Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/163731
47 Sport maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2013 FOOTBALL Valletta and Birkirkara win Valletta ...............3 Floriana ...............0 Birkirkara ............2 Balzan .................1 VALLETTA are back to winning ways in the best possible way after they defeated Floriana 3-0. This was not a good result for Floriana as they remain at the bottom of the standings after they suffered their second defeat in a row. Valletta took the lead in added time when Abdelkarim Nafti served Ian Zammit whose header went over goalkeeper Sean Mintoff. On the 56th minute off a corner by Nafti, Aziz Corr made no mistake with his low shot to beat goalkeeper Sean Mintoff. On the 77th minute, Valletta made sure they would take home all three points when Romulo Marques Antoneli beat goalkeeper Sean Mintoff with his shot from inside the area. Abdelkarim Nafti was voted BOV Player of the Match. VALLETTA Pietro Marino, Ryan Fenech, Ian Zammit (70' Jonathan Caruana), Roderick Briffa, Hamza Barry, Aziz Corr Nyang (74' Romulo Marques Antoneli), Dyson Falzon, Jason Lee Vandelannoite, Yessous Camilleri (27' Shaun Bajada), Abdelkarim Nafti, Luke Dimech. Subs not used: Yenz Cini, Ian Azzopardi, Kurt Magro, Isaac Mc- Carthy. Coach: Mark Miller FLORIANA Sean Mintoff, Andre Scicluna, Emmanuel Ibok Edet, Daniel Bogdanovic (46' Christian Caruana), Gary Roberts, Igor Coronado (79' Luca Casha), Steve Pisani, Clyde Borg, Gary Muir, Diogo Pinheiro de Souza (62' Brooke Farrugia), Sacha Borg. Subs not used: Daniel Hanford, Jonathan Xerri, Joseph Borg, Francesco Guzman. Coach: Ian Dawes Referee: Kevin Azzopardi Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Peter Abela Additional Assistant Referees: Andre Arciola, Esther Azzopardi Fourth Official: Duncan Sultana Yellow Cards: Dimech, Marino Scorers: 45+1 Ian Zammit, 56 Aziz Corr Nyang, 77 Romulo Marques Antoneli BOV Player of the Match: Abdelkarim Nafti In the other match Birkirkara came from behind to defeat Balzan 2-1. Balzan took the lead just three minutes into the match when off a freekick by Dylan Grima, Rodrigo Frank Pereira beat goalkeeper Justin Haber to give Balzan the lead. Birkirkara increased the pressure on Balzan continuing to press until they finally managed to score the equaliser on the 72nd minute. Off a corner by Edward Herrera, Shola Shodiya headed the ball in goal past goalkeeper Daniel Martinez. As the match looked like it would end in a draw, Birkirkara managed to score the winning goal on the 86th minute. Off a cross by Edward Herrera, Matheus Bissi da Silva made no mistake with his shot from close range. Edward Herrera was voted BOV Player of the Match. BIRKIRKARA Justin Haber, Terence Vella (46' Frank Temile) (60' Ryan Scicluna), Zach Muscat, Zerafa Joseph, Matheus Bissi Da Silva, Paul Fenech (85' Ryan Camenzuli), Gareth Sciberras, Rowen Muscat, Haruna Shola Shodiya, Edward Herrera, Demba Toure. Subs not used: Reuben Gauci, Kurt Zammit, Daniel Zerafa, Ini Akpan. Coach: Paul Zammit BALZAN Daniel Miguelez Martinez, Firas Aboulezz (87' Ryan Darmanin), Steve Bezzina, Gianluca Calabretta (84' Erjon Beu), Dylan Grima, Justin Grioli, Jose Luis Armario Negrin (59' Lydon Micallef), Rodrigo Frank Pereira, Andrew Scicluna, Mark Spiteri, Fabio Vignaroli. Subs not used: Michael Falzon, Michael Borg, Shaun Bugeja, Andrew Cassar. Coach: Riccardo Tumiatti Referee: Glen Tonna Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Albert Borg Cardona Fourth Official: Alan M. Sant Yellow Cards: G. Calabretta, P. Fenech, S. Bezzina, R. Darmanin Scorers: 3' Rodrigo Frank Pereira(BZN) 72' Haruna Shola Shodiya , 86' Matheus Bissi Da Silva (BKR) PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD FORMULA 1 ory to Sliema NAXXAR Julian Azzopardi, Marlon Briffa (63' Osi Lucky Agboebina), Angus Buhagiar, Louis John Cutajar (77' Victor Bellia), Gilmar da Silva Ribeiro (20' Ousseni Zongo), Andrew Decesare, Pablo Doffo, Kurt Drago, Daren Falzon, Andre Rocha da Silva, Evaldo Silva dos Santos. Subs not used: Luke Pecorella, John Debono, Jurgen Debono, Mattia del Negro. Coach: Winston Muscat Referee: Malcolm Spiteri Assistant Referees: Ingmar Spiteri, Jurgen Spiteri Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann Yellow Cards: Drago, Decesare, Gatt Baldacchino, Buhagiar Red Cards: 90+2' Kurt Drago Scorers: 29' Stanley Ohawuchi, 78' Stanley Ohawuchi Lotus: Räikkönen wants technical assurance ERIC Boullier has reiterated that Kimi Räikkönen would ideally like to remain with Lotus next year, claiming assurance over the team's potential under the new regulations is all that stands between the Finn signing an extension to his contract. Räikkönen, whose initial Lotus deal expires at the end of the season, has impressed since returning to the sport in 2012, and was named as the main candidate to replace Mark Webber at Red Bull until negotiations broke down during the summer break. Although other options are said to be available to the former World Champion, Lotus team boss Boullier believes Räikkönen's preferred choice would be his squad. "It's clear that Kimi likes racing for us and would like to continue, which is a testament to all the hard work put in by everyone at Enstone," said Boullier. "We can see what a complete driver he is and how much he brings to the team in many different areas. "Kimi wants to be assured that we have everything in place to tackle the significant changes we will see in the sport next year. We're working hard to assure him that Lotus is where he should be and piece by piece we are getting all our ducks in a row." Boullier went on to explain that the team will do its best to keep Räikkönen in the title fight over the final eight races, despite the gap of 63 points to leader Sebastian Vettel. "We need to get Kimi back on the podium and consistently," he said. "His DNF in Spa was the first he has had with Lotus and we don't want to see any more this season. "He's been on the podium six times so far this year and there are eight races remaining. We all know that the gap to Sebastian is not getting any smaller, but behind Seb the battle is quite tight as we've seen over the last few races."