MOSTA – 1
VALLETTA- 2
Mosta: Y.Cini, E. Michelletti, A. Borg, F. Alabi, L. Yousso (T. Farrugia), O. Guobadia (L. Micallef), J. Brincat, R. Ekani (S. Gwan), Z. Brincat, K. Frendo, G. Mensha
Valletta: H. Bonello, J. Caruana, U. Uchenna, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, L. Cremona, M. Mifsud (I. Azzopardi), F. Falcone, C. Pani (J. Borg), Jhonnattann, A. Nafti (R. Romao)
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, M. Scerri
4th official: C. Pisani
Scorers: Jhonnattann 1, J. Borg 42, G. Mensha 56
Yellow cards: R. Camilleri, Z. Brincat, R. Ekani, C. Pani, A. Borg, F. Alabi
Player of the match: A. Nafti (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Caruana 2. A. Borg 3. U. Uchenna
Attendance: 1,400
Valletta went six points clear at the top of the BoV Premier League with a tight, eagerly fought 2-1 victory over a plucky Mosta side, set up by a Jhonnattann early opener and backed by a second from substitute Jean Borg shortly before the break, in a muscular, grudging game of football.
Valletta are staying patient, sticking to the plan, waiting for their strengths to tell. They were good in the first half with their passing, movement and ball retention and managed to take a two-goal lead by halftime. But they were forced to show some defensive resilience in the second half as they looked second best to their opponents for most of the time, especially after Mosta reduced the deficit and even threatened to choke them as they produced an onslaught for the last half hour.
Mosta tried to make the most of Valletta’s laid back approach after the interval with a more incisive display. They pulled a goal back but fell short of at least taking a deserved draw at the end, when even denied by the post in the late stages.
Valletta coach Paul Zammit tweaked his line-up.With their talismatic captain Roderick Briffa suspended but defender Umeh Uchenna again available, Ian Azzopardi was releagted to the bench. And in the absence of Rafael Ledesma, Michael Mifsud was given a start.
Valletta could not have dreamt for a better opening. Within the first minute – 19 seconds on the clock to be precise – they were in front.
The goal came from Jhonnattann with his fine, pre-emptive run through the unsettled Mosta rearguard, on Nafti’s pass, and a shot at the roof of the net that rendered Yenz Cini helpless. Cini had replaced Omar Borg in goal and another notable absentee for Mosta yesterday was Tyrone Farrugia, named only among the substitutes.
The lively nature of the opening stages continued as Valletta threatened again ten minutes later. Falcone again went inside the Mosta area but when challenged by Borg and Alabi, he dragged the ball wide.
Valletta were good in spells but not at full stretch. When Nafti tried to go past defender Borg, he was blocked by keeper Cini. It was only towards halftime that Valletta doubled their advantage. The Mosta keeper did well to tip Nafti’s volley into a corner and from the resultant Jhonnattann flag kick, the ball was cleared in the path of substitute Jean Borg who beat Cini with a drilling drive from outside the area. Borg had gone in for the injured Pani five minutesd earlier.
Mosta did only threaten for an equaliser during a ten-minute spell midway through the half once Valletta had retreated deep to defend their lead.
Alabi had his shot blocked by Caruana into a corner on 22 minutes and another Alabi close header, on James Brincat’s cross, was held out with some difficulty by the Valletta keeper Bonello.
Valletta introduced Ian Azzopoardi for Mifsud for the second period. Perhaps relaxing a little, Valletta experienced a slapdash moment on 56 minutes. Godwin Mensha advanced on the right, picking Ekani’s pass, beat the challenge of Cruz and hit past keeper Bonello from a tight angle.
Three minutes later Mosta almost equalised. The lively Ekani played one-two with Mensha to pull clear inside the Valletta area but keeper Bonello read the jink and got his hand to the ball to thwart him.
Ekani limped off soon after but Valletta struggled to regain their first half momentum. Jean Borg, Cremona and Jhonnattann were finding the going tough in central midfield as Mosta creditably refused to give up.
Falcone found space inside the Mosta area on a Jhonnattan cross, but keeper Cini was quick to block.
Mosta were extremely unlucky in the dying minutes of normal time when a low Adrian Borg drive rebounded off the foot of the post and Gwan skied the rebound.
On the other end, keeper Cini denied Valletta as he superbly turned Uchenna’s drilling shot into a corner.
NAXXAR LIONS- 0
BIRKIRKARA – 4
Naxxar L: A. Gallinetta, A. Hungria (A. Buhagiar), A. Scicluna, E. Casado, D. Toure’, D. Falzon, J. Godar Pereira, I. Grech, D. Fenech (J. Ellul), M. Fenech (G. Grima), N. Tasic
Birkirkara: M. Kopric, C. Attard, M. Mazzetti, C. Bubalovic, J. Zerafa (R. Scicluna), G. Sciberras, E. Zarate, F. Temile (E. Agius), G. Mujanovic (K. Zammit), R. Camenzuli, M. Smrekar
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann
Asst.refs: R. Vella, L. Portelli
Additionasl asst.refs: E. Azzopardi, S. Pace
4th official: D. Castillo
Scorers: M. Smrekar 7, R. Camenzuli 14, E. Agius 79, E. Zarate 90+
Yellow cards: A. Hungria, D. Toure’, M. Mazzetti
Player of the match: R. Camenzuli (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. G. Mujanovic 2. R. Camenzuli 3. J. Godar Pereira
Naxxar’s losing streak continued with this sixth consecutive defeat in the BoV Premier League against superior Birkirkara yesterday.
This easy victory made it 15 points from the last six matches and, with Balzan dropping points on Saturday, third place suddenly is in Birkirkara’s sight. The Stripes remain fourth, but are now only a point adrift of Balzan.
Try as they might, Naxxar could never quite get to grips with either Ryan Camenzuli’s wing play or Gorana Mujanovic and Edison Zarate’s inventive in midfield, as they succumbed to two early goals and another two in the late stages of a one-sided match. Scrappy at times, Naxxar looked fighting a forlorn battle to bring some cohesion to their play and their relegation worries have been compounded further.
Even without Limam Seyda in attack, after the club parted ways with the forward, Birkirkara had started confidently enough and were two goals up before the match was even a quarter hour old. On seven minutes, Naxxar failed to cut Attard’s deep cross from the right and Matija Smrekar put his head to the ball to beat keeper Gallinetta, playing in the Naxxar goal for the suspended Luke Pecorella.
Hardly seven minutes later, the Stripes increased their advantage. Mujanovic’s inswinging free kick from the left was tipped by the goalkeeper towards Mazzetti who headed the ball down for Ryan Camenzuli to shoot in.
Birkirkara kept creating all the chances and might have been further ahead were it not for some profligacy.
Towards the half hour Smrekar played his free kick square to Mujanovic who shot tantalisingly wide.
Mujanovic missed another chance putting his shot off target on a Temile pass and on 39 minutes Camenzuli’s shot was blocked after Naxxar’s defence cleared a Zerafa cross short.
The match was less one-sided in the second half, with Naxxar showing more organisation and attacking initiative. Mostly inoperative in the first half, the Birkirkara keeper Kopric was almost surprised by Falzon’s inswinging corner kick from the left on the hour, but managed to save into another corner with the help of the post. Another Falzon shot went narrowly over until Birkirkara settled again, taking possession for periods without creating chances.
On 69 minutes, Edmond Agius went in for Temile and the Birkirkara substitute soon put his name on the scoresheet with his side’s third goal on 79 minutes. Standing in line with the Naxxar backline, he hooked Camenzuli’s through pass to shoot past keeper Gallinetta.
Naxxar were close to scoring a consolation goal in the dying minutes but keeper kopric saved Casado’s header into a corner.
Although the points were already in their grasp, Birkirkara made their win more emphatic with another goal in added time. Edison Zarate controlled Sciberras’ cross and from inside the area finished off with little difficulty.