BOV Premier League | St Andrews 3 – Valletta 1

St Andrews made a flying start to the match as they went ahead after eleven minutes. Enmy Pena Beltre went on the right flank and sent a dangerous cross inside the penalty area that ended up in the path of Aidan Friggieri who slotted the ball inside the net.

Danilo Donic’s side kept insisting and had another chance on the 17th minute. Friggieri served Felix Udoh and the latter fired high.

Valletta hit back and were close to equalise on the 27th minute. Leandro Aguirre’s long ball was headed backwards by a St Andrews defender towards Luke Montebello whose effort went across the frame of goal before it got cleared.

St Andrews doubled the score on the half hour mark. Pena Beltre won possession from Santiago Malano deep inside Valletta’s half, went through on goal, and placed the ball past Dziugas Bartkus.

On the 41st minute, Romeu Pericles Romao of Valletta sent a cross towards Luke Montebello and the Valletta striker headed off target.

Valletta were unlucky not to reduce the margin of the score on the 51st minute. Aguirre sent a cross from the left flank in the direction of Velasco whose powerful shot hit the upright.

St Andrews scored their third goal on the 68th minute. Pena Beltre found Joseph Farrugia inside the penalty area and the St Andrews captain hit a powerful drive that gave Bartkus no chance.

Paul Zammit’s side reduced the margin on the score on the 74th minute. Velasco was on the receiving end of Claudio Pani’s cross and guided a header past Jake Galea.

St Andrews starting line-up: Jake Galea, Enmy Pena Beltre, Felix Udoh, Dale Camilleri, Bong Won Che, Nenad Belacevic, Aidan Jake Friggieri, Ziga Kastrevec, Ivan Paz, Joseph Farrugia, Karlo Kesinovic

Valletta starting line-up: Dziugas Bartkus, Jonathan Caruana, Ryan Camilleri, Santiago Malano, Luke Montebello, Jean Borg, Claudio Pani, Leandro Aguirre, Maximiliano Alejandro Velasco, Valdo Congalves Alihno, Romeu Pericles Romao

Referee: Stefan Pace

Assistant Referees: Sammy Attard, Paul Apap

Additional Assistant Referees: Fyodor Zammit, Darko Stankovic

Fourth Official: Luke Portelli

BOV Player of the Match: Enmy Pena Beltre (St Andrews)