despite playing with ten men for the last quarter hour.
It was just as well Hibernians’ defence had some ragged moments of their own in a very open game.
The champions had Marcelo Dias and Rui Gomes back after suspension, but dropped both Jackson Lima and Jurgen Degabriele to the bench, with Dunstan Vella starting in midfield.
Naxxar also had Ndoye Ousseynou returning in the side, keeping cover in front of the defence.
They were the first to take a surprise lead after only seven minutes when Scott Fenwick took advantage of some soft defending by Rui Gomes, on a high ball inside his area, and headed over the onrushing keeper Hogg.
The Lions dropped deeper with the one-goal advantage as the game progressed, inviting Hibernians to attack.
But the champions were struggling to get any meaningful possession. They were strangely lacklustre, offering only a muted response, until they levelled matters midway through the half. Failla had his effort rebounding off the bar and the ball fell invitingly to Jorge Elias to head in from close range.
Past the half hour, Jorge Elias netted again from a Failla free kick but the goal was disallowed for an offside position.
On 37 minutes Hogg produced a smart save off Falzon’s powerful shot. And there was more controversy before half time. Naxxar’s penalty claims, for Rui Gomes’ push on Falzon inside the area, were turned down by the referee, who also ruled out another Hibernians goal, after Vella scored from a Dias cross, because another ball lay inside the Naxxar area, deemed to have been interfering with play.
Soon after the restart, a Falzon meaty free kick was repelled by Hogg.
Indeed Naxxar, with their speedy front pairing of Fenwick and Falzon, looked the likelier to score again.
After a lull in proceedings, Hibernians tried to stir things up with the introduction of Johan Bezzina for Rui Gomes past the hour. Mendes deflected the substitute’s free kick into a corner and a Sahanek grounder was blocked by Naxxar keeper Nicht.
Jurgen Degabriele went in for Kristensen but on 76 minutes, Naxxar were down to ten men after Mendy was sent off for a second bookable offence.
The champions increased their efforts, with a Failla free kick held out by the alert keeper Nicht, who also blocked a low Dias effort from inside the area.
Jorge Elias also shot over from a promising position and Dias scuffed the glaring of chances in added time as he blasted the ball over, in front of a gaping goal.
Such wastefulness proved costly for the Paolites at the end.
Balzan leave it late to beat neighbours Lija
BALZAN FC 4
LIJA ATHLETIC 3
Balzan: I. Janjusevic, S. Bezzina, M. Johnson, A. Effiong, U. Ljubomirac, R. Fenech, S. Arab, P. Fenech, C. Brincat (B. Kaljevic), C. Mendes (M. Lepovic), A. Alves (J. Borg)
Lija A: L.Bonnici, P. Babic (P. Borg), L. Muscat, D. Scerri, E. Beu, L. Schembri (A. Galea), A. Borg (C. Cassar), A. Bello Osagie, M. Clinch, O. Sidibe, D. Leeflang
Referee: L. Kopriwa (Luxembourg)
Asst.refs: G. Becker, C. Ries
4th official: S. Pace
Scorers: R. Fenech 11, E. Beu 18, pen, L. Schembri 25, B. Kaljevic 52 pen, 68, A. Bello Osagie 59, A. Effiong 87
Yellow cards: C. Brincat, O. Sidibe, A. Alves, M. Clinch, M. Johnson
Player of the match: L. Schembri (Lija A)
TMI top 3: 1. R. Fenech 2. E. Beu 3. L. Schembri
Balzan left it late to beat neighbours Lija’s spirited performance, in a match that proved a roller-coaster and produced plenty of goals and excitement.
This game was played in invigorating, end-to-end style. Beu converted a penalty for Lija, shortly after Balzan had taken an early lead through Ryan Fenech, and Leejoe Schembri gave them a 2-1 lead at halftime.
Kaljevic’s second half penalty temporarily restored parity before Bello Osagie again put Lija ahead. But the game turned on its head as Kaljevic and Effiong scored 20 minutes apart, allowing Balzan to win 4-3.
Balzan had Clive Brincat starting instead of the suspended central defender Elkin Serrano but had Paul Fenech back in midfield after suspension. Bojan Kaljevic went in as a second-half substitute and scored two of his side’s goals.
Balzan took an early lead after 11 minutes. Ryan Fenech advanced inside the Lija area on a Mendes through pass, beat the onrushing keeper Bonnici before steering the ball into the net.
To their credit, Lija were not demoralised. Beu’s pace on the right was always proving problematic for the Balzan defence to cope with and Leejoe Schembri’s runs posed questions down the left.
On 18 minutes Brincat was late with his tackle on Beu, as he ran inside the Balzan area on a Bello Osagie through pass, and condeded a penalty. Beu himself placed the ball beyond the keeper’s reach to restore equilibrium.
And when, midway through the half, Lee Joe Schembri outpaced Johnson on the left and made progress inside the Balzan area to beat keeper Janjusevic, Lija were surprisingly in front.
Suddenly Balzan were on the back foot. They were forced to make a reaction and carved enough opportunities that could have seen them equalise before the interval.
Effiong had his shot from the right side turned into a corner by the Lija keeper, before Ljubomirac sent an inviting low cross from the right that found nobody to connect to.
On 37 minutes Ljubomirac failed to convert another golden opportunity as he skied the ball from inside the eight-yard box.
Balzan introduced Kaljevic instead of Brincat and reverted to a thee-man defence after the interval.
Ryan Fenech had already tested keeper Bonnici, footing out his powerful drive, before Balzan were awarded a penalty on 52 minutes, for Sidibe’s foul on Paul Fenech just inside the Lija area. Bojan Kaljevic stepped up to beat keeper Bonnici and restore parity.
That lasted only seven minutes though. Lija were in front again and the goal arrived at the end of a hallmark passing move, concluded with Schembri picking up Beu with his cut-back cross from the byeline on the left, the ball laid in the path of Abubaker Bello Osagie to finish off with a low drive.
Balzan did not take long to catch up again with their opponents. On 68 minutes, the Lija defence failed to cut Ryan Fenech’s cross from the left and Bojan Kaljevic nippedin at the far side to hit his side’s equaliser.
Balzan’s determined attitude earned them a winner three minutes from normal time. Alfred Effiong headed in Alves’ cross to break Lija’s hearts.