Birkirkara 0
Valletta 5
Borg 14; Barbosa 24,Mifsud 41 pen, 90; Denni 45
Birkirkara: R. Gauci, C. Johanson, P. Borg, R. Pereira, M. Clinch, R. Camenzuli (46 A. Cassar), F. Zammit, D. Spiteri (81 I. Schembri), M. Camilleri, J.P. Mifsud Triganza, O. El Ghaouti (46 R. Taliana).
Valletta: Krul, J. Caruana (46 D. Grima), S. Borg, Jhonnattann, I. Azzopardi (46 D. Falzon), Jusselio, R. Briffa (46 C. Frendo), Ricardo, Denni, W. Barbosa, M. Mifsud.
Referee: Esther Azzopardi.
Attendance: 278.
This match only had academic significance after Hibs were confirmed as the winners of the 2012/13 Euro Cup before the final matches.
With Valletta’s home Champions League match against Andorra’s FC Lusitans only five days away, coach Mark Miller is likely to have viewed this game as a useful opportunity to fine-tune his preparations ahead of Tuesday’s assignment.
Miller’s team selection left no-one in doubt as to his intentions for the game as the City coach retained the same team that started Monday’s 1-0 loss to Hibs.
Facing a much-changed Birkir-kara team devoid of several first-choice players, Valletta were in command from start to finish, turning the game into a no-contest as the Stripes hardly crossed the halfway line.
Such was Valletta’s supremacy that they were already four goals up by half-time as Birkirkara’s youngsters were swept aside by their experienced opponents.
Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit named a host of youngsters in his line-up with McAllister Clinch, David Spiteri and Michael Camilleri joining Ryan Camenzuli and Fabian Zammit in the starting XI.
With the Stripes having only had two days to recover from their match with Floriana, Zammit deemed it fit to rest several first-team players.
Three minutes into the game, William Barbosa served Roderick Briffa in the box but the City captain fired over.
Michael Mifsud headed wide from Jhonnattann’s cross as Valletta seized the initiative from the outset.
Their early efforts produced a breakthrough on 14 minutes when Barbosa crossed for the unmarked Steve Borg who sent his header past Reuben Gauci and into the corner of the net.
It didn’t take Valletta long to double their lead. The game was 24 minutes old when Barbosa, lurking outside the box, let fly a typical rasping drive that gave Gauci no chance.
Birkirkara fashioned a glimmer of a chance on the half-hour when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza’s cross-cum-shot from a right-wing free-kick was mishandled by Valletta goalkeeper Andre Krul who was relieved to see the ball fly past the post.
The Citizens quickly regained the upperhand. Denni threatened to increase Valletta’s lead but his close-range shot was parried away by Gauci.
Ryan Camenzuli’s strong run on the right took him past Denni and into the box but his effort was wide.
Shortly afterwards, Birkirkara’s young wing-back caught attention for the wrong reasons as he was adjudged to have tripped Denni in the box. Assistant referee Joe Camilleri, who is expected to retire after this game, signalled the foul and Mifsud made no mistake from the spot.
The goal deluge continued as, on the stroke of half-time, Denni made it 4-0 for Valletta with a header from Briffa’s cross.
Undeterred by his team’s four-goal deficit, Zammit introduced another two youngsters at the start of the second half, Andre Cassar and Roderick Taliana. Miller brought on Cleaven Frendo, Dyson Falzon and Dylan Grima.
In the first chance of the second half, Mifsud released Denni but the Brazilian was denied by Gauci.
Three minutes past the hour, Frendo was unlucky not to add his name among the scorers as his effort came off team-mate Denni who was standing on the goal-line. Barbosa would have scored another gem of a goal but for the woodwork as his drive hit the bar..
At the other end, Krul pushed Mifsud Triganza’s free-kick over the bar while Gauci made a good save from Frendo’s grounder.
On the stroke of time, Valletta hit goal no.5, Mifsud beating Gauci with a strong grounder.
TODAY: (Hibs Stadium) 7.30 p.m. Hibernians vs Floriana.