January signings keep Birkirkara on right track

NAXXAR LIONS 0BIRKIRKARA      2 New Uruguayan striker Waldemar Acosta scored his first goal as Birkirkara extended their winning run to seven matches after a 2-0 victory over Naxxar Lions.  The January signings made by coach Paul Zammit were again instrumental for Birkirkara as Terence Agius, on loan from Balzan, fired them ahead in the first minute of the second half with a low drive. Acosta sealed Birkirkara’s victory 11 minutes into the second half, heading home from Fernando Barbosa’s cross. Birkirkara are now firmly in the hunt for a top-three finish as they moved up to third place on 34 points, six off the top ahead of Sunday’s top clash between Balzan and Valletta. BOV player of the match: Srdjan Dimitrov (Birkirkara) FLORIANA                  1ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 0 Floriana gained a breather after defeating Ħamrun Spartans 1-0 in a clash between two teams who were coming from a disappointing run of results. The Greens claimed their first win following back-to-back defeats to Hibernians and St Andrews while the Spartans have now gone four matches without a win. The goal that settled the match was scored on 27 minutes. Brazilian Juninho Cabral made headway on the right before hitting a diagonal shot past Jake Galea. In the second half, the woodwork denied Cabral and Floriana a second goal. Ħamrun finished the match with 10 men after Thiago Espindola was dismissed for two cautions. BOV player of the match: Juninho Cabral (Floriana).SLIEMA WANDERERS 2LIJA ATHLETIC             0 Sliema Wanderers ended a five-match winless run after defeating strugglers Lija Athletic whose hopes of avoiding the drop are fading by the minute. The goals came in a three-minute spell in the second half. Close to the hour mark, Ousmane Sidibe headed the ball into his own net as he tried to clear Ricardo Correa’s free-kick. Two minutes later, Sliema secured the points. Correa swapped passes with Frank Temile whose cross was blocked by a defender but from the rebound, the Nigerian passed to Michele Sansone who fired past Luke Bonnici. BOV player of the match: Riccardo Correa (Sliema Wanderers). HONOURS SHARED SENGLEA ATHLETIC 2TARXIEN RAINBOWS 2 Tarxien Rainbows staged a bold fightback to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Senglea Athletic on Saturday despite playing with 10 men for 80 minutes. The game had started badly for Tarxien as Senglea went ahead in the third minute. From a corner action, Matias Garcia headed past Tarxien goalkeeper Andrea Cassar. Tarxien's Sean Cipriott was then sent off by referee Matthew Degabriele for dissent. Tarxien levelled on 32 minutes. James Brincat’s shot was parried away for a corner by Matthew Farrugia but from the resulting corner, Wellington Oliveira Vieira rifled home from close range. Five minutes into the second half, Terence Vella restored Senglea’s lead, concluding a move by Gregori Braga. Tarxien refused to give up. They equalised again nine minutes from time with a brilliant shot from Eduard Calin. BOV player of the match: Ivan Paz (Senglea Athletic). GŻIRA HELD GŻIRA UNITED 1ST ANDREWS   1 Gżira United need a late penalty to rescue a point from their clash with St Andrews at the Centenary Stadium on Friday. The Maroons fashioned the better chances early on with Amadou Samb heading wide before St Andrews goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona pushed Andrew Cohen's long-range drive over the bar St Andrews took the lead against the run of play on 62 minutes. Joseph Farrugia freed Kemar Reid who hammered past Anthony Curmi, the Gżira goalkeeper. Gżira upped their pressure. They equalised 11 minutes from time when Haruna Garba was brought down in the box and from spot, Amadou Samb drilled his shot past Calleja Cremona. BOV player of the match: Kemar Reid (St Andrews).