Swieqi women open three-point lead, Birkirkara keep title hopes alive

The Assikura Women’s League took another twist after last weekend’s results with Swieqi United taking sole command while Birkirkara boosting their hopes of a comeback.

A Jade Flask brace propelled the Owls to a crucial victory over Hibernians, putting daylight between the two teams as Swieqi are now on top with 42 points, opening three-point lead on the Paolites and Mġarr United.

Venezuela international Rafanny scored the other goal from the penalty spot which costed Hibernians’ Yolande Attard a red card and will be now missing next weekend’s match against Birkirkara.

The Stripes, on their part, dismantled Mġarr 4-0 with Erica Bispo netting a hat-trick while Alishia Cassar adding another.

The defending champions remain fourth but are now on 37 points, trailing Hibs and Mġarr by just two and five distant from leaders Swieqi with three matches left.

RESULTS

TOP FOUR

Hibernians 0-3 Swieqi United (Jade Flask 23, 45; Rafanny 90)
Hibernians: E. Harrington; N. Geren, C. Ellul (46 L. Ayres), A. Galea, K. Chetcuti (73 A. Busuttil), M. Borg, N. Sciberras, G. Mifsud, I. Farrugia (84 Y. Attard), A. Espitia, Joelma.
Swieqi: P. Araujo; S. Urpani, J. Flask (87 E. Micallef), E. Xuereb, S. Abdulai, K. Abdulai, S. Zammit, Rafanny, J. Schembri, T. Falzon, M. Cachia (90 Y. Azzopardi).

Mġarr United 0-4 Birkirkara (Erica Bispo 27, 63, 75; Alishia Cassar 69)
Mġarr: P. Ebejer; A. Said, A. Camilleri, A. Villegas, Y. Carella, L. Cefai, V. Villegas, Y. Mendez, M. Hernandez, R. Bajada, A. Grech.
Birkirkara: J. Xuereb; G. Zahra, L. Azzopardi, A. Cassar, V. Rapa, S. Francalanza (55 L. Cabral), C. Zammit, C. Schechinger (81 I. Camilleri), V. Nanez, M. Cardona, E. Bispo.

BOTTOM FOUR

Valletta 0-1 San Ġwann (Hailey Russell 68)
Valletta: M. Galea; A. Aloisio, O. Le Gouez, M. Sultana, R. Zerafa (70 M. La Rosa), L. Muscat (81 L. Lucas), S. Farrugia Sacco (54 G. Antonelli), Y. Grech (70 L. Vella), E. Micallef, S. Blihi, L. Lucas.
San Ġwann: J. Caruana; A. Rapa, N. Kobayashi, M. Schembri (80 N. Attard), Y. Attard (54 S. Gheiti) (87 T. Muscat), H. Russell, N. Blundell, F. Al Girbi (87 K. Paris), K. Vella (54 J. Falzon), N. Addo, M. Kasim.

Mtarfa 0-2 Lija Athletic (Vanessa Carneiro 68, 83)
Mtarfa: D. Grech; C. Versteegh, E. Csik, A. Fenech, J. Camilleri, M. Abdilla (62 E. Borg), K. Gribbon (62 K. Ciappara), O. Jelili (73 K. Camilleri), S. Spiteri, P. Ciappara, R. Zammit.
Lija: I. Sanchez; S. Caruana, M. Stagno (83 R. Mifsud), S. Bugeja, V. Carneiro, E. Marmara (53 M. Ibrahim), E. Gonzalez, N. Zarb Cousin (60 L. Cassar), I. Sultana (83 M. Belkis), L. Gonzalez, L. Calleja (53 P. Camilleri).

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STANDINGS

TOP FOUR
Swieqi United 42; Hibernians, Mġarr United 39; Birkirkara 37
BOTTOM FOUR
San Ġwann 31; Lija Athletic 21; Valletta 20; Mtarfa 0