Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/776046
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 JANUARY 2017 47 Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL BOV Premier League St. Andrews - Balzan ....................... 0-1 Birkirkara - Valletta .......................... 0-1 Today - Hibernians Stadium 14:00 Tarxien R. - Pembroke Athleta 16:00 Floriana - Sliema Wanderers Today - Victor Tedesco Stadium 14:00 Gzira united - Hibernians 16:15 Hamrun Spartans - Mosta England - Premier League Liverpool - Swansea City .................. 2-3 AFC Bournemouth - Watford............. 2-2 Crystal Palace - Everton ................... 0-1 Middlesbrough - West Ham United ... 1-3 Stoke City - Manchester United ........ 1-1 West B. Albion - Sunderland ............ 2-0 Manchester City - Tottenham H. ........ 2-2 Today 13:00 Southampton - Leicester City 15:15 Arsenal - Burnley 17:30 Chelsea - Hull City Italy - Serie A ChievoVerona - Fiorentina ............... 0-3 AC Milan - SSC Napoli ...................... Late Today 12:30 Juventus - Lazio 15:00 Bologna - Torino 15:00 Empoli - Udinese 15:00 Genoa - Crotone 15:00 Palermo - Inter 15:00 Pescara - Sassuolo 18:00 Atalanta - Sampdoria 20:45 Roma - Cagliari Spain - Liga BBVA Espanyol - Granada ......................... 3-1 Real Madrid - Malaga ....................... 2-1 Alaves - Leganes ............................. 2-2 Villarreal - Valencia ......................... Late Today 12:00 Osasuna - Sevilla 16:15 Athletic Bilbao - Athletic Madrid 18:30 Real Betis - Sporting Gijon 18:30 Real Sociedad - Celta Vigo 20:45 Eibar - Barcelona Football Results & Fixtures Valletta's hopes of a title challenge still alive Valletta ................... 1 Birkirkara ................ 0 WARREN ZAMMIT IN a match between two sides needing points to keep their hopes of a title challenge alive, Valletta managed to secure a 1-0 win over Birkirkara. Birkirkara created the first opportunity of the match after five minutes. From a free kick, Srdan Dimitrov fired a shot that found Dziugas Barktus on the alert. Valletta responded on the 13th minute. From a free kick, Umeh Uchenna Calistus served San- tiago Santiago Malano whose header was well saved by Henry Bonello. The citizens went ahead on the 27th minute. Malano an- ticipated Birkirkara's defenders and hit a low shot past Bonello. Birkirkara lost a golden oppor- tunity to equalise on the 40th minute. Vito Plut went past his marker on the right side before delivering the ball towards the unmarked Matthew Guillaum- ier who finished wide from close range. In the additional time given by the referee prior to half time, Birkirkara lost another great opportunity. Gonzalo Malan went through on goal and sent a shot that hit the side netting. Many Birkirkara players pro- tested for a goal kick as they argued that Barktus had tipped the ball; however, Malcolm Spi- teri pointed for a goal kick and whistled the end of the first half. The Stripes pushed for an equaliser and lost another chance on the 47th minute. Dimitrov managed to put Plut through on goal, but the Birkirkara forward thought that he was in an offside position and remained static. Valletta responded on the 51st minute. Romeu Pericles Romao served Malano and the latter finished off target. Paul Zammit's side were close to double the score on the 55th minute. Calistus went on a good run inside the penalty area be- fore sending a shot that sailed wide of the post. Calistus lost another golden chance for Valletta on the 73rd minute. Malano sent a danger- ous cross inside the penalty area towards the Nigerian who fired high. Dimitrov nearly equalised for Birkirkara on the 84th minute. The Serbian footballer hit a shot from the edge of the penalty ar- ea that hit the post. Valletta starting line-up: Dziu- gas Barktus, Jonathan Carua- na, Steve Borg, Ryan Camilleri, Santiago Malano, Tomas Radzi- nevicius, Llwelyn Cremona, Claudio Pani, Umeh Uchenna Calistus, Leandro Aguirre, Romeu Pericles Romao. Birkirkara starting line-up: Henry Bonello, Christian Bubal- ovic, Gareth Sciberras, Matthew Guillaumier, Mislav Andelko- vic, Srdan Dimitrov, Gonzalo Malan, Vito Plut, Nikola Vu- kanac, Cain Attard, Gary Muir. Referee: Malcolm Spiteri Assistant Referees: Luke Por- telli, Chris Azzopardi Additional Assistant Referees: Philip Farrugia, Eman Grech Fourth Of ficial: Peter Abela BOV Player of the match: San- tiago Malano (Valletta) PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC BORG Llewlyn Cremona (Valletta) challenging for the ball