Highlights from the Premier League matches

The dreaded verdict Valletta FC fans and players never wanted to hear was delivered last weekend. Bitter rivals Floriana collected the point they needed from their match against Pietà Hotspurs (1-1) to consign the Citizens to Relegation Pool football for the rest of the championship trek.

Valletta never really got going this season, problems on and off the field hindering their Premier League campaign. On Saturday, their sights were set on keeping their remote hopes flickering for, at least, another week. However, Valletta did not profit from Birkirkara's shoddy patch as their head-to-head encounter ended goalless.

On Sunday, Floriana maintained a four-point lead on Valletta who only have one match to play before the top six form the elite pool and the bottom four fight it out against demotion.

With attendance figures already experiencing dramatic declines, Valletta's absence from the Championship Pool is another blow for the MFA's efforts to boost crowds at the our stadia.

At the top of the standings, champions Sliema were not in action last weekend but will have been happy to see their main rivals, Birkirkara and Hibernians, struggling for form.

Birkirkara were far off from breaking a four-match winless run against the Citizens who played the last 10 minutes with a player less following the dismissal of Beppe Pace.

Hibernians, on their part, relied mostly on the invention of dynamic midfielder Andrè Schembri against Hamrun but once this player left the pitch injured, the Paolites lost hold of the match against modest opponents.

Meanwhile, Balzan's survival bid was strengthened even further on Sunday when Jimmy Briffa's boys came from behind to beat fellow newcomers Msida SJ 2-1.

Scorers

Balzan Youths - Zahra 7 (1 pen.); Evi Parker 5; Scerri 2 (2 pens.), Valenzia 2; Muscat, Arpa, Tellus, Gera - W. Attard (Hamrun) own goal.

Birkirkara - M. Galea 11; Calascione 8; Doda 6; Dronca 4 (2 pens.); Nwoko 3; Mallia 2; Camenzuli (pen.).

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

Hamrun - Sultana 4 (2 pens.); Bajada 2, Brincat 2, Spiteri 2; Bencini.

Hibernians - A. Mifsud 7; Paiber 6 (6 pens.); Scerri 5; Cohen 4; Chukunyere 3, Schembri 3; M. Mifsud - S. Pace (Valletta) own goal.

Marsaxlokk: Barbara 13 (4 pens.); Slavtchev 3 (1 pen.), Bogdanovic 3 (one other goal for Sliema), Licari 3; Buhagiar 2; Bartes, Formosa, Carabott.

Msida - Nwoke 8; Aganun 6 (4 pens.); Boni, Sciberras, Tirchett, A. Farrugia.

Pietà - Woods 7 (2 pens.); Debono 5; Borg 3; Azzopardi 2, Omam 2, Frendo 2, Okoh 2; Nisevic, G. Sciberras, Okonkwo.

Sliema - Doncic 8; Brincat 4; Mifsud 2, Turner 2 (1 pen.), Veselji 2 (now with Valletta), Anonam 2, Giglio 2; Sylla, Mangion, Sammut, Bogdanovic (now with Marsaxlokk), Said, Grima - Magro (Marsaxlokk) own goal; Penchev (Valletta) own goal.

Valletta - Agius 8 (1 pen.); Theuma 4 (3 pens.); Sacco 3, Ivan Zammit 3 (2 pens.); Forace 2, Tonchev 2; Penchev, Ian Zammit, K. Zammit.

Next fixtures

Saturday (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Floriana vs Marsaxlokk
4 p.m. Sliema vs Hamrun

Sunday (Hibs Ground)
1.15 p.m. Hibernians vs Pietà
3.15 p.m. Balzan vs Valletta

Saturday Feb. 7 (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Pietà vs Sliema
4 p.m. Hamrun vs Birkirkara