Valletta                 0   

Birkirkara             0

Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano, K. Nwoko (D. Dos Santos), E. Beltre', J. Zerafa, R. Saleh (M. Mifsud), R. Muscat, M. Alba (M. Piciollo), A. Prosa

Birkirkara: K. Naumowski, F. Barbosa, M. Andelkovic, J. Grech (T. Agius), O. Rolovic, K. Zammit, N. Vukanac, C. Concalves (G. Zammit), S. Dimitrov (E. Herrera), R. Scicluna, C. Attard

Referee: G. Tonna

Asst.refs: M. Scerri, D. Sultana

Additional asst.refs: M. Spiteri, J. Utulu

4th official: T. Debono

Yellow cards: N. Vukanac, R. Muscat

Player of the match: R. Saleh (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. R. Saleh  2. K. Naumovski  3. E. Beltre'

Attendance: 4,013

Valletta had to settle for a draw against the team below them Birkirkara that keeps them unbeaten in their last seven matches but they trail leaders Balzan by three points now, with six matches remaining.

Birkirkara stay four points further down.

Valletta enjoyed a measure of control after the Stripes' early flurry and were the more threatening team throughout the first period, showing the better spirit and attitude. Alba and Prosa squandered good opportunities that failed to punish their opponents.

For Birkirkara, Krishjan Naumowski pulled some good stops in critical moments that kept the Stripes in the match.

Birkirkara had more attempts on goal in the second half but fell short of breaching the league's meanest defence. After eight consecutive league wins, Paul Zammit's side failed to take full points when it mostly mattered.

The atmosphere was noisy and both teams offered the impression that they had something to prove - Valletta to keep their title challenge with leaders Balzan and Birkirkara to prolong their improvement of late after an underwhelming start to the season.

Miguel Alba and Kyrian Nwoko played wide on either flank, with Albert Prosa starting in the centre of Valletta's three-pronged attack. Saleh played behind them, with Santiago Malano and Rowen Muscat providing cover to their four-man defence in midfield.

For Birkirkara, Dimitrov was a source of menace down the left flank in the opening exchanges, as Jake Grech roamed freely behind Carlos Alberto Concalves and Ogrjen Rolovic.

Ryan Scicluna was preferred to Terence Agius, providing cover in midfield alongside Andelkovic. At times, however, Scicluna was being outplayed by Saleh's pacey runs.

A Dimitrov cross after four minutes, was headed by Rolovic but Valletta keeper Bonello was alert and saved.

If Birkirkara's threats came from wide positions, Valletta looked more menacing through the middle.

Valletta twice prospered in space in central area within two minutes soon after. Prosa ran unhindered towards the Birkirkara goal, avoided the onrushing keeper and rolled the ball towards the middle. Alba, challenged by Attard, failed to put his effort on target.

Then came a slip from Andelkovic. Prosa almsot capitalised as he ran clear through the middle but keeper Naumovski pulled an impressive save, turning the ball around into a corner.

Birkirkara suddenly looked stalled. Dimitrov was completely subdued by Beltre'.

Valletta, who had taken full control for the remainder of the first half, went close again past the half hour. Saleh played a good ball wide on the right for Nwoko, whose low drive was again parried into a corner by Naumovski.

Birkirkara produced their best chance past the hour but Rolovic failed to convert. Standing alone in front of the Valletta goal, after Borg had failed to clear a Concalves cross from the right, he incredibly missed the target.

Free kicks from Muscat and Grech at opposite ends, flew wide.

The game badly needed a goal. As the clock ticked down, so the margins became finer, the risks greater.

Valletta introduced Piciollo and later Denni Dos Santos for Alba and Nwoko, as Birkirkara retreated the inocuous Dimitrov and also Grech.

Birkirkara tried to break but they were blunt.

In a frenetic finale, a Vukanac header was blocked by Camilleri. On the other end, Malano's rising shot was held out by Naumovski's outstertched arm and Vukanac again headed Scicluna's cross slightly over.

At the end there were nerves, but nothing else.

Nilsson on the double to halt Hamrun's winless streak

Mosta                   0   

Hamrun S            2

Mosta: A. Vella, I. Bangoura (L. Ferreira), M. Sammartino, T. Veronese, K. Magro, D. Mansi, T. Farrugia, M. Soare, D. Xuereb (N. Farrugia), Z. Brincat, G. Trovade (J. Tanti)

Hamrun S: S. Sultana, M. Criaco, T. Espindola, C. Zaccardo, G. De Castro, K. Micallef, A. Faria (D. Debono), T. Caruana, L. Micallef (L. Celotto),D. Camilleri, A. Nilsson

Referee: A.M. Sant

Asst.refs: R. Vella, P. Apap

4th official: D. Agius

Scorers: A. Nilsson 65, 85

Yellow cards: K. Magro, K. Micallef

Player of the match: L. Micallef (Hamrun S)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Faria  2. T. Espindola  3. M. Sammartino

Hamrun Spartans, quite simply, deserved their win, after fluffing a couple of chances in the first half but then made sure with a double from Alex Nilsson in the space of ten minutes in the second to halt a five-match winless streak.

Only two points separated the teams at kick-off. But this victory, widened the gap to five with Hamrun one place above Mosta in the standings.

Mosta did not perform well enough in this match. But neither did they lose their belief or willingness for the fight, especially at the start of the second period, when denied by a triple save by goalkeeper Steve Sultana, and after introducing Leonardo Ferreira as a substitute on the hour.

Hamrun had central defenders Tiago Souza and Daniel Zerafa suspended, with Triston Caruana and Cristian Zaccardo filling their void. Coach Jacques Scerri was also serving a touchline ban.

Mosta introduced new Guinea winger Ismael Bangoura. He played for only an hour and was only involved once, early in the second half, when, after playing one-two with Magro, went inside the Hamrun area but his effort was easily saved by keeper Sultana.

Forward Moussa Soare was handed a start but Ekani was missing from the squad.

There were very few episodes of note during the opening 45 minutes, but these all came from Hamrun.

On 19 minutes, Faria could only head De Castro's cross from the left tamely at keeper Andreas Vella. On 35 minutes Faria played the ball wide on the left towards Lydon Micallef who curled it low against the post. Two minutes later Caruana played a forward pass to Lydon Micallef whose effort was well parried by Vella this time.

The Mosta keeper dropped the ball, on an Espindola corner from the right, on the stroke of halftime, but the his team mates could clear the danger.

When the teams walked back on, Mosta looked more willing to give a fight and on the hour had the best chance to go in front but Hamrun keeper Sultana denied Trovade, substitute Ferreira and Sammartino, blocking their shots in succession.

The breakthrough came on the other end though on 65 minutes. Faria put Alex Nilsson through with an intelligent pass to score with a low drive.

Their lead was doubled five minutes from the end. Espindola started the move, playing the ball wide to Karl Micallef and when Alex Nilsson latched on his cross, he beat an opponent before slotting the ball past the helpless Mosta keeper.

The Spartans were home and dry.