City stretch unbeaten run

Qormi 0
Valletta 4
Scerri 11, 38; Agius 35; Sammut 50;

The wintry weather may have prompted some fans to stay in the comfort of their homes instead of venturing to Ta’ Qali yesterday but the cold failed to blunt Valletta’s momentum.

Seven points to the good at the summit, the unbeaten Citizens seemed intent on warming themselves up by tearing into the hapless Qormi from the off.

An 11th-minute goal by Terrence Scerri set the tone for another dominant display by Valletta who scored three goals inside the first half – the pick of which a superbly-taken free-kick by Gilbert Agius – to wrap up their ninth victory that stretches their unbeaten run to 12 matches this season.

Qormi had ruffled the feathers of the title favourites in the corresponding first-round match with a disciplined performance but they came nowhere near reproducing that showing yesterday as the irresistible Citizens were in command throughout.

While Valletta offered further proof, if any were needed, of their supremacy, Qormi are clearly not the same team without Belgian defender Jason Vandelannoite and Nigerian winger Abubakar Bello Osagie.

Valletta’s starting XI featured two changes as captain Agius, back in the fray after shaking off a calf problem, was preferred to Edmond Agius and Ian Zammit deputised for unfit Brazilian forward Denni.

Agius was not the only veteran midfielder making a return as Qormi’s George Mallia also received a first-team recall after completing rehab from a hamstring injury. Jonathan Bondin, back after serving a one-match ban, replaced the suspended Kang Hojung.

Valletta defender Ramon had to make do with a place on the bench for the second successive game as coach Jesmond Zerafa retained the central defensive partnership of Steve Borg and Jonathan Caruana.

Up front, Zammit played alongside chief striker Scerri with Kevin Sammut and Omonigo Temile taking up the two wide midfield positions.

Injury deprived Qormi of two attack-minded players, namely Bello Osagie and Croatian forward Kosta Bjedov, and defensive bulwark Vandelannoite.

On-loan Hibs forward Ben Camilleri retained his place at the tip of Qormi’s 4-3-3 formation with Cleaven Frendo, on-loan from Valletta, and Mallia deployed on the wings.

The first scoring chance of the game fell to Valletta after five minutes. Sammut bore down on goal through the middle before switching the ball to the unmarked Temile on the left but the Nigerian curled his shot wide.

But, Valletta didn’t have to wait long to put their noses in front.

The game was only 11 minutes when Temile, this time pushing on the right wing, advanced before driving a menacing cross that rolled behind a posse of static Qormi players and into the path of Scerri who poked home from close in.

Scerri’s goal enlivened the mood of the Valletta fans who had braved the biting cold.

The vocal City faithful should have had further cause to celebrate on 24 minutes when the marauding Jamie Pace, one of Valletta’s better players this season, released Temile inside the area but the latter took a touch too many before firing a shot that drifted wide of the far post.

Qormi had found it hard to make an impact for much of the opening half-hour as they spent most of the time playing catch-up.

However, their first significant foray inside their opponents’ half caused some consternation to the City defence as Frendo outmuscled his marker and sent in a low cross that just eluded Camilleri.

This opportunity lifted the spirits of Qormi but not for long as five minutes later Valletta doubled their lead.

Michael Borg Olivier’s shove on the advancing Scerri yielded Valletta a free-kick to the right of the Qormi box. Agius conjured up a stupendous shot from an angled position as the ball arced past a sea of players and into the far corner of the net.

Agius celebrated his fine effort by imitating a crippled old man walking with a stick but age has clearly not undermined the City talisman’s skills.

And as chants of ‘C’é solo un capitano’ (there’s only one captain) echoed around the stadium, Valletta made it 3-0, Scerri ramming home from the centre of the box after receiving from Sammut.

On the stroke of half-time, Qormi goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia denied Agius a second goal when fisting away his fierce drive from the distance.

That proved to be Farrugia’s final intervention as he made way for Matthew Camilleri at the start of the second half. The latter’s first act was to pick the ball from the net as Sammut extended Valletta’s lead to four goals with a grounder that went in via the upright.

With his team four goals up, Zerafa brought on reserve keeper Nicky Vella for Andrew Hogg 12 minutes into the second half.

The early timing of Valletta’s fourth goal dashed any hopes Qormi might have had of clawing their way back into contention.

Not that Steven Azzopardi’s troops ever gave the impression that they were capable of stretching their superior opponents as they looked short of confidence and inspiration.

But, Qormi should have reduced the deficit when Camilleri released Joseph Chetcuti who rifled high from an inviting position.

At the other end, Camilleri effected two saves in quick succession to deny Edmond Agius, who had just come on for Sammut, and Gilbert Agius. The latter unleashed another audacious free-kick from long range but Camilleri pawed the ball away for a corner.

Six minutes from time, Scerri made headway before releasing Pace who veered to his right to get a better sight of goal but his concluding effort was wide.

Qormi
M. Farrugia-4 (46 M. Camilleri-6), S. Giglio-5, M. Bartolo-4, K. Fenech-5.5, J. Chetcuti-4, J. Farrugia-4, B. Camilleri-4, G. Mallia-4, J. Bondin-4, C. Frendo-5 (77 S. Agius-6), M. Borg Olivier-4 (42 G. Buttigieg-4).

Valletta
Hogg-6 (57 N. Vella-6), R. Briffa-6, J. Caruana-6.5, S. Borg-6.5, I. Azzopardi-6, G. Agius-7.5, K. Sammut-7 (70 E. Agius-6), O. Temile-6 (62 D. Falzon-6), T. Scerri-7.5, I. Zammit-6, J. Pace-7.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

BOV player of the match: Terrence Scerri (Valletta).