MOSTA-       0

VALLETTA-   4

Mosta: Y. Cini, A. Caruana, M. Toth, T. Farrugia, F. Onwudinjo, K. Magro, D. Fenech, N. Priso, L. Oseghale (K. Jackson), P. Calcado (K. Frendo), J.P. Mifsud Triganza (C. Romero)

Valletta: D. Bartkus, R. Camilleri, S. Malano (N. Pullis), J. Borg, L. Cremona, C. Pani, U. Uchenna, L. Aguirre, M. Velasco (M. Mifsud), R. Muscat (L. Montebello), R. Romao

Referee; T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs: J. Spiteri, L. Portelli

4th official: M. Apap

Scorers: M. Velasco 37, 68,  L. Montebello 44, 84

Yellow cards: D. Fenech, C. Romero

Player of the match: M. Velasco (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. M. Velasco  2. S. Malano  3. U. Uchenna

Attendance: 680

 

Photos Domenic Aquilina

Despite being caused some discomfort by an improved Mosta side, champions Valletta continue to keep up the pace with the two teams above them, while they still hold a steady push for the title win with eight matches still to play.

Valletta are now unbeaten in their last seven league matches.

Valletta had Steve Borg suspended and Jonathan Caruana named among the substitutes. The returning Ryan Camilleri and Jean Borg were Valletta’s central pairing in defence.

So much of Valletta’s success lately has stemmed from Maximiliano Velasco, recruited to fill the void of Federico Falcone, and the Argentine forward again took centre stage yesterday with his ability to unlock opposing defences. After scoring a brace against Sliema Wanderers the previous week, Velasco paved the way for Valletta’s victory over Mosta with two more goals. His attacking ambition tormented the Mosta defence throughout.

Santiago Malano’s ability to control the tempo and switch the point of attack, gives Valletta’s coach Paul Zammit more possibilities, while his set-piece deliveries provide another weapon for the champions.

And Michael Mifsud’s return from a long injury on 74 minutes gives Valletta an added boost for future games. Mifsud also provided the assist for Luke Montebello’s second goal as the latter gave his side’s attack some required impetus, after making his introduction as Rowen Muscat’s substitute past the half hour, and made his contribution with another brace.

Mosta, who had conceded seven goals against Balzan the previous week, needed to reassert some defensive solidity and coach Hornyak again made several changes to his yet unsettled side. Yenz Cini played in goal as they included Tyrone Farrugia, Njongo Priso and Pedro Calcado in their starting line-up.

Tyrone Farrugia held the defensive line, making several key interceptions and apparently relishing the physical challenge against Valletta’s forward Velasco.

Farrugia was just one of several rejuvenated figures in the Mosta side. Calcado sprayed his full range of passes, sitting at the base of midfield by the addition of David Fenech. Priso carried most threat down the right flank in the first half.

Mosta though looked a spent force after conceding Valletta’s opener just after the half hour.

As expected, Valletta made the more assertive start although they did not work keeper Cini until after the quarter hour. Then, Uchenna’s cross from the right was palmed out by keeper Cini. Borg’s diving header went just over the bar.

Mosta looked menacing on 19 minutes. Priso advanced down the right, chasing a Fenech pass, but hit the side netting.

On 23 minutes Aguirre’s corner from the right caused some embarrassment inside the Mosta area. Uchenna picked his spot with a shot going narrowly over.

Two minutes later, Valletta were close to breaking the deadlock. Velasco avoided several tackles inside the Mosta area and had also beaten the goalkeeper but his goalbound effort was cleared by Farrugia.

Mosta were admirably attempting  to halt a woeful run. On the half hour, Priso went past Aguirre inside the Valletta area but hgis final pass went astray.

After defending stoutly for much of the first half hour, Mosta were hit with a sucker punch on 37 minutes. As Valletta defended a Calcado free kick, they caught their opponents on the break. Montebello played a long ball to the advancing Maximiliano Velasco who had only the goalkeeper to beat despite Onwudinjo’s futile effort to clear the ball.

Valletta doubled their lead one minute before the break. Malano advanced from midfield before squaring the ball in the path of the unmarked Luke Montebello to hit low past keeper Cini and give his side a comfortable cushion by halftime.

Valletta keeper Bartkus was the first to be called into action after the restart, stopping a low strike by substitute Cesar Romero, in two attempts.

But Mosta must be thankful that Valletta showed some mercy in the second half, even fluffing easy opportunities. Velasco had skied the ball from a promising position, on an inviting Cremona cross, before he scored his side’s third on 68 minutes that sealed the match. Uchenna, set by Malano, kept going down the left flank and crossed for Velasco to hit home from close range.

Uchenna fluffed another chance, shooting wastefully over, after good work by Malano from the right.

There was still time for Valletta to score their fourth six minutes from time. Substitute Mifsud advanced down the right and crossed low from the byeline for Luke Montebello to knock the ball past the helpless Cini.

 

PEMBROKE ATHLETA-   2

BALZAN FC-                     5

Pembroke A: F. Tabone, M. Attard (Z. Grech), P. Giannopoulos, D. Falzon, R. Kooh Sohna, D. Jawad, P. Barbetti, I. Roppas, G. Nagaoka (T. Fenech), T. Radovnikovic, S. Eboh

Balzan FC: C. Cassar, C. Brincat (J. Grioli), S. Arab, B. Kaljevic, A. De Barros, S. Bezzina, A. Souza (A. Nafti), M. Piciollo, E. Serrano, P. Fenech, A. Effiong (L. Micallef)

Referee: S. Pace

Asst.refs: P. Apap, D. Petrovic

4th official: F. Zammit

Scorers: A. Souza 11, 42, 60, G. Nakaoka 18, B. Kaljevic 65, M. Piciollo 74, D. Falzon 83

Yellow cards: E. Serrano, Z. Levnaic

Player of the match: A. Souza (Balzan)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Souza  2. M. Piciollo  3. D. Falzon

 

After only 24 hours that they had been dethroned by Hibernians on Saturday, Balzan reclaimed top spot in the BoV Premier League, to demonstrate their title resolve, beating bottom side Pembroke Athleta, with another collective showing of devastating ruthlessness, after hitting seven past Mosta the previous week.

Balzan did not struggle for chances in either half, but a combination of poor finishing and dogged defending, kept Pembroke in the match for at least an hour.

As so often in recent weeks, however, Alan Souza was the man to settle the nerves and switch the momentum, scoring a hat-trick that takes his tally to seven goals in this campaign.

Balzan had midfielder Ryan Fenech suspended and coach Oliver Spiteri could afford to start with the likes of Janjusevic, Grioli, Micallef, Nafti and Grima on the bench, a reminder of depth of talent at his disposal.

Pembroke, with only one win in their last 13 league games, made five changes from the side that lost to Floriana the previous week. Frederick Tabone played in goal instead of regular Calleja Cremona. Suspensions of Owen Bugeja and Brooke Farrugia forced coach Shakjiri to reshuffle the defence with Sunday Eboh and Miguel Attard handed starts. Adrian Borg made way for the returning captain Zoran Levnaic while Darren Falzon was also included in the starting line-up.

Balzan gave proof that when they are in the mood, there are few sides, if any, better equipped at slicing through opposition.

On a Souza cross, Piciollo’s first timer had ended wide before they broke the deadlock as early as the 11th minute. Alan Souza unleashed a powerful cross shot wide from the left that surprised keeper Tabone, with the ball ending at the top corner.

Pembroke took only seven minutes to draw level. On a Falzon corner from the left, Balzan’s defence allowed the ball to bounce freely in front of goal and Go Nakaoka was quick to shoot past keeper Cassar.

Balzan steadily wrested back an element of control and kept coming back for more. Past the half hour a Piciollo rasping shot took a slight deflection off Radovnikovic.

A Paul Fenech diagonal shot went inches wide and Pembroke keeper was good to hold out an Arab powerful drive from outside the area.

Three minutes before the break, Balzan restored their lead as Pembroke were undone by another outbreak of sloppiness. De Barros played a through pass inside the Pembroke area and as the defence showed hesitation, Alan Souza nipped in to beat Tabone with a low strike.

But in the half’s added time, Pembroke threatened again with a Falzon free kick from outside the area that keeper Cassar repelled with some difficulty.

There was more zip to Balzan’s passing and pressing in the second half and they enjoyed total domination.

On 55 minutes Kaljevic picked Piciollo’s pass to test the Pembroke keeper with a powerful grounder.

On the hour,the game threatened to drift away from Pembroke as Balzan, and Alan Souza, scored the third goal. The intelligent Brazilian took the ball in his stride, went past three opponents as he breezed inside the Pembroke area, before sliding the ball past the helpless keeper Tabone.

Souza made way for Nafti soon after to the applause of the Balzan fans.

The substitute provided the assist for Bojan Kaljevic to beat a static Pembroke defence and score Balzan’s fourth goal on 65 minutes.

And by the time Matteo Piciollo crowned a good personal performance, hitting in Balzan’s fifth, on substitute Micallef’s pass, after 74 minutes, Pembroke were already worn out.

Pembroke at least could claim a late goal seven minutes from time. Darren Falzon scored with a direct free kick from the left to reduce the arrears.