Valletta moved second in the BOV Premier League thanks to a fine 3-0 win over Birkirkara at the National Stadium on Friday.

A win which puts Valletta in second place, three points behind leaders Gzira United and one ahead of eternal rivals Floriana. For Birkirkara, on the other hand, this was the third defeat in six matches and the second since the re-appointment of former Valletta coach Paul Zammit as their new coach.

Valletta took the lead on the 11th minute thanks to Michael Mifsud who received a cross by Claudio Pani, beating Schranz with a rising shot.

Kyrian Nwoko doubled the score on the 31st minute when he headed the ball home off a corner by Raed Ibrahim Saleh.

Valletta sealed the issue with a third goal on 61 minutes when Saleh sent Denni through and the latter advanced into the area before slotting past the Birkirkara goalkeeper.

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B’KARA Philip Schranz, Matthew Guillaumier (61′ Edward Herrera), Ryan Camenzuli (61′ Alex Nilsson), Mislav Andjelkovic, Jake Grech, Martin Klein, Landry Mulemo, Nikola Vukanac, Cain Attard (75′ Ernest Webnje N’For), Luke Montebello, Bruno Fernandez Andrade de Brito.
Subs not used: David Cassar, Kurt Zammit, Llywelyn Cremona, Brandon Muscat.
Coach: Paul Zammit

VALLETTA Henry Bonello, Steve Borg, Joseph Zerafa, Ryan Camilleri, Juan Cruz Gill, Michael Mifsud (46′ Denni Rocha dos Santos), Kyrian Nwoko, Santiago Malano, Raed Ibrahim Saleh, Claudio Pani (32′ Matteo Piciollo), Jean Borg (69′ Nicholas Pulis).
Subs not used: Nicky Vella, Nikola Asceric, Russell Fenech, Shawn Dimech.
Coach: Zoran Popovic

Referee: Mario Apap
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Glenn Tonna
Yellow Cards: Mulemo, N’For, Denni
BOV Player of the Match: Raed Ibrahim Saleh

Meanwhile at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hibernians were held in a 1-1 draw by ten-man Naxxar Lions.

A draw which puts the Paolites in fourth place, on level points with Balzan while Naxxar join St. Andrews on the three-point mark.

Naxxar took the lead on the 7th minute when off a cross by Duane Bonnici, the Hibs rear-guard failed to clear the ball into safety and Scott Fenwick headed the ball over goalkeeper Andrew Hogg.

Hibernians equalised on the 26th minute thanks to Jorge Elias dos Santos who headed the ball home from close range after that Clayton Failla had hit the crossbar.

A Jorge Elias goal on the 34th minute was disallowed for an offside and just before half-time, another Hibernians goal was disallowed by referee Sandro Spiteri due to the presence of another ball on the field of play.

The Lions were reduced to ten men thirteen minutes from time as Arnaud Mendy received a second yellow card for a foul just outside the area.

HIBS Andrew Hogg, Dunstan Vella, Martin Kreuzriegler, Rui da Gracia Gomes (63’ Johann Bezzina), Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias, Bjorn Kristensen (72’ Jurgen Degabriele), Clayton Failla, Andrei Agius, Marco Sahanek, Jorge Elias dos Santos.
Subs not used: Rudy Briffa, Jackson de Lima Siqueira, Joseph Mbong, David Xuereb, Timothy Tabone Desira.
Coach: Mark Miller

NAXXAR Christoph Nicht, Scott Fenwick, Ryan Grech (69’ Mark Fenech), Daren Falzon (74’ Go Nagaoka), Duane Bonnici, Jurgen Debono, Daniel Mateo Bustos (83’ Ryan Gilmour Cassar), Angus Buhagiar, Oussenyou Ndoye, Adrian Cascaval, Arnaud Mendy.
Subs not used: Omar Borg, Tristan Nappa Licari, Joel Ellul, Gianluca Grima.
Coach: Stuart Watkiss

Referee: Sandro Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Rui, Agius, Buhagiar, Mendy, Nicht
Red Cards: 77′ Arnaud Mendy
BOV Player of the Match: Clayton Failla
Attendance at the Victor Tedesco Stadium: 555