Valletta registered their second consecutive win after beating Lija Athletic with the same score that they won their last match against Zejtun. And as was th case in their last match it wasn’t a stroll in the park since Lija had their fair share and had they gained a point from this match it would have been no surprise.

Lija Athletic made two changes from their last match with Fernando Javier Brandan and Juan Gill Cruz starting instead of Pedro Luiz Soares Gusso and Valdo Goncalves Alhinho. Valletta also were forced to make a number of changes with coach Gilbert Agius drafting in Matteo Piciollo, Rowen Muscat, Shaun Dimech and Miguel Angel Alba instead of Ivan Requena, Ryan Camilleri, Taisei Marukawa and Ryan Fenech.

Lija started the better team and after only six minutes they took the lead. A mid-pitch mistake by Caruana with the ball finding Woods whose cross from the right was met by Erjon Beu and the Al banian striker made no mistake with only Cini to beat.

But their joy was short lived since on 13 minutes the match was on level terms. Miguel Angel Alba  made his way into the opposing area from the right side and his low diagonal drive beat Bonnici.

Valletta went near to take the lead eleven minutes from the break when an Alba free kick was tipped onto a corner by an alert Bonnici.

The Citizens started the second half on the attack and on 51 minutes Alba passed towards Dimech but his central shot was easy prey for the Lija goalkeeper.

Two minutes later Lija responded when Cini failed to hold onto a shot from the distance and Brandan was close to tap the ball in. But his goal was annulled for an offside positon.

Lija kept on trying and just off the hour Cini had to be at his best to save on Brandan and a few seconds later he palmed the ball onto a corner saving a good shot by Wood.

But it was Valletta who against the run of play took the lead and scored what proved to be the winner in the 64th minute. Muscat found Miguel Angel Alba and his drive from the edge of the area beat Bonnici all ends up.

In the 68th minute Valletta also had a disallowed goal when Piciollo set Alba whose low cross was drafted into the net by Rowen Muscat but the assistant referee signalled an offside position of the Valletta midfielder.

Twelve minutes from the end of the match Lija could have drawn level when Jimenez crossed towards Brandan only for his shot to hit the side rigging.

Photo Domenic Aquilina