Valletta keep the pace at the top with 2-0 win over Tarxien

VALLETTA                   2TARXIEN RAINBOWS 0 Valletta maintained the pressure on leaders Balzan after scoring twice in the second half to beat relegation strugglers Tarxien Rainbows 2-0 at the National Stadium.  The Citizens’ first league win following back-to-back draws lifted them alongside Balzan ahead of the latter’s clash with Gżira United on Monday. Tarxien did well to keep Valletta at bay in the first half but six minutes into the second period, the title candidates broke the deadlock. Miguel Angel Alba’s corner from the right was met by Santiago Malano who headed the ball home. Four minutes later, Valletta all but sealed the issue when Matteo Piciollo capitalised on some lax defending by Tarxien to sprint into the area before hitting the ball past goalkeeper Andrea Cassar.  Tarxien suffered a further blow midway into the second half when Nigerian defender Ebiabowei Baker was dismissed after earning a second booking for a foul on Valletta midfielder Rowen Muscat. BOV player of the match: Matteo Piciollo (Valletta). BIRKIRKARA     2LIJA ATHLETIC 1 Birkirkara needed a late goal to see off the challenge of bottom-placed Lija Athletic 2-1 at the Hibs Stadium. With this win, the Stripes extended their unbeaten run to 10 league matches – nine wins and one draw. Rather surprisingly, the first half ended goalless but two minutes after the break, Birkirkara forged ahead. A defensive mistake by Lija paved the way for Srdjan Dimitrov who advanced unimpeded before squaring to Jake Grech who tapped the ball into an empty net. Lija made it 1-1 with 19 minutes remaining when Raphael Kooh Sohna latched on to a through-pass and beat goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski with a first-time shot. It took Birkirkara three minutes to regain the lead as Edward Herrera controlled a cross from the left before blasting past Luke Bonnici. BOV player of the match: Srdjan Dimitrov (Birkirkara). GREENS EASE PAST MOSTAMOSTA       0FLORIANA 5 Floriana hammered Mosta 5-0 to keep their Euro qualification bid on track. The start to the game was quite balanced but an unfortunate own goal laid the platform for Floriana’s convincing win which moved them temporarily one point ahead of Hibernians. The Greens took the lead on 34 minutes after Davide Mansi headed Enrico Pepe’s cross from the right into his own net as he tried to clear. Two minutes into the second half, Floriana were awarded a penalty after Tyrone Farrugia pushed Italian striker Michele Paolucci and Juninho Cabral converted. Paolucci extended Floriana’s lead on 67 minutes after a fine individual move. Floriana went 4-0 up 16 minutes from the end, Fontanella hitting home from close range after being set up by Cabral. Fontanella rounded the scoring 10 minutes from time as his header, from Maurizio Vella’s cross, beat Andreas Vella. BOV player of the match: Mario Fontanella (Floriana). GOALLESS STALEMATE ST ANDREWS 0NAXXAR LIONS 0St Andrews and Naxxar Lions had to settle for a point apiece following a goalless draw which did little to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation. The first half saw Naxxar produce the better chances but St Andrews goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona denied Yuri de Jesus Messias and Manolito Micallef. Early in the second half, Kemmu Degran Jackson went close for St Andrews. The Jamaican forward was sent off 10 minutes from the end.  BOV player of the match: Joseph Farrugia (St Andrews).