Highlights from the Premier League matches

Friday was a fantastic day for Hibernians. A 3-0 defeat of champions Sliema Wanderers, coupled with Birkirkara's 1-1 draw with Pietà Hotspurs, injected new life into the Paolites' erstwhile faltering title chances.

With six matches remaining before the end of the season, the 2001-2002 Malta champions are only four points behind Sliema Wanderers and just two adrift of Birkirkara in what is rapidly developing into a three-team title race.

Unbeaten in their previous 12 matches, pacesetters Sliema were widely expected to capitalise on Birkirkara's failure to grasp the three points from their meeting with Pietà but they were in for a nasty surprise against fired-up opponents.

The sending-off of Sliema defender Jeffrey Chetcuti for a late tackle on Ndubisi Chukunyere was a turning point of the match as was the introduction of Hibs striker Andrew Cohen at the start of the second half.

Cohen supplied the cross from a free-kick which was headed home by Aaron Xuereb before showing great alertness when chipping the ball over the stranded Murphy Akanji after a schoolboy error by veteran Kris Laferla.

Andrè Schembri sealed Hibs' success when striking his side's third goal with a clinical finish.

William Camenzuli's dismissal in the dying stages of their encounter with Pietà summed up the frustration of the Birkirkara players at their inability to break down the resistance of their opponents who had drawn level 14 minutes from time.

A defensive mix-up had led to Birkirkara's opener, scored by man-of-the-match Chucks Nwoko but Ivan Woods equalised from the penalty spot after Lucian Dronca floored Alain Ekwe.

Marsaxlokk squandered the opportunity to move four points clear of the Hotspurs as they figured in a goalless draw against Floriana which produced two red cards. Nikolai Slavtchev, the Marsaxlokk libero, was sent off before the end of the first half and Floriana midfielder Jonathan Holland followed suit late in the second half.

Balzan Youths bolstered their salvation hopes with a narrow 2-1 victory over Hamrun Spartans but their joy was tempered by the news of Anthony EviParker's injury.

The lanky Nigerian striker damaged a bone in his shoulder after scoring his side's opener and could miss the rest of the season.

Scorers

Balzan Youths - EviParker 8, Zahra 8 (1 pen.); Scerri 2 (2 pens.), Valenzia 2; Muscat, Arpa, Tellus, Gera - W. Attard (Hamrun) own goal.

Birkirkara - M. Galea 13; Doda 9; Calascione 8; Dronca 6 (4 pens.), Nwoko 5; Camenzuli 3 (1 pen.); Mallia 2; Mifsud Triganza, Monye, Bonnici, Zahra.

Floriana - Baldacchino 6, Do Nascimento 6 (2 pens.); Holland 5; Da Silva 4; Cilia 3, Mifsud Triganza 3 (now with Birkirkara); Mattocks 2, Gango-Rtsa 2; Bajada, Galea, Wellman.

Hamrun - Sultana 5 (3 pens.); Bajada 2, Brincat 2, Spiteri 2; Fabri, Bencini (now with Sliema).

Hibernians - A. Mifsud 7; Paiber 6 (6 pens.), Cohen 6; Chukunyere 5, Scerri 5, Schembri 5; M. Mifsud 2; Zahra, Xuereb - S. Pace (Valletta, now Pietà) own goal.

Marsaxlokk - Barbara 14 (4 pens.); Bogdanovic 6 (1 pen.); Slavtchev 3 (1 pen.), Licari 3, Buhagiar 3; Asechemie 2; Bartes, Formosa, Carabott.

Msida - Nwoke 9; Aganun 7 (4 pens.); Boni 2, Sciberras 2; Tabone, Tirchett, A. Farrugia.

Pietà - Woods 8 (3 pens.); Debono 5; Borg 3; Azzopardi 2, Omam 2, Frendo 2, Okoh 2; Fenech, Nisevic, G. Sciberras, Okonkwo.

Sliema - Doncic 13; Giglio 5 (1 pen.), Mifsud 5, Brincat 5; Turner 3 (1 pen.); Veselji 2 (now with Valletta), Sammut 2, Anonam 2; Sylla, Mangion, Bogdanovic (now with Marsaxlokk), Said, Grima (now with Valletta) - Magro (Marsaxlokk) own goal; Penchev (Valletta) own goal.

Valletta - Agius 10 (1 pen.); Ivan Zammit 4 (2 pens.), Theuma 4 (3 pens.); Sacco 3; Forace 2, Tonchev 2; Penchev, Ian Zammit, K. Zammit, Bondin, J. Pace (pen.), Veselji.

Next fixtures

Friday (National Stadium)
6 p.m. Valletta vs Hamrun
8 p.m. Hibernians vs Marsaxlokk

Saturday (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Floriana vs Pietà
4 p.m. Sliema vs Birkirkara