Valletta's win over Balzan, their second league victory on the trot, might change Gilbert Agius side's landscape beyond recognition. Much more of this, and the champions might again well look as potential challengers for this season's honours.

Valletta showed more verve and swagger and should have won by a bigger margin were it not for some profligacy and superlative goalkeeping by Steve Sultana in the Balzan goal.

A Roderick Briffa goal past the half hour gave the team from the caqpital a slender first half lead and Valletta left it late to score the assuring second goal despite their total dominance in the second period as they registered a second consecutive clean sheet.

Abdel Karim Nafti impressed in midfield, while Roderick Briffa contributed such vital interceptions as well as delivering decent balls to the forwards.

After three consecutive draws, Balzan succumbed to their second defeat of the season, as they now remain winless in four outings.

They had defender Elkin Serrano suspended and included Clive Brincat in their starting line-up, with Frederick Odebe replacing Luke Sciberras.

But this is no excuse for their lack of inventive from Edison Zarate and Oscar Guerrero in midfield as well as the lack of punch from Piccioni and Mifsud Triganza up front. Fluency was largely absent from Balzan's play yesterday.

After their 2-0 win against Naxxar the previous week, Valletta's coaching staff ensured that the side cqarried plenty of threat by picking an attacking eleven, including  Lateef Alliyu and Rafael Kooh when forced to make do without the suspended Portuguese midfielder Hugo Faria. Ryan Fenech played in a deeper role in front of the Valletta defence. His performance was an improvement over the recent weeks. He scored his side's assuring goal in the late stages.

They enjoyed the better share of possession during the first 45 minutes but it was only in the second part of the half that the champions took gradual control, culminating in their opening goal past the half hour, after coming up a couple of threats.

Nafti's dipping shot from the edge of the area after 23 minutes almost caught the Balzan keeper Sultana out of his line, but the ball landed on the roof of the net. On Nafti's corner, Barry's effort was cleared off the line during a goalmouth scramble.

On 34 minutes, Nafti appeared to have controlled Barry's deep cross with his arm, to lay the ball clear in the path of Roderick Briffa to score with a low drive.

Briffa was lucky to be still on the pitch by then. Four minutes earlier he retaliated on Guerrero's foul but the referee opted for the easiest way  out with a caution to both players.

Valletta's lead looked more legitimate in the second half after mounting a series of attacks that pinned Balzan inside their own area for long stretches.

After a Nafti free kick took a deflection off the Balzan wall, Steve Borg put his header off target. Lateef's effort was blocked, the ball fell to Barry, who hit the side netting. Fenech shot over the bar and keeper Sultana held out Kooh Sohna's effort. On 57 minutes, the Valletta striker should have done better when put through by Briffa, but the Balzan keeper could save the tame effort.

On the hour, Mifsud Triganza was stretchered off for Balzan as Valletta held on their grip on the proceedings.

On 67 minutes substitute Llywelyn Cremona's shot, on Fenech's through pass, lacked enough power to beat keeper Sultana.

Balzan briefly threatened after that. Piccioni laid an inviting ball to substitute Ryan Darmanin who forced keeper Vella, who probably was not expected to be so under employed, into the most difficult save, tipping the ball over into a corner.

On 75 minutes, Briffa's shot demanded a smart save from keeper Sultana. Lateef hit feebly on the loose ball. And Ryan Camilleri advanced down tghe right but his rising shot narrowly missed the target.

Although lucky to be still in contention, Balzan were undone six minutes from time. Their defender Osa Guobadia was sent off after  he tripped Lateef on the edge of the area as the Valletta forwrd was put clear by Briffa. And the plucky keeper Sultana was rendered helpless by Ryan Fenech's deflected low free kick to secure the points and reward Valletta for their collective resolve on a positive afternoon.

Uchinne Emenike’s brace and his involvement in the other two goals, gave Naxxar Lions their first Premier League win this season as they beat Pieta Hotspurs 4-0 in this bottom-of-the-table clash at Victor Tedesco stadium.

The Lions had gone nine games without a win and were in desperate need of a boost. Emenike, who was handed a start by coach Jesmond Zerafa ahead of Terence Vella in attack yesterday, gave them that, to secure an impressive success over a poor Pieta side.

It was due reward for an industrious showing from Naxxar, who appeared keen not to let this chance slip away. The Lions were bereft of the services of their suspended defender David Reano, replaced by Andrew Scicluna.

Toothlessness in attack and flakiness at the back is a toxic combination and both were present in Pieta’s side yesterday. They were left reeling after conceeding twice before the hour.

The Hotspurs left Claudio Frances and Orosco Anonam on the bench after their narrow win against the other newly promoted team Zebbug Rangers the previous week.

Desperate to get on top early and not leave anything to chance, Naxxar started on the offensive, with some interchanging play between Guaye, Emenike and Ribeiro causing some embarassing moments to the Pieta defence in the opening stages. They were forced to substitute the injured Fraga Da Silva after only 18 minutes, to be replaced by Pablo Doffo.

Pieta were erratic in their delivery and Joa Gabriel had already failed to connect on a Rodrigues cross before Zacarias’ glaring miss in front of the Naxxar goal, on Joa Gabriel’s inviting cross from the right, three minutes before the break.

Naxxar forged ahead on the stroke of halftime. On Emenike’s throw-in, Edet headed the ball towards the middle for Daren Falzon to beat keeper Cassar with a relatively  free header.

Naxxar’s second goal was well-timed too. Just seven minutes into the second half, Uchinne Emenike advanced with power and speed down the left flank, to beat the Pieta keeper at the far post from a tight angle.

Pieta immediately drafted in Claudio Frances for Tasic but their prospects were already looking bleak by then. Naxxar retreated further, putting six and seven men behind the ball to stifle all of Pieta’s progress.

The match was as good as over by the 78th minute. Emenike again outpaced Attard with his thrilling run down the left, sent a low cross towards the middle for substitute Terence Vella to tap in into an open goal, only a few seconds after making his appearance on the pitch.

Emenike increased Pieta’s misery eight minutes from the end as he again capitalised on Pieta’s vulnerable defence to run through and strike past the helpless keeper David Cassar.