Tarxien Rainbows claimed three previous points in the battle against relegation as they shocked leaders Balzan, beating them 3-1 at the Hibernians Stadium on Saturday.

Balzan therefore risk seeing Valletta taking the top spot on Sunday should they beat Hamrun Spartans, with two games to go. Tarxien, on the other hand, move once again fourth from bottom, two points behind Mosta, one ahead of St. Andrews and five ahead of Naxxar Lions.

Boubacar Traore put the Rainbows ahead on the 34th minute when he headed the ball home off a cross by Ricardo Silva Faria.

Eduard Calin doubled the score on the 75th thanks to a fine shot from outside the area which gave Sean Mintoff no chance.

Alex da Paixao Alves pulled one back for Balzan with a low shot on the 78th but to make matters worse for Tarxien Milos Lepovic was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

However Samba Tounkara sealed the issue with a third goal four minutes from time when he concluded a good run with a low shot which beat the Balzan goalkeeper.

TARXIEN Andrea Cassar, Stefan Radovanovic, Ebiabowei Baker, Gabriel Aquilina (63′ Godwin McKay), Luke Grech, Andre Scicluna, Samba Tounkara, Boubacar Faye Traore (80′ Wellington de Oliveira Vieira), Eduard Marian Calin, Ricardo Silva Faria, Sean Cipriott (83′ Andrew Agius).
Subs not used: Dean Sciberras, Matthew Spiteri, James Brincat, Matteo Desira Buttigieg.
Coach: Jose Borg

BALZAN Sean Mintoff, Uros Ljubomirac, Ivan Bozovic (71′ Jacob Borg), Alex da Paixao Alves, Elkin Serrano Valero, Paul Fenech, Milos Lepovic, Steve Bezzina, Bojan Kaljevic, Michael Johnson (77′ Siraj Arab Eddin), Carlos Eduardo de Fiori Mendes.
Subs not used: Dorian Bugeja, Clive Brincat, Ryan Fenech, Jamie Zerafa, Justin Grioli
Coach: Marko Micovic

Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Christopher Francalanza
Additional Assistant Referees: Darryl Agius, Daniel Portelli
Fourth Official: Paul Apap
Yellow Cards: Lepovic, Ljubomirac, Kaljevic, Arab
Red Cards: 83′ Milos Lepovic
BOV Player of the Match: Andrea Cassar

Meanwhile at the National Stadium, Hibernians registered a 3-1 win over Birkirkara.

Although Birkirkara are still fourth, they are now four points behind Gzira United. Hibs, on the other hand, move fifth, two points behind Paul Zammit’s side.

The Stripes had Mislav Andjelkovic sent off just before half-time and Hibernians took full advantage after the break, taking the lead on the 62nd minute when off a cross by Clayton Failla from the left, Jackson de Lima Siqueira headed the ball home past Kristijan Naumovski.

Six minutes later, the Paolites doubled the score when off a cross by Degabriele, Joseph Mbong headed home with the ball hitting the upright before ending at the back of the net.

Hibs added another on the 69th thanks to Jurgen Degabriele whose powerful shot from the right gave Naumovski no chance.

One minute in added time, the Stripes were awarded a penalty after substitute Ognjen Rolovic was brought down inside the penalty area and from the penalty spot, Rolovic made no mistake.

B’KARA Kristijan Naumovski, Fernando Barbosa Pereira, Matthew Guillaumier (67′ Ognjen Rolovic), Mislav Andjelkovic, Jake Grech (67′ Edward Herrera), Kurt Zammit, Nikola Vukanac, Carlos Alberto da Silva Goncalves Junior, Waldemar Acosta Ferreira, Ryan Scicluna, Cain Attard (78′ Ayrton Attard).
Subs not used: David Cassar, Zach Cassar, Terrence Agius, Gianluca Zammit.
Coach: Paul Zammit

HIBS Andrew Hogg, Dunstan Vella, Martin Kreuzriegler, Jackson de Lima Siqueira (81′ Rui da Gracia Gomes), Rodolfo Soares (71′ Johann Bezzina), Marcelo Dias (66′ Jorge Pereira da Silva), Jurgen Degabriele, Clayton Failla, Timothy Tabone Desira, Joseph Mbong, Andrei Agius.
Subs not used: Rudy Briffa, Joao Moreira, Daniel Buckle, Conner Zammit.
Coach: Neil Zarb Cousin. Asst. Coach: Eric Lia. Goalkeepers’ Coach: Mario Muscat

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Thomas Debono
Fourth Official: Stefan Pace
BOV Player of the Match: Jurgen Degabriele
Attendance at the National Stadium: 644