Watch: Abubakar stars as Birkirkara crush Tarxien to boost Top Six hopes

Birkirkara secured a crucial victory in their quest to put themselves back in the running for a Top Six berth when they eased past lowly Tarxien Rainbows 4-0 at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

Much of the focus was on the clash between Birkirkara and Tarxien Rainbows as the Stripes had no margin for error against the relegation strugglers if they were to keep alive their hopes of qualifying to the Top Six.

It was their new striker, Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah, who was the real protagonist for Birkirkara when netting four goals that earned his team a crucial victory that lifted them to third place in the standings, on 16 points, level with Ħamrun Spartans.

And the Stripes will now await what the same Spartans, Hibernians, Sliema Wanderers and Marsaxlokk will manage today to see what they need in Saturday’s final clash of the Opening Round against the Malta champions.

Birkirkara, as expected, held control of the match but found it tough to break down a resolute Tarxien defence.

Their pressure finally yielded a breakthrough on 25 minutes when Stephan Makoma’s angled drive was flicked home by Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah.

The Birkirkara forward all but wrapped up the points for his team six minutes later when, from a Marcos Maydana free-kick, Abubakar-Ankrah anticipated his marker to head the ball past Andrea Cassar.

Two goals down, the Rainbows needed something to reignite their hopes in the match.

Four minutes from the break, they had their best chance of the half when Tiago Conceicao controlled the ball inside the area, but the Brazilian fired his volley over the bar.

With two goals to the good, Birkirkara opted to administer their advantage in the second half.

Tarxien remained short of ideas and they rarely managed to create any danger to the Birkirkara defence.

Instead, it was Birkirkara who further rubberstamped their authority with a third goal.

Abubakar-Ankrah completed a stunning performance when he completed his hat-trick on 62 minutes.

In a quick break, Stephan Makoma powered his way inside the area before squaring the ball to Abubakar-Ankrah who backheeled the ball into the net.

Any hopes for the Tarxien defence that the new Stripes forward would take it easy in the remaining minutes were shattered on 73 minutes when he claimed his fourth of the day.

Lucas Macula was the architect behind this goal as the Brazilian embarked on a surging run that took him inside the area before squaring the ball for the unmarked Portuguese forward who stabbed home into an empty net.