Shaun Dimech scored twice within the first five minutes as Valletta defeated Santa Lucia 5-3 at the Centenary Stadium on Saturday.
A win which puts the Citizens in third place, leaving Santa Lucia joint-second from bottom without a win after eight matches.
Valletta had a perfect start, taking the lead on the 3rd minute when off a cross by Kevin Tulimieri, Haris Dilaver headed the ball down to Mario Fontanella who served Shaun Dimech and the latter placed the ball at the back of the net.
A minute later, Shaun Dimech doubled the score when served on the right by Fontanella, hitting low past Julani Archibald.
On the half-hour, Santa Lucia pulled one back when off a good run, Alan da Silva Souza passed the ball to Kieran Xuereb who served Jurgen Pisani on the left and the former Floriana captain beat Guarnone with an angled shot.
But two minutes in added time, before the end of the first half, Eslit Sala made it 3-1 for Valletta hitting home past the Santa Lucia custodian following a cross by Tulimieri from the right.
Five minutes in the second half, Nicholas Pulis scored a second goal for Santa Lucia, hitting low past Guarnone following a short clearance by the Valletta defence off a corner by Alan da Silva Souza.
But on the 63rd minute, Valletta went 4-2 ahead thanks to a lucky goal as Archibald had failed to hold a long ball with the ball bouncing onto Mario Fontanella who addressed the ball towards the empty net.
Nine minutes later, Ivan Curjuric scored the Citizens’ fifth with a shot from outside the area, deflected by Dexter Xuereb.
On the 90th, substitute Vito Plut scored a third goal for Santa Lucia placing the ball a the back of the net after a Gianmarco Conti effort was partially saved by Guarnone.
