Valletta maintain perfect record — Qormi turn defeat into victory

Valletta matched the record established by Hibernians in 1983 of thirty seven matches without defeat as a brace by Michael Mifsud paved the way for a 3-0 win over Mosta.

Ironically it is now up to Hibernians to stop the Citizens from establishing a new record as the two teams face each other on Sunday.

For Valletta, this was the fourth win in as many matches. Mosta, on the other hand, lie at the bottom of the table with Tarxien and Hamrun with one point.

The Blues had a new foreigner in their starting line-up, namely Brazilian midfielder Arilson Mello da Silva. Valletta, on the other hand, lacked the injured Ryan Fenech.

Mosta goalkeeper Glenn Zammit was prominent with a fine save into a corner on Denni on the 5th minute.

The Citizens took the lead on 27 minutes when Denni Rocha Dos Santos released Michael Mifsud on the right and the latter beat goalkeeper Glenn Zammit with a fine shot.

Denni went close once again for Valletta with a close-range shot which was turned into a corner by the Mosta custodian on 32 minutes. An Alfred Effiong effort was turned into another corner by Zammit one minute from the end of the first half.

A freekick by Denni from the left was saved in two attempts by the Mosta goalkeeper four minutes in the second half. On 54 minutes, William Barbosa missed a good opportunity hitting high from close range following a freekick by Dyson Falzon.

The Citizens were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes after Alfred Effiong was brought down inside the area by Farrugia. From the penalty spot, Michael Mifsud made no mistake to double the score.

William Barbosa increased the lead further on 67 minutes with a rising shot from the right following a cross by Alfred Effiong from the left.

In added time, Jonathan Debono came to the rescue for Mosta blocking into a corner a close range effort by Denni.

Denni was voted BOV Player of the Match.

Photos: Copyright © www.stephengatt.com

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MOSTA Glenn Zammit, Luca Martinelli, Kane Farrugia, Arilson Mello da Silva (75’ Sheldon Grech), Nikola Bogdanovic, Ian Zammit, Kurt Magro, Alex Cini, Bertrand Michel Maki Mvondo, Adrian Borg, Yannick Ossok.
Subs not used: Jonathan Debono, Pio Vassallo, Federico Tisbi, Bryan Agius, Roberto Rivelino Petriaggi.
Coach: Oliver Spiteri
Assistant Coach: Ramon Zammit

VALLETTA Andrew Hogg (79’ Yenz Cini), Jonathan Caruana, Steve Borg, Alfred Effiong, Roderick Briffa, Jamie Pace, Edmond Agius, Dyson Falzon, Denni Rocha Dos Santsos, William Barbosa da Silva (74’ Ousseni Zongo), Michael Mifsud (60’ Gilbert Agius).
Subs not used: Ian Azzopardi, Samir Arab, Siraj Arab, Isaac Zammit.
Coach: Leonard Farrugia
Assistant Coach: Jesmond Zerafa

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Assistant referees: Konrad Borg, Mariano Debono
Fourth official: Clayton Pisani
Yellow Cards: Falzon
Scorers: 27’ Michael Mifsud, 55’ Michael Mifsud (pen), 67’ William Barbosa
Attendance: 1,743

Meanwhile in the first game, Qormi came back from one goal down to beat Tarxien Rainbows 4-1 to claim the second win of the season and leave the Rainbows at the bottom of the table with just one point.

In fact, this was the third defeat in four matches for Noel Coleiro’s side. Qormi, on the other hand, moved sixth on six points.

Kenneth Scicluna was back for Qormi but they lacked Christos Karamanolis and Giuseppe Vela Jr. Brazilian midfielder Caio Garcia Suguino was missing for Tarxien.

The Rainbows managed to take the lead after just one minute and thirty-seven seconds when Justin Grioli hit the upright with a direct freekick and Ricardo Costa placed the ball at the back of the net.

Qormi replied with a Joseph Farrugia freekick which hit the crossbar with the ball being cleared into a corner on the 4th.

On 17 minutes, Costa released Roberto Saraiva on the right but the latter’s conclusion was blocked by Matthew Farrugia with Kenneth Scicluna clearing the ball into a corner. Eleven minutes later, off a cross by Vella Critien from the right, Ricardo Costa’s first time effort was turned into a corner by Matthew Farrugia.

Qormi levelled matters on 36 minutes when off a cross by Matthew Bartolo from the right, the unmarked Abubakar Bello-Osagie slammed the ball home past goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia.

Three minutes later, Bello-Osagie served Jorge Pereira Da Silva who advanced into the area and beat Cassar with a diagonal shot from the right to make it 2-1.

Three minutes in the second half, the Tarxien goalkeeper was prominent with a good save into a corner on Jorge Pereira.

Qormi increased the lead on 59 minutes with Jorge Pereira Da Silva who won a tussle for the ball with Everton on the right and advanced into the area, hitting low past David Cassar.

Five minutes later, Jorge Pereira advanced on the left, beating Lee Galea on the run, and served the unmarked Matthew Bartolo on the right and the latter slammed the ball home for Qormi’s fourth goal.

In the remaining minutes, Tarxien made a timid reaction in a bid to reduce the gap but the Qormi rear-guard kept their opponents under control.

Jorge Pereira Da Silva was voted BOV Player of the Match.

Photos: Copyright © www.stephengatt.com

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QORMI Matthew Farrugia, Jeffrey Chetcuti, Roderick Sammut, Matthew Bartolo, Joseph Farrugia, Luke Sciberras (78’ Steve Agius), Kenneth Scicluna, Jonathan Bondin (12’ Dino Cachia), Jorge Pereira Da Silva, Abubakar Bello-Osagie (65’ George Chircop).
Subs not used: Steve Sultana, Charlon Sammut, Gabriel Buttigieg, Christian Briffa.
Coach: Stephen D’Amato
Technical Advisor: Stephen D’Amato

TARXIEN David Cassar, Carl Sammut (65’ Karl Pulo), Manuel Caruana, Everton Antonio Pereira, Ricardo Costa, Roberto Fagundes Saraiva (74’ Rodrigo Andreis Galvao), Daniel Mariano Bueno, Luke Vella Critien, Orosco Anonam, Lee Galea, Justin Grioli (50’ Adrian Carabott).
Subs not used: Nicky Vella, Steve Sadowski, Stefan Giglio, Julian Vella.
Coach: Noel Coleiro
Assistant Coach: Michael Church

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Assistant referees: Edward Spiteri, Thomas Debono
Fourth official: Adrian Azzopardi
Yellow Cards: Grioli, Galea, R. Sammut
Scorers: 2′ Ricardo Costa, 36′ Abubakar Bello Osagie, 39′ Jorge Pereira Da Silva, 59′ Jorge Pereira Da Silva, 64’ Matthew Bartolo