Valletta scored four in the second half to beat Qormi 4-0 and keep the pace with leaders Birkirkara.

After a goalless first half, once they managed to break the deadlock just after the restart they never looked back, adding another three goals to secure the three points.

The Citizens lacked Ian Azzopardi, Hamza Barry and Lateef Elford-Alliyu while Roderick Bajada, Alfred Effiong and Jorge Pereira da Silva were missing for Qormi.

The first half lacked goal-mouth action with the only attempt at goal occurring on the 13th minute when off a cross by Abdelkarim Nafti, Aziz Corr Nyang’s close-range header was parried by Matthew Farrugia.

Two minutes in the second half, Valletta broke the deadlock when off Steve Borg throw-in from the right, Luke Dimech headed the ball in the direction of Roderick Briffa who slotted the ball past Farrugia from close range.

Two minutes later, the Citizens doubled the score when Denni Rocha dos Santos concluded a good move by rounding a number of defenders before beating the Qormi custodian with a diagonal shot from the right.

Tunisian midfielder Abdelkarim Nafti scored the third goal on the 57th as his powerful drive was not held by Farrugia with the ball ending at the back of the net.

Substitute Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, served by Shaun Bajada, advanced on the left before having an attempt blocked by the Qormi goalkeeper on 79 minutes. Two minutes later, Mifsud Triganza missed an excellent opportunity from close-range when served by Ian Zammit from the left.

Three minutes from time, Valletta sealed the issue with a fourth goal, once again thanks to Abdelkarim Nafti whose shot from outside the area beat Matthew Farrugia.

VALLETTA Yenz Cini, Jonathan Caruana, Steve Borg (60′ Shaun Bajada), Ryan Fenech, Edmond Agius, Roderick Briffa, Oscar Reyes Sanchez, Aziz Corr Nyang (72′ Ian Zammit), Denni Rocha dos Santos (72′ Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza), Abdelkarim Nafti, Luke Dimech.
Subs not used: Manuel Bartolo, Raimi Bakare, Dyson Falzon, Yessous Camilleri.
Coach: Mark Miller

QORMIMatthew Farrugia, Jonathan Bondin, Duncan Pisani, Giuseppe Bellucci, Owen Bugeja, Triston Caruana, Leighton Grech (53′ Emerson Vella), Joao Gabriel da Silva (50′ Christian Terribile), Federico Santaguida, Luigi del Giudice (58′ Roderick Sammut), Abudulai Issaka.
Subs not used: Steve Sultana, Dylan Pirotta, Gilmour Azzopardi, Karl Sciortino.
Coach: Tommaso Volpi

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Ingmar Spiteri, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Chris Lautier
Yellow Cards: Briffa, Denni, Santaguida
Scorers: 47′ Roderick Briffa, 49′ Denni Rocha dos Santos, 57′ Abdelkarim Nafti, 87′ Abdelkarim Nafti
BOV Player of the Match: Abdelkarim Nafti
Attendance: 1,317