Valletta 8

Birkirkara 1

The final score is a clear indication that there was only one team in the game. Valletta were by far the most organised outfit in all departments and their possession and passing of the ball were a delight to watch.

Birkirkara tried very hard to operate on the break with long and high balls which were dealt with ease by the tall Valletta defenders were Brandon Grech excelled with his timely interceptions.

Following this game Valletta and Birkirkara share fourth place on 32 points from 19 games.

The first action was created by Birkirkara when Kurt Zammit served Julian Gatt with a cross from the right and Valletta keeper Luke Pecorella neutralised the ball with a timely sortie.

At the other end, Llywelyn Cremona served Brandon Grech with a through ball and after the latter returned the compliment to Miguel Attard in the area, Stripes keeper Ryan Micallef foiled him with a timely sortie.

Valletta opened the score in the 9th minute when Attard released Cremona on the left flank who then served Ian Montanaro with a cross in the area and he scored with a low, hard drive.

In another action by Valletta, Grech released Montanaro on the right flank and Micallef neutralised the ball from his cross-shot.

Birkirkara equalised in the 14th minute when Kevin Zammit dribbled past an opponent on the right flank and served Kurt Zammit with a cross in the area and the latter scored with a low shot.

Their joy was shortlived, however, as hardly a minute later, Valletta scored a second goal when Cremona released Mohammed Zarrouq who netted with a hard rising shot. 

In a reaction by Birkirkara they mounted two actions. Kurt Zammit was fouled on the right edge of the area, from the free kick by the same player the ball was partly cleared outside the area. Ayrton Mifsud drove over the bar from the rebound .

Soon after, Pecorella had to dive and save the ball to a corner from a shot by Shawn Deguara. 

In the last two actions before the break Zarrouq was fouled outside the area and Liam Grech missed the upright by inches. Then Liam Grech served Luke Scicluna with a through ball outside the area and Micallef dived to save his shot.

Six minutes after restart the score became 3-1 when Kurt Drakary dribbled past an opponent outside the area: the ball thumped the bar from his hard drive and Cremona scored from the rebound.

The same player scored a fourth goal six minutes later after being put through by Drakary.

Cremona then obtained a hat-trick in the 63rd minute when he scored from inside the area.

In the 69th minute the score became 6-1 after a choral move. Scicluna served Cremona with a through ball who then served Zarrouq in the area. After the latter’s shot was partly cleared, Montanaro netted from the rebound.

Hardly a minute later, the score became 7-1 when Zarrouq received the ball from a cross from the left and scored with a grounder.

Seven minutes from the end Valletta scored No 8 from the penalty spot through Ryan Caruana after Cremona was tripped in the area.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi

Player of the match: Brandon Grech (Valletta)