Valletta 3
Falcone 42; Jhonnattann 48, Cremona 82
Mosta 0

Valletta’s Romeo Romao defends possession against Mosta. Photo: Chris Sant FournierValletta’s Romeo Romao defends possession against Mosta. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Valletta’s prospects of starting the third and final round in pole position increased yesterday after the BOV Premier League leaders came through another arduous test to reinforce their grip on top spot.

As in the corresponding first-round fixture, Mosta. driven on by Donatus Okonkwo, produced a feisty performance with their high-pressing game unnerving the leaders, especially in the first half, but Valletta, for the umpteenth time, showed admirable poise ad resilience to overpower the Blues.

While the likes of Jhonnattann, the man-of-the-match, and Federico Falcone will take the plaudits after delivering the goals that put Valletta in the driving seat, coach Paul Zammit will have been pleased with his team’s overall display.

Goalkeeper Henry Bonello produced a top-notch performance, the defenders stood firm in the face of Mosta’s pressure and, in midfield, the deep-lying Roderick Briffa patrolled the back four well.

Any assessment of Valletta’s showing last night would not be complete without mention of the immense shift put in by Llywelyn Cremona who crowned a lively display with a fine strike late on.

Rafael Ledesma was handed his debut by Zammit. The Brazilian replaced the suspended Michael Mifsud, taking up a central position behind Falcone with Jhonnattann and Calistus Umeh on the wings.

Mosta coach Ivan Zammit settled on 4-1-3-2 with Godwin Mensha and January signing Sibi Gwar tasked with using their pace and strength to unlock the City defence, yesterday boosted by the return from injury of Juan Cruz Gill.

Barely a minute from the start had elapsed when Valletta threatened to take the lead.

Cremona switched the ball to the advancing Umeh whose rising effort was tipped away by Omar Borg, the Mosta goalkeeper.

Bonello also made two good interventions to keep out Okon-kwo’s inswinging cross-shots from successive corners.

The speed of the likes of Mensha and Gwar and the midfield craft of Okonkwo and James Brincat saw Mosta create some decent moves while Zammit’s loud instructions from the technical area kept his players on their toes.

Gwar rifled over after receiving an intelligent pass from Okonkwo.

Falcone’s half-volley was high but the game remained finely-poised.

On 21 minutes, Ledesma slipped a fine pass to Jhonnattann but his shot was easily blocked by Borg.

Referee Malcolm Spiteri then provoked the wrath of the Mosta fans as he ordered a free-kick for Valletta just outside the area after Fatai Alabi was adjudged to have blocked Ledesma’s pass with his right arm.

Spiteri took a few seconds before signalling the infringement which appeared to have taken place in the box.

Jhonnattann curled his free-kick past the human barrier but the ball flashed wide of the post.

Close to the half-hour mark, Ice Cream Guobadia intercepted a Cremona pass and released Kyle Frendo who hammered wide.

Mensha’s deft flick soared over the City defence and towards Brincat who was clean through but the young midfielder was stopped in his tracks by the alert Bonello.

But Valletta also possess a lot of quality up front as evidenced by the move that led to their opener three minutes from half-time.

Ledesma and Jhonnattann combined to dispossess Guobadia in midfield. The loose ball was retrieved by Jhonnattann who guided a through-ball to Falcone who slotted past Borg.

Valletta almost made it 2-0 as Cremona directed the ball to Ledesma who raced into the box but his shot was saved by Borg.

Before the half-time whistle, Mosta also threatened but Bonello denied Rodriguez Ekani and Mensha’s follow-on attempt was blocked by the sliding Cruz Gill.

Three minutes into the second half, Valletta went 2-0 up.

Jhonnattann again played a key role as the Brazilian, latching on to Falcone’s pass, surged into the box from the left and dispatched a low shot into the bottom corner.

Mosta refused to lie down. They had a good chance when Brincat’s lofted pass was controlled by Gwar who produced a brilliant overhead kick but the ball grazed the crossbar.

The Blues continued to play good football, Gwar being thwarted by Bonello from close in.

Valletta weathered the storm and Ledesma almost put their minds at rest but his curling free-kick was smothered away by Borg.

With 16 minutes remaining, Okonkwo’s free-kick took a deflection that sent the ball just wide of the far post, to the relief of the wrong-footed Bonello.

The game continued to ebb and flow, Ledesma missing a fine chance to rubberstamp Valletta’s win when firing wide from point blank.

Substitute Lyden Micallef rammed wide after being teed up by Mensha but, in their next attack, Valletta wrapped up the points.

Ian Azzopardi, on for Falcone, made good progress on the left before arrowing a perfect cross to Cremona whose sweetly-struck first-timer bent past the diving Borg.

In stoppage time, Bonello made a fine save from Okonkwo and Zach Brincat’s drive was headed away by Jonathan Caruana.

Valletta: H. Bonello-8, J. Caruana-7, R. Camilleri-6.5, J. Cruz Gill-7, R. Briffa-6.5, R. Ledesma-6.5, F. Falcone-6.5 (80 I. Azzopardi), L. Cremona-7, U. Calistus-6 (66 J. Borg-6), Jhonnattann-7.5 (88 R. Fenech), R. Romao-7.

Mosta: O. Borg-6, R. Ekani-6, T. Farrugia-6.5, F. Alabi-5, L. Njousso-6 (78 A. Borg), I. Guobadia-6, J. Brincat-7, K. Frendo-6.5 (82 Z. Brincat), G. Mensha-6, D. Okonkwo-7, S. Gwar-6 (71 L. Micallef).

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Yellow card: Z. Brincat.

BOV player of the match: Jhonnattann (Valletta).

Attendance 608.

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