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maltatoday SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER 2017 51 Sports SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL BOV Premier League Hamrun Spartans - Birkirkara ................ 1-0 Balzan - Hibernians............................... 1-0 Senglea Athletic - Naxxar Lions ............. 2-1 Floriana - Lija Athletic ............................ 6-0 Today - Hibernians Stadium 14:00 St. Andrews - Tarxien Rainbows 16:00 Gzira United - Valletta England - Premier League West Ham United - Chelsea.................... 1-0 Burnley - Watford .................................. 1-0 Crystal Palace - AFC Bournemouth ......... 2-2 Huddersfield T. - Brighton & H. Albion ... 2-0 Swansea City - West Bromwich Albion .... 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur - Stoke City .............. 5-1 Newcastle United - Leicester City ........... 2-3 Today 13:00 Southampton - Arsenal 15:15 Liverpool - Everton 17:30 Manchester United - Manchester City Italy - Serie A Cagliari - Sampdoria .............................. 2-2 Juventus - Inter ..................................... Late Today 12:30 ChievoVerona - Roma 15:00 SPAL 2013 - Hellas Verona 15:00 SSC Napoli - Fiorentina 15:00 Udinese - Benevento 18:00 Sassuolo - Crotone 20:45 AC Milan - Bologna Tomorrow 19:00 Genoa - Atalanta 21:00 Lazio - Torino Spain - Liga Satander Getafe - Eibar ........................................ 0-0 Real Madrid - Sevilla .............................. 5-0 Deportivo La Coruna - Leganes .............. 1-0 Valencia - Celta Vigo .............................. Late Today 12:00 Real Sociedad - Malaga ................ 16:15 Real Betis - Atletico Madrid ........... 18:30 Levante - Athletic Bilbao .............. 20:45 Villarreal - Barcelona ................... Tomorrow 21:00 Espanyol - Girona Germany - Bundesliga Borussia Dortmund - Werder Bremen .... 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayern Munich ....... 0-1 Hamburger SV - Wolfsburg .................... 0-0 RasenBallsport Leipzig - Mainz 05.......... 2-2 Borussia M. - Schalke 04 ....................... 1-1 Today 13:30 FC Cologne - Freiburg 15:30 Hannover 96 - Hoffenheim 18:00 Augsburg - Hertha Berlin Football Results & Fixtures Birkirkara secure narrow win over the Spartans Balzan beat Hibernians in a drab match Birkirkara ...................1 Hamrun Spartans ........0 WARREN ZAMMIT DURING the first half, both teams only managed two oppor- tunities each. However, Ħamrun had more of the ball and looked dangerous in front of goal. Birkirkara tested Steve Sultana after eight minutes. Kurt Zammit went on a good run before hitting a low shot that was saved by the Ħamrun shot stopper. The Spartans replied a minute later. Davide Succi sent a shot that took a deflection off a defender before hitting the post. Following twenty-two minutes without a single shot on goal, Birkirkara went close on the 31st minute. From a corner, the ball was delivered into the path of Montebello who fired high. However, Ħamrun didn't sit back and threatened again on the 39th minute. Marco Criaco's cross was met by Tiago Souza De Silveira whose header went slightly over. Paul Zammit substituted Kurt Zammit with Bruno Fernandez De Brito before the start of the sec- ond half to attempt to instil more creativity in his side. In fact, they showed better football throughout the entire second half. On the 57th minute, Ryan Ca- menzuli fired a low shot that was parried by Sultana. Five minutes later, Carlos Albero Da Silva Goncalves Junior hit a shot from distance that ended up over. Ħamrun replied on the 70th minute. Marco Criaco's shot from distance was neutralised by Schranz. Zammit's side had another chance on the 79th minute. Da Silva Goncalves received the ball on the right side of the penalty area and hit a powerful drive that went over. Birkirkara's efforts paid off on the 83rd minute. Jake Grech's shot took a deflection off a de- fender and went into the path of Montebello whose low finish gave Sultana no chance. Ħamrun gave everything in the last seven minutes, but were un- able to find a way past Birkirkara's defence. Ħamrun Spartans starting line- up: Steve Sultana, Tiago Souza De Silveira, Daniel Zerafa, Marco Criaco, Guilherme Felipe De Cas- tro, Cristian Zaccardo, Davide Succi, Thiago Espindola De Paula, Triston Caruana, Francisco Ma- noel Marino Clavero (Siraj Eddin Arab -74), Karl Micallef (Julian Galea – 87) Birkirkara starting line-up: Philip Schranz, Cain Attard, Nikola Vu- kanac, Lucas Maia, Kurt Zammit (Bruno Fernandez De Brito – 45), Mislav Andelkovic, Ryan Camen- zuli, Ryan Scicluna, Edward Her- rera (Jake Grech – 67), Carlos Al- berto Da Silva Goncalves Junior (Llyewlyn Cremona -87) , Luke Montebello Referee: Philip Farrugia Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, William Debattista Fourth Official: Sandro Spiteri Yellow Cards: Carlos Alberto Da Silva Goncalves Junior (Birkirka- ra), Ryan Scicluna (Birkirkara), Ry- an Camenzuli (Birkirkara), Daniel Zerafa (Ħamrun Spartans), Luke Montebello (Birkirkara), Mislav Andelkovic (Birkirkara) BOV Player of the Match: Marco Criaco (Ħamrun Spartans) Balzan ........................1 Hibernians ..................0 WARREN ZAMMIT THE match was mediocre with neither team managing to test the opposing goalkeeper. In fact, the two sides shared possession inside their own halves through- out the majority of the game. Hibernians created the first chance of the match on the 18th minute. Clayton Failla hit a shot from distance that went wide. The Paolites threatened again on the 36th minute. Dunstan Vella served Johann Bezzina inside the penalty area and the Hibs mid- fielder finished off target. In the first fifteen minutes of the second half, Balzan showed better football and had a number of opportunities on goal. On the 50th minute, Ryan Fenech hit a shot that went well over. Balzan went close again on the 55th min- ute. Bojan Kaljevic sent a powerful shot that ended up centimetres wide. Five minutes later, Carlos Eduardo De Fio- ri Mendes fired a shot from a free-kick that failed to hit the target. Hibernians hit back on the 77th minute. Johann Bezzina's shot from the left went across the frame of goal. Balzan scored the winning goal on the 90th minute. Substitute Alex Da Paixao Alves went past two de- fenders and finished past Andrew Hogg. Hibernians starting line-up: An- drew Hogg, Dunstan Vella, Mar- tin Kreuzriegler, Rui Da Garcia Gomes, Jackson De Lima Siquei- ra, Rodolfo Soares (Jurgen Dega- briele – 90), Marcelo Dias, Bjorn Kristensen, Clayton Failla (Marco Sahanek – 76), Johann Bezzina, Jorge Elias Dos Santos (Joseph Mbong -83) Balzan starting line-up: Ivan Janjusevic, Steven Bezzina, Elkin Serrano Valero, Alfred Effiong, Uros Ljubomirac (Alex Da Paixao Alves – 69), Ryan Fenech, Bojan Kaljevic, Bruno Gilio de Oliveira, Paul Fenech, Carlos Eduardo De Fiori Mendes (Michael Johnson – 90), Samir Arab (Justin Grioli - 88) Referee: Matthew Dega- briele Assistant Referees: Luke Portelli, Sammy Attard Fourth Official: Fyodor Zammit Yellow Cards: Paul Fenech (Balzan), Bruno Gilio de Oliveira (Balzan), Bjorn Kristens- en (Hibs), Elkin Serrano Valero (Balzan), Jorge Elias Dos Santos (Hibs) BOV Player of the Match: Jack- son Lima (Hibs) Luke Montebello's goal on the 83rd minute made all the difference as Birkirkara secured a narrow 1-0 win over Hamrun Spartans In a match that failed to live up to expectations, Balzan registered a 1-0 win over Hibernians. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC BORG PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC BORG