Valletta 3
Msida St Joseph 1

Just like Hibernians and Pietà Hotspurs, Valletta may not have entertained very lofty objectives at the beginning of the season.

A couple of important defections and a low-profile 2002-2003 campaign could not make for high hopes.

Although some of their outings could have yielded better results for them, particularly the last one against champions Sliema, the fare they produced hinted they could be in for a satisfactory year.

Yesterday's match against Msida St Joseph turned out to be almost a formality with the issue being settled in the opening half when Valletta struck three times. In the end, they made their point.

As for Msida one can only say that from the moment they were two goals adrift inside the first 15 minutes, they always faced an uphill task.

Indeed, when the relative qualities of the top teams were analysed in the pre-season the name of Msida never jostled for attention... except when they humiliated Sliema to the tune of four goals to one.

After that, except for fleeting moments, the promoted team sank into anonymity. Having to cope with man-of-the-match Gilbert Agius and his colleagues was too much of a hard nut to crack. The most one can say about them was that they tried hard.

The Lilywhites could not have had a better lift-off as they forged ahead after six minutes - Renie Forace, on the end of a chipped ball, was impeded by Karl Vella Petroni who used his hands to scoop away. Agius made it 1-0 from the penalty spot.

Nine minutes later and Valletta were two goals up, and again the impish Agius was the executioner. He ran to meet a long ball from Daniel Theuma - he started as stopper yesterday - before lobbing over the frame of Omar Borg.

In between these goals, Daniel Nwoke had a glimpse of goal but the well-placed Sean Sullivan saved the close-range shot.

Valletta kept the upper hand as strikers Sacco and Agius ran incessantly to meet balls from Milen Penchev, Ian Zammit, who replaced the suspended Ivan Zammit, and Jonathan Bondin.

The outlook was bleak for Msida. They could not work their way cohesively to the opposing hot zone, except for the occasional long service to Nwoke or Aganun.

However, Nwoke was once almost on target only to curse his ill-luck when his 20-metre drive hit the left upright off Sullivan's fingertips before the ball was booted to safety.

For some time, exchanges fell into a rut, with Valletta remaining in the driving seat. Nwoke went close with a ball which seared over the target.

Two minutes from half-time, Valletta were three goals up. Sacco headed in on a Penchev short cross following a flag-kick on the right. The dice were almost cast despite the game having only reached the halfway mark.

As was expected, Valletta never relinquished their grip on the game. Their collective play, speed of thought and good running off the ball had Msida looking inert.

Shortly after the hour-mark, they could have made it four when Agius served the flying Forace on the left, before the shot found Borg in the way.

It was then Zammit's turn to go close as Valletta's effective charging on vertical balls and crosses from the flanks extended the Reds time and again. The outcome had long been sealed and now the only ponderable was whether Valletta could increase their comfortable advantage.

Five minutes from time, Aganun was upended in the area by Sharlon Pace and from the penalty-kick the same player reduced the deficit.

The end came with Valletta in control, with their caution becoming more predominant, although once Borg had to rush out to impede new entrant Keith Fenech.

Valletta: S. Sullivan, J. Bondin, T. Simeonov, R. Forace, K. Farrugia, D. Theuma, S. Pace, I. Zammit (K. Zammit), M. Penchev, A. Sacco (K. Fenech), G. Agius.

Msida: O. Borg, J. Galea, T. Farrugia, M. Boni (G. Ohaegbu), C. Sciberras, K. Vella Petroni, A. Spiteri (A. Farrugia), D. Cachia (V. Bellia), J. Farrugia, D. Nwoke, O. Aganun.

Referee: J.R. Attard.

Scorers: Agius 6 pen., 15; Sacco 42; Aganun 85 pen.

Yellow Cards: Aganun; Farrugia; Penchev; Galea.

MIA Player of the match: Gilbert Agius (Valletta).