Valletta   4

Rabat    0

Valletta had no difficulty to beat lowly-placed Rabat as they dominated the proceedings during the whole 80 minutes.

Had they taken all the chances they created, the final scoreline would have been different. Rabat keeper Andrew Zammit saved his side from a much heavier defeat with very good saves and timely interceptions 

The Citizens went straight on the offensive. Kurt Borg served Llewelyn Cremona with a square pass who after beating a defender drove slightly over the bar.

In Rabat’s only action in the first period after 15 minutes, Chris Schembri served Aidon Azzopardi with a through ball but he missed the upright from outside the area. 

Valletta resumed with their pressing. Dean Grech served Cremona in the area and the ball was cleared to a corner from his shot. Luke Scicluna tried his luck from outside the area and Rabat keeper Andrew Zammit denied him with a diving save to a corner. Minutes later he denied Cremona with another diving save.

In the 35th minute Valletta opened the score when Borg served Cremona in the area and he netted with a low shot.

Hardly a minute later, Zammit neutralised a dangerous cross-shot by Dario Zampa in two attempts.

Two minutes before the interval the score became 2-0 when Scicluna pounced on a defensive indecision and scored with a grounder after entering the area.

Valletta scored a third goal five minutes after the restart when Mohammed Zaurouq served Borg with a cross from the right flank who headed in from inside the area.

Zammit came to his side’s rescue once again as he turned the ball to a corner with a diving save from a Zaurouq free kick after Borg was fouled outside the area.

Cremona made it 4-0 in the 55th minute when he pounced on a loose ball, entered the area after beating a defender and scored with a low diagonal shot.

In a Rabat action Aidan Azzopardi was fouled outside the area and he drove well over the bar from the free kick.

Valletta kept pressing till the end. Substitute Marco Catalano was fouled outside the area and Scicluna drove slightly over the bar from the free kick.

Cremona then served Gauci with a short pass from a corner kick who then crossed the ball in the area and Zammit was able to save.

Catalano later served Cremona outside the area and Zammit saved his shot in two attempts.

In the last action before the end Zammit was forced to dive and save the ball to a corner from a Cremona freekick.

Referee: Paul Apap

Player of the match: Andrew Zammit (Rabat)