Birkirkara returned to winning ways thanks to a 3-0 win over Pembroke Athleta despite having to play for around twenty-five minutes in ten men. A win which puts the Stripes once again on level points with Floriana, five points behind the leaders.

For Pembroke, this was a second consecutive defeat which leaves them fourth from bottom, one point behind Sliema but eight ahead of Qormi.

Caretaker coach Josef Mansueto could not count on Justin Haber and Paul Fenech apart from Fabrizio Miccoli who made his final appearance for the club in the FA Trophy win over Kirkop United. Leighton Grech, on the other hand, was missing for Pembroke.

Birkirkara managed to break the deadlock four minutes from the end of the first half when Liliu served Ryan Camenzuli on the left and the latter’s low effort hit the foot of the upright before ending at the back of the net.

On the 62nd minute, the Stripes doubled the score when Matthew Farrugia saved partially an angled shot from the right by Liliu and Vito Plut tapped the ball home from close range.

Five minutes later, Birkirkara were left in ten men after Frank Temile received a second yellow card for a foul in midfield and was therefore sent off by referee Fyodor Zammit.

Substitute Edmond Agius added another one minute from time when Ryan Camenzuli entered the penalty area from the left, his shot was blocked by Levnajic but Agius hit home from close range.

B’KARA Ini Etim Akpan, Zach Muscat, Nikola Vukanac, Mauricio Mazzetti, Joseph Zerafa, Frank Temile, Rowen Muscat (81′ Emerson Marcelina), Gareth Sciberras (86′ Edmond Agius), Ryan Camenzuli, Ellinton Antonio Costa Morais, Vito Plut (70′ Ryan Scicluna).
Subs not used: Philip Schranz, Edward Herrera, Cain Attard, Juan Quero Barroso.
Coach: Josef Mansueto

PEMBROKE Matthew Farrugia, Alex Cini, Owen Bugeja, Paltemio Barbetti, Zoran Levnajic (90′ Tyron Fenech), Kyle O’Brien, Ariel Laudisi, Patmore Shereni, Gustavo Villalobos, Austin Martz, Rennie Tanti (72′ Siraj Arab Eddin).
Subs not used: Mario Muscat, Lyden Micallef, Miguel Attard, Peter Paul Sammut, Geoffrey Spiteri.
Coach: Winston Muscat

Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: William Debattista, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Levnajic, O’Brien, Temile, Zerafa
Red Cards: 67′ Frank Temile
Scorers: 41′ Ryan Camenzuli, 62′ Vito Plut, 89′ Edmond Agius
BOV Player of the Match: Ellinton Antonio Costa Morais