Valletta 4
Pace 39; Agius 75; Scerri 80, 87
Ħamrun Spartans 0

Tarxien's victory over Hibernians in the early kick-off cranked up the pressure on Ħamrun Spartans ahead of their encounter with Valletta but the latter's urgency to claim the three points had also been exacerbated by Qormi's emphatic dismissal of Dingli Swallows on Friday night.

To a large extent, the second round duel between the Citizens and the Spartans, whose rivalry stems back to the Eighties, was a must-win match for both as Valletta needed the three points to storm back to the top and Ħamrun to stay in with a mathematical chance of making the top six.

The depleted Spartans battled gamely, limiting their much-vaunted opponents to a single goal in the first half but Valletta flexed their muscle in the second period to cruise to a 4-0 victory that sends them back to the summit, two points clear of Qormi and four ahead of Birkirkara who take on Msida St Joseph this afternoon.

As for the Spartans, their bold bid to earn a berth in the Championship Pool came to a shuddering halt yesterday as their defeat to Valletta means that Ħamrun have now joined Msida and Dingli in the Relegation Pool.

Luke Dimech, back after serving a one-match ban, reclaimed his place in Valletta's starting XI. The veteran replaced Kenneth Scicluna who was suspended yesterday.

Caanen also awarded a first-team recall to Jordi Cruyff who was preferred to Edmond Agius.

Cruyff was assigned an unfamiliar role in central defence as Caanen kept faith with Steve Borg at right-back as Roderick Briffa was retained in midfield.

Terrence Scerri was Valletta's central figure in attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

The changes in the Spartans team were enforced upon coach Steve D'Amato by the suspension of Rupert Mangion, Roderick Fenech and Ian Zammit. The three vacant slots went to Aaron Attard, Diego Armando Cucciardi and Mead Mifsud.

D'Amato's tactical module was 4-1-3-2 with Joao Mawete and Marcelo Pereira forming a two-pronged attack.

Valletta threatened to seize the lead as early as the fifth minute when Kevin Sammut's setpiece cross from the right sailed into the goalmouth where Terrence Scerri headed towards goal but Ivan Casha, the Spartans goalkeeper, pulled off a fine diving save to paw the ball away.

The early exchanges were devoid of creative football but on 13 minutes, Gaetan Spiteri, the Spartans' stand-in captain, showed excellent poise when unleashing a first-time dipping volley that forced Andrew Hogg into a difficult save.

The willingness of the Ħamrun players to chase every ball disconcerted the Citizens early on with their defenders looking ill at ease when having to deal with long passes from deep.

Two minutes short of the half hour, Briffa guided an intelligent pass to Scerri who slipped past Mark Anthony Bonnici but his strike was pushed away by Casha.

The Spartans' resistance was breached seven minutes from the end of the first half when Priso set off on one of his trademark runs on the left before pulling the ball back to Jamie Pace whose well-struck shot sailed past the diving Casha.

Galvanised by their breakthrough, Valletta lay into their opponents in the early stages of the second half but their pressure only produced a couple of goalmouth melees and a rising shot by Priso that came off Martin Hrubsa, a towering presence in the Spartans' defence.

Twelve minutes into the second half, Steve Bezzina's cross from the left saw Scerri outjumping his mark but his header was off target.

Priso should have put the game to bed when Scerri's pass found him in splendid isolation in the box but the Cameroonian winger badly miscued his shot.

Priso released Scerri in the box but the latter's strong drive drifted wide. With the Ħamrun defence at sixes and sevens, Valletta duly sealed the issue 15 minutes from time.

Having swept past Bonnici, Scerri rifled a firm shot from close range but Casha shifted to his right to keep the ball out only for Agius to lunge forward and flick home.

Five minutes later, Valletta made it 3-0, Scerri heading home at the far post after getting on the end of Priso's cross. As the Spartans hoisted the white flag, Valletta pushed for more.

Declan O'Brien, who came on for Sammut, was thwarted by Casha but three minutes from time, the Irish striker turned provider with a cute pass to Scerri who tapped home.

In the dying moments, Priso received a straight red card for hitting out at Spiteri.

Valletta
A. Hogg-5.5, S. Borg-6, S. Bezzina-5, L. Dimech-6, J. Cruyff-6, K. Sammut-6 ('81 D. O'Brien), G. Agius-6.5 ('90 C. Gauci), R. Briffa-6.5 ('83 D. Falzon), T. Scerri-7, J. Pace-6.5, D. Priso.

Ħamrun Spartans
I. Casha-7, M.A. Bonnici-5, A. Attard-5.5 ('78 L.J. Agius), M. Micallef-5 ('85 D. Caruana), D.A. Cucciardi-4, M. Mifsud-4, M. Pereira-4 ('81 M. Busuttil), G. Spiteri-5.5, M. Hrubsa-7.5, J. Mawete-4, C. Camoin-4.

Referee Kevin Azzopardi.

Yellow cards Dimech; Cruyff; Attard; Pereira; Scerri.

Red card Priso (V) 89.

BoV player of the match Gilbert Agius (Valletta).

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