Sliema Wanderers will be playing in the Challenge League next season after a 1-3 defeat to Valletta in a match from the Play-Out final round at the Tony Bezzina Stadium on Sunday condemned them to relegation.
The Wanderers remain anchored at the bottom of the table with 15 points from 24 matches, eight behind Balzan and eleven behind Santa Lucia who are currently third from bottom. Valletta, on the other hand, are practically safe, as they lie nine points ahead of Balzan.
Valletta took the lead on the 14th minute when Mario Fontanella pounced on a through pass and rounded the goalkeeper before hitting home with an angled shot from the left.
Substitute Kevin Tulimieri doubled the score on the 74th minute, hitting low past Rashed Al Tumi following a cross by Promise Oluwatobi Akinpelu from the right.
Sliema pulled one back three minutes later thanks to an Oscar Linton Bethancourt headed from close range following a freekick from the left by Edmond Agius.
However eight minutes from time, Eslit Sala made it 3-1 for Valletta tapping the ball home from close range after Oscar Linton headed the ball down off a corner by Ivan Curjuric.
