The Assikura Women’s League took another twist after last weekend’s results with Swieqi United taking sole command while Birkirkara boosting their hopes of a comeback.
A Jade Flask brace propelled the Owls to a crucial victory over Hibernians, putting daylight between the two teams as Swieqi are now on top with 42 points, opening three-point lead on the Paolites and Mġarr United.
Venezuela international Rafanny scored the other goal from the penalty spot which costed Hibernians’ Yolande Attard a red card and will be now missing next weekend’s match against Birkirkara.
The Stripes, on their part, dismantled Mġarr 4-0 with Erica Bispo netting a hat-trick while Alishia Cassar adding another.
The defending champions remain fourth but are now on 37 points, trailing Hibs and Mġarr by just two and five distant from leaders Swieqi with three matches left.
TOP FOUR
HIBERNIANS 0-3 SWIEQI UNITED
Jade Flask 23, 45; Rafanny 90
Hibernians: E. Harrington; N. Geren, C. Ellul (46 L. Ayres), A. Galea, K. Chetcuti (73 A. Busuttil), M. Borg, N. Sciberras, G. Mifsud, I. Farrugia (84 Y. Attard), A. Espitia, Joelma.
Coach: Kenneth Costantino.
Swieqi: P. Araujo; S. Urpani, J. Flask (87 E. Micallef), E. Xuereb, S. Abdulai, K. Abdulai, S. Zammit, Rafanny, J. Schembri, T. Falzon, M. Cachia (90 Y. Azzopardi).
Coach: Dorianne Theuma
Referee: Raiden Psaila
MGARR UNITED 0-4 BIRKIRKARA
Erica Bispo 27, 63, 75; Alishia Cassar 69
Mġarr: P. Ebejer; A. Said, A. Camilleri, A. Villegas, Y. Carella, L. Cefai, V. Villegas, Y. Mendez, M. Hernandez, R. Bajada, A. Grech.
Coach: Ryan Vella.
Birkirkara: J. Xuereb; G. Zahra, L. Azzopardi, A. Cassar, V. Rapa, S. Francalanza (55 L. Cabral), C. Zammit, C. Schechinger (81 I. Camilleri), V. Nanez, M. Cardona, E. Bispo.
Coach: Vince Galea.
Referee: Luca Formosa
BOTTOM FOUR
VALLETTA 0-1 SAN ĠWANN
Hailey Russell 68
Valletta: M. Galea; A. Aloisio, O. Le Gouez, M. Sultana, R. Zerafa (70 M. La Rosa), L. Muscat (81 L. Lucas), S. Farrugia Sacco (54 G. Antonelli), Y. Grech (70 L. Vella), E. Micallef, S. Blihi, L. Lucas.
Coach: Jean Lopes.
San Ġwann: J. Caruana; A. Rapa, N. Kobayashi, M. Schembri (80 N. Attard), Y. Attard (54 S. Gheiti) (87 T. Muscat), H. Russell, N. Blundell, F. Al Girbi (87 K. Paris), K. Vella (54 J. Falzon), N. Addo, M. Kasim.
Coach: Julian Camilleri.
Referee: Jake Farrugia
MTARFA 0-2 LIJA ATHLETIC
Vanessa Carneiro 68, 83
Mtarfa: D. Grech; C. Versteegh, E. Csik, A. Fenech, J. Camilleri, M. Abdilla (62 E. Borg), K. Gribbon (62 K. Ciappara), O. Jelili (73 K. Camilleri), S. Spiteri, P. Ciappara, R. Zammit.
Coach: Simon Spiteri.
Lija: I. Sanchez; S. Caruana, M. Stagno (83 R. Mifsud), S. Bugeja, V. Carneiro, E. Marmara (53 M. Ibrahim), E. Gonzalez, N. Zarb Cousin (60 L. Cassar), I. Sultana (83 M. Belkis), L. Gonzalez, L. Calleja (53 P. Camilleri).
Coach: Jethron Azzopardi.
Referee: Matteo Falzon