A goal six minutes from time by Gonzalo Virano gave Senglea Athletic their second consecutive win as they defeated Birkirkara 1-0 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium on Saturday.

This was the third positive result for Steve D’Amato’s side following a draw with Sliema in their first outing and a win over Lija last week. For the Stripes, this was the second defeat in three matches after claiming their first win in last week’s clash with Mosta.

Senglea scored the all-important goal six minutes from time when Nicolas Gonzalo Virano received an assist by Ivan Paz and beat Schranz with a low shot.

SENGLEA Timothy Aquilina, Jonathan Bondin, Steve Bonnici, Antonio Terraciano, Matias Garcia, Hubert Vella (74′ Terence Vella), Gonzalo Virano, Nicola Palmieri (68′ Miguel Escobar), Ivan Edgardo Paz, Augusto Rene Caseres, Ian Azzopardi (10′ Jurgen Farrugia).
Subs not used: Matthew Farrugia, Peter Paul Sammut, Mattia Del Negro, Ryan Dalli.
Coach: Steve D’Amato

B’KARA Philip Schranz, Cain Attard, Ryan Camenzuli, Lucas Maia Varone (8′ Alex Nilsson)(73′ Ayrton Attard), Nikola Vukanac, Matthew Guillaumier, Mislav Andjelkovic, Bruno Andre de Brito, Jake Grech, Landry Mulemo (86′ Brandon Muscat), Ernest Webnje N’For.
Subs not used: David Cassar, Neil Micallef, Llywelyn Cremona, Kurt Zammit.
Coach: Paul Zammit

Referee: Sandro Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Mario Apap
Yellow Cards: Attard, Vella, Palmieri

Meanwhile Naxxar Lions and Lija Athletic shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in a clash between two newly-promoted sides at the National Stadium.

This was the second consecutive draw for Naxxar after last week’s goalless draw with Valletta and the first positive result for Lija after suffering three defeats in the first three matches.

Lija managed to take the lead on the 34th minute when Leejoe Schembri, served by Abubakar Bello-Osagie, concluded a good run on the right flank by rounding a defender and beating goalkeeper Christoph Nicht with an angled shot.

Naxxar equalised on the 61st minute thanks to a powerful drive by Daniel Mateo Bustos which gave goalkeeper Luke Bonnici no chance.

Six minutes from time, the Lions were reduced to ten men after El Hadji Oussenyou Ndoye received a second yellow card for a foul in midfield.

NAXXAR Christoph Nicht, Scott James Fenwick, Ryan Grech, Manolito Micallef, Duane Bonnici, Go Nagaoka (66′ Daren Falzon), Daniel Mateo Bustos, Angus Buhagiar (46′ Mark Fenech), Elhadji Oussenyou Ndoye, Adrian Cascaval, Arnaud Mendy.
Subs not used: Omar Borg, Tristan Nappa Licari, Ryan Gilmour Cassar, Jurgen Debono, Joel Ellul.
Coach: Stuart Watkiss

LIJA Luke Bonnici, Predrag Babic, Leon Muscat, Daniel Scerri, Erjon Beu, Leejoe Schembri (82′ Carl Cassar), Antoine Borg, Abubakar Bello-Osagie, McAllister Clinch, Ousmane Sidibe, Djamel Leeflang (78′ Marcelo de Souza Dias).
Subs not used: Jonathan Martinelli, Aaron Sammut, Dylan Mintoff, Patrick Borg, Aiden Galea.
Coach: Joe Galea

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Eman Grech
Yellow Cards: Osagie, Ndoye, Scerri, Leeflang, L. Bonnici
BOV Player of the Match: Daniel Mateo Bustos