Valletta march on with victory over Tarxien

This was Valletta’s second win in a row and are now temporarily on top of the BOV Premier League standings with Hibernians and Balzan both with a game in hand.

Valletta showed they meant business when they took the lead just after three minutes of play. Off a pass by Llywelyn Cremona, Abdelkarim Nafti’s had his powerful shot from just inside the area beat goalkeeper Andrea Cassar to gice Valletta the lead.

Valletta doubled their lead on the 13th minute when Valletta’s Njongo Priso’s shot was deflected by Tarxien’s Bruno Giglio de Oliviera, the ball went past Andrea Cassar for an own goal.

Tarxien managed to get back into the match on the 21st minute when off a corner by Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos, Luke Montebello beat goalkeeper Henry Bonello with his header to make the score 2-1.

On the 63rd minute, Fedrico Matias Falcone almost increased Valletta’s lead but he was denied by the woodwork.

On the 77th minute, off a cross by Mifsud Triganza, Abdelkarim Nafti’s header hit the cross bar and the ball bounced on the goal line, possibly landing past the line, but the match officials were not convinced. 

The match turned for the worse for Tarxien on the 78th minute when Alex Alves was sent off after receiving his second yellow card when he fouled Roderick Briffa.

Three minutes from time, Valletta made sure they collected all three points when substitute Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza beat goalkeeper Andrea Cassar with his shot from just outside the area to make the final score 3-1.

TARXIEN RAINBOWS Andrea Cassar, Ebiabowei Baker, Manuel Caruana (85’ Ayrton Azzopardi), Bruno Giglio de Oliveira, Triston Caruana, Lucky Omeruo, Carlos Hevia Menendez (66’ Danilo Meira Santos), Luke Montebello, Daniel Zerafa (72’ Brandon Muscat), Alex da Paixao Alves, Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos.

Subs not used: Sean Mintoff, Timothy Tabone Desira, Roderick Bajada, Matthew Tabone.

Coach: Jacques Scerri

VALLETTA Henry Bonello, Ian Azzopardi, Ryan Camileri, Juan Gill Cruz, Roderick Briffa, Njongo Priso (75’ Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza), Federico Matias Falcone (83’ Albert Bruce), Llywelyn Cremona, Claudio Pani, Uchenna Calistus Umeh, Abdelkarim Nafti (89’ Jurgen Suda).

Subs not used: Nicky Vella, Daniel Camilleri, Russel Fenech, Jean Borg.

Coach: Paul Zammit

Referee: Clayton Pisani

Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, David Castillo

Fourth Official: Philip Farrugia

Yellow cards: Umeh, Nafti, Hevia, Omeruo, Alves

Red Cards: 78’ Alex da Paixao Alves

Scorers: 3’ Abdelkarim Nafti, 13’ own goal Bruno Giglio de Oliviera, 21’ Luke Montebello, 87’ Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza

BOV Man of the Match: Llywelyn Cremona