Valletta yesterday won a friendly match against first division Mqabba by two goals to one.

The match, played at the St Aloysius College ground, served coach JJ Aquilina as preparation for next Saturday’s important clash against Birkirkara.

In fact, he took the opportunity to try out some youngsters apart from giving another match to returning Nigerian striker Chris Oretan. But players like Gilbert Agius, Karl Bonnici, Massimo Grima and Keith Fenech did not play.

Valletta were 0-1 in arrears at the end of the first half, but in the second, Dylan Zarb equalised and Mark Galea later scored the winner.

Meanwhile, it was known yesterday that Pieta’s Anatole Debono is expected to join Valletta by the end of this week.