Mosta: O. Borg, T. Farrugia, A. Borg, D. Falzon, R. Grech (K. Pulo), B. Kaljevic (K. Frendo), S. Jovanovic (K. Zammit), N. Milovanovic, D. Bueno, K. Magro, M. Micallef

Valletta: N. Vella, J. Caruana, I. Az- zopardi, S. Borg, R. Camilleri (L. Dimech), R. Fenech, H. Faria (L. Monte- bello), R. Kooh Sohna, L. Alliyu, S. Bajada, A. Nafti (C. Caruana)

Referee: F. Zammit Asst.refs: D. Sultana, J. Spiteri 4th official: P. Farrugia Scorers: B. Kaljevic 24 Yellow cards: K. Magro, K. Pulo, H. Faria

Player of the match: O. Borg (Mosta)

TMI top 3: 1. O. Borg  2. M. Micallef  3. L. Dimech Attendance: 1350

A disjointed performance against Mosta ended in defeat for reigning champions Valletta where the new season curtain didn’t so much swish open as expected. Mosta emerged worthy winners, thanks to a Bojan Kaljevic goal midway through the first half, as they showed spirit of determined organisation. They were well manned at the back, with Tyrone Farrugia and Adrian Borg slotting in at the centre of defence and new Serb Alemanja Milovanovic and Manolito Micallef sitting tight in front of

the back four. Over and above, goalkeeper Omar Borg produced some superlative goalkeeping and distinguished himself with a series of saves, including a first half penalty. Mosta’s other two new foreigners, Milovanovic and Bueno, were unimpressive upon their season debut. Brazilian Pedrinho did not feature due to suspension yesterday. Valletta started with Kooh Sohna and Alliyu in attack, with Nafti in support.

Steve Ryan Camilleri and Jonathan Caruana were their two central defenders, with Ian Azzopardi and Shaun Bajada their wide backs. Steve Borg, Ryan Fenech and new Portuguese Hugo Faria kept cover in midfield. The champions could not have had a worse start to the game. On 17 minutes, they were awarded a penalty, flagged by the referee’s assistant, as Mosta defender Adrian Borg was deemed to have handled Steve Borg’s cross inside the area. But the Mosta keeper Omar Borg dived the right way to hold out Alliyu’s shot from the spot. To make matters worse, Valletta fell behind on 24 minutes, when their keeper Nicky Vella failed to hold Bojan Kaljevic’s powerful low drive from outside the area, although he looked well in the path of the ball’s flight. To add insult to injury, central defender Ryan Camilleri was stretchered off before the half hour, to be replaced by Luke Dimech. Valletta’s rhythm was rudely interrupted after Mosta’s lead. Hard as they tried to react, they struggled to make inroads in the face of an obdurate Mosta de- fence. Kooh Sohna went close with his shot that was held out by keeper Borg with the help of the post. Alliyu headed a Bajada free kick narrowly wide and a Fenech low drive was parried by the grounded Mosta keeper.

Valletta kept trying in a sluggish second period but they only threatened with an Alliyu shot and a Nafti free kick that narrowly missed the target. Past the hour, they even intro- duced their other new signing Christian Caruana, who had an effort saved by keeper Borg after the ball ran loose at his feet with the Mosta defence failing to clear a Bajada free kick from the left. In the late stages, Mosta looked unstable as the ball pinged around their box. Valletta’s other late substitute, Luke Montebello, hooked Caruana’s cross inside the area ten minutes from the end but keeper Borg blocked. In the dying minutes, Montebello headed  Kooh Sohna’s cross wide from a promising position. Valletta collapsed unceremoniously as the game slunk into five minutes of added time without them able to avoid this embarassing defeat.