Pieta H. 0
Valletta 4
Pieta H. : N. Vella, T. Ose, T. Bartolo, N. Pace Cocks, J. Busuttil ( Q. Bregman 85') , G. Mensah, J. M. Artiaga Roa ( D. Agius 57') , C. Grech, S. Nakamura (N. Pisani 76') , I. Irimiya Jalo, A.Orlando Macedo Neto.
Valletta : H. Bonello, S. Borg (J. Caruana 46') , R. Camilleri, S. Malano, M. Piciollo, J. Zerafa (J. Borg 76') , I. Saleh, R. Muscat, M. Alba, B. Kaljevic (B. Gavrila 68') , M. Fontanella.
Referee: Darryl Agius
Asst refs: Roberto Vella, Paul Apap
4th official: Emanuel Grech
Scorers: M. Fontanella 11', 23, B. Kaljevic 28', M. Alba (p) 32'
Yellow cards: A. Macedo Neto, J. Zerafa
Player of the match: Miguel Angel Alba (Valletta)
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Alba , 2. M. Fontanella , 3. M. Piciollo
Reigning Champions Valletta claimed their fifth consecutive win when they simply demolished Pieta Hotspurs in the first match played at the Centenary Stadium. After beating Birkirkara, Qormi, Senglea and Balzan it was now the Hotspurs turn to be on the receiving end.
Valletta had the striking partners on song with Fontanella bagging another brace and keeping the momentum of scoring in every match. Following their opener which arrived after only eleven minutes they dominated the proceedings and it was only a matter of how much the end result was going to be since the maximum points were a guarantee.
But the orchestrator of the first half great show by the Champions was Miguel Angel Alba who ran havoc and was uncontrollable and a joy to watch. The Valletta machine is now working wonders, not only winning but doing it in style.
Pieta were coming from their first win after beating Mosta in their last match but by the end of the first half all the good done and achieved in their last outing was already a thing of the past.
Danilo Doncic made two changes from the team which defeated Balzan with Jean Borg and Enmy Pena Beltre replaced by Ryan Camilleri and Santiago Malano . On the other hand Pieta made one change from the team which defeated Mosta as Gabriel Mensah was preferred to Paul Chimezie.
Pieta were the first to venture forward and in the 3rd minute Mensah found Nakamura on the left side of the pitch only for his shot to end just wide.
But it was the Citizens who drew first blood on 11 minutes. Alba was the supplier with a perfect pass towards Mario Fontanella who continued with his scoring streak finding the net with a low shot that beat Vella.
The Champions were now in total control and in the 15th minute were rather unlucky when Fontanella's shot from the edge of the area hit woodwork. On 23 minutes Valletta doubled their lead when off an Alba cross from the right flank Mario Fontanella headed past a helpless Vella.
Goals were now the order of the day and it was no surprise when five minutes later the Citizens increased their tally. This time through their other prolific striker Bojan Kaljevic who took a rebound from Piciollo's shot which was partially saved by Vella and headed home.
Things were now turning sour for the Hotspurs when just past the half hour Macedo Neto floored Fontanella in the area and from the resultant penalty Miguel Angel Alba made no mistake. They ended the first half on the offensive with Alba seeing his powerful drive ended just wide.
The second half was more of a training session with Valletta controlling the match and a damage limitation exercise by Pieta. In fact it was only three minutes from time when Valletta had their first chance of the half when a Gavrila shot was deflected by Christian Grech.
And two minutes later a close range shot by Alba was blocked by Vella and off the rebound Fontanella hit wide.