Eight wins in a row for Valletta; eleven consecutive defeats for Qormi

Valletta kept marching on in the BOV Premier League table as they extended their positive run with an eighth consecutive defeat as they beat Sliema Wanderers 4-0.

For Sliema, this was the first defeat since the appointment of new coach Alfonso Greco after two draws in the first two games. They are now eighth, two points behind Mosta and one ahead of Pembroke.

The Wanderers were a depleted side due to the absence of Clifford Gatt Baldacchino. Valletta, on the other hand, lacked Ian Azzopardi and Romeu Romao.

Uchenna Calistus Umeh put Valletta ahead on the 15th minute with a powerful shot when served on the right by Jhonnattann.

Jhonnattann Benites da Conceicao doubled the score on 67 minutes when he received a cross from the left, controlled and beat Glenn Zammit with a cute lob.

Abdelkarim Nafti sealed the issue with a third goal five minutes later with a long-distance lob which caught the Sliema goalkeeper out of place.

SLIEMA Glenn Zammit, Alex Muscat, Benjamin Essel (74′ Sebastian Perdomo Esquivel), Aidan Jake Friggieri, Mark Scerri (42′ Peter Xuereb), Njongo Priso, Marko Potezica, Johann Bezzina (53′ Kyle Hendry), Jean Paul Farrugia, Stefano Bianciardi, Luke Dimech.
Subs not used: Entonjo Elezaj, Carl Cassar, Justin Vella, Arsenne Rye Cilia.
Coach: Alfonso Greco

VALLETTA Henry Bonello, Jonathan Caruana, Ryan Camilleri, Juan Cruz Gill, Roderick Briffa, Federico Falcone, Llywelyn Crmeona (68′ Rafael Rodrigues Ledesma), Claudio Pani, Uchenna Calistus Umeh, Abdelkarim Nafti (74′ Michael Mifsud), Jhonnattann Benites da Conceicao (83′ Jurgen Suda).
Subs not used: Manuel Bartolo, Daniel Camilleri, Russell Fenech, Jean Borg.
Coach: Paul Zammit

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Luke Portelli
Fourth Official: Esther Azzopardi
Yellow Cards: Bianciardi, Umeh, Jhonnattann
Scorers: 17′ Uchenna Calistus Umeh, 65′ Jhonnattann Benites da Conceicao, 73′ Abdelkarim Nafti
BOV Player of the Match: Jhonnattann
Attendance at the National Stadium: 1,701

Meanwhile at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Mosta defeated Qormi 1-0 to move seventh, two points ahead of Sliema Wanderers and three ahead of Pembroke Athleta.

For Qormi, this was the eleventh consecutive defeat, leaving them at the bottom of the table with five points, two behind Naxxar Lions and St. Andrews.

Tyrone Farrugia and Onyekachi Okonkwo were both missing for Mosta while Qormi were practically in full strength.

Mosta scored the all-important goal on the 18th minute when Godwin Mensha, served by Micheletti, controlled the ball on the right before hitting the ball past goalkeeper Andreas Vella.

QORMI Andreas Vella, Emerson Vella, Kyle Spiteri, Djamel Leeflang Boestra (82′ Juan Carlos Vieira Peixoto), Yannick Yankam (85′ Clint Barbara), Alessio Cassar (69′ Pietro Viggiani), Ousmane Sidibe, Noah Olawole Ojuola, Terence Vella, Kurt Magro, Clifford Gauci.
Subs not used: Jean Matthias Vella, Immy Micallef, Joshua Barbara, Luke Farrugia.
Coach: Johann Scicluna

MOSTA Omar Borg, Fatai Alabi, Godwin Mensha, Jonas Ekani Rodriguez (51′ Dyson Falzon), Adrian Borg, Edile Micheletti Awoh, Osa Guobadia, James Brincat, Lyden Micallef, Sibi Gwar (84′ Zachary Brincat), Pius Francis Chijioke (46′ Kyle Frendo).
Subs not used: Yenz Cini, Dexter Xuereb, Jurgen Grech, Kurt Camilleri.
Coach: Anton Cremona

Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Gwar, E. Vella, C. Gauci, Peixoto
Scorers: 18′ Godwin Mensha
Attendance at the Victor Tedesco Stadium: 270