[attach id=237971 size="medium"]William Barbosa (left) launching an attack for Valletta against Mosta. Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar[/attach]

Valletta 5
Barbosa 14, 76; Mifsud 20, 46, 89;
Mosta 0

The onus was on Valletta to respond after Hibs had temporarily opened a three-point lead at the top following their 3-0 dismissal of neighbouring rivals Tarxien Rainbows.

Their opening Championship Pool test was supposed to be a straightforward one as the champions met a faltering Mosta side who had lost four of their last five league games.

But the appointment of Danilo Doncic, a Valletta stalwart in his heyday, raised a modicum of hope that the Blues might give their illustrious opponents a good run for their money.

After all, it was Mosta who had sprung an almighty upset in the second round when they inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Valletta but the Blues, weakened by the departure of a host of top players in January, have been a pale shadow of the team that were mooted as potential title candidates in the first round.

Two goals inside the opening 20 minutes banished any prospect of a balanced contest as Valletta looked the part as champions with a display of discipline and attacking verve that had Mosta chasing shadows for long spells.

On the eve of the game, Mark Miller, the Valletta coach, had declared that there will be no walkovers in the Championship Pool but in reality this felt like one for his team, such was their sup-remacy yesterday.

Michael Mifsud offered further proof that he is back to his prolific best with a hat-trick but he was eclipsed by William Barbosa whose man-of-the-match display was embroidered with two stunning finishes.

Barbosa’s exploits had the jubilant Valletta fans singing his name when he was substituted late in the game with the Whites four goals to the good and cruising.

Valletta’s emphatic performance will have gone some way towards strengthening their confidence but sterner tests lie ahead for the champions who are sharing top spot with Hibs on 26 points.

Barbosa, Ian Azzopardi and Mifsud were restored to Valletta’s initial formation as Miller made three changes from the 3-0 FA Trophy win over Rabat Ajax.

It is a measure of the positive impression Abubakar Bello-Osagie has left on Miller that the Nigerian retained his place in the team at the expense of Denni who started on the bench.

Miller’s strategy was designed to make maximum use of his attacking riches as Bello-Osagie was handed roaming duties in support of front duo Mifsud and Toure with Brazilian Gabriel positioned just behind.

Doncic’s first team selection since taking charge of Mosta featured two alterations from the 3-2 defeat to Rabat Ajax as Ferdinando Apap replaced the suspended Bryan Agius while Jonathan Bajada was preferred to Bruno Chikwado Mbonu.

In Agius’s absence, Doncic handed the captain’s armband to Italian midfielder Fabio Vignaroli who took a central midfield role in a 4-4-2 formation. Danail Mitev and Jonathan Bajada spearheaded Mosta’s forward line as Nigerian Bruno Chikwado Mbonu was demoted to the bench.

Valletta pressed on the gas pedal from the off. Six minutes into the game, Steve Chiemeka did well to block a potentially dangerous shot from Bello-Osagie.

Another prolonged City raid had Mosta on the backfoot as the blue-shirted players warded off a series of shots before Brazilian midfielder Gabriel produced a rising drive that grazed the bar.

Any hopes Mosta had of avoiding an early goal were dashed as Valletta took the lead on 14 minutes.

When Roderick Briffa, hugging the right flank, passed the ball to Barbosa, the Mosta defenders backed off as they probably anti-cipated a cross, given that Barbosa was far from the penalty box, never mind Jeffrey Farrugia’s goal.

What followed left everyone dazzled as Barbosa unleashed a superb shot that left Farrugia rooted to his spot as the ball soared into the far corner.

The dominant champions didn’t have to wait long for their second.

Toure laid the groundwork as he surged forward on the right flank before dragging in a perfect cross that was nodded home by Mifsud.

Mosta had their first glimpse of goal when Jonathan Bajada’s cross-shot from the right landed on the roof of the net.

But it was mainly one-way traffic in the opening half-hour as Valletta continued to create the better chances. Mifsud was denied by Farrugia after getting on the end of an inviting pass from Bello-Osagie who himself went close but his piledriver was high.

A minute short of the half-hour, Valletta surprised Mosta with a well-crafted set-piece as Mifsud peeled away from a crowded six-yard box back to receive Ryan Fenech’s pass from a free-kick but the Malta captain’s grounder was blocked by Farrugia.

Mosta briefly interrupted City’s dominance when they won a corner that was taken by Vignaroli. His cross was met by Carlos Campagnoli who headed just over.

Late in the first half, Miller was forced to make his first substitution after Bello-Osagie picked up an injury. His replacement, Denni, was soon in the thick of things as he appealed for a penalty after being challenged in the Mosta box but referee Chris Lautier was not interested.

Doncic tried to improve Mosta’s firepower introducing Mbonu for Campagnoli but it was Valletta who served up another quick reminder of their attacking pro-wess by scoring a third inside the first minute of the second half.

The Blues were guilty of more calamitous defending as Mifsud was afforded time and space to dart into the box before drilling a low shot past Farrugia.

In a rare Mosta foray, Bajada cut in from the right but his diagonal effort sailed wide. Mosta should have done better when Vignaroli’s set-piece cross from the left was followed by a melee as Apap headed the ball into the goalmouth before Valletta cleared.

Mbonu’s swerving cross on 64 minutes ended wide of the far post as Mosta, now playing 4-3-3, finally imbued their game with some much-needed urgency.

Valletta protested vociferously when the sprinting Mifsud appeared to have been hauled down by Apap but Lautier again saw nothing wrong.

Their disappointment soon turned into joy as, 14 minutes from time, Barbosa made it 4-0 with a rapier shot from inside the box.

Farrugia denied Valletta from another goal when tipping away Mifsud’s piledriver after the latter had been released by Toure.

Six minutes from the end, Bartolo, the Valletta goalkeeper, saved Mitev’s free-kick.

More misery befell Mosta in the dying stages of the match when Mifsud stooped to head Briffa’s low cross into the net and complete his hat-trick.

Valletta
M. Bartolo-6, R. Briffa-6.5, J. Caruana-6, L. Dimech-6, I. Azzopardi-6, W. Barbosa-8 (80 D. Bogdanovic), R. Fenech-6.5, A. Bello-Osagie-6.5 (43 Denni-6), M. Mifsud-8, D. Toure-6, Gabriel-6.5 (61 J. Vandelannoite-6).

Mosta
J. Farrugia-4.5, F. Apap-4, T. Farrugia-4 (80 K. Zammit), M. Micallef-5, S. Chiemeka-5.5, R. Grech-4, J. Bajada-5, D. Mitev-5 (86 O. Ugochukwu), K. Magro-5, C. Campagnoli-5 (46 B. Mbonu-4.5), F. Vignaroli-5.5.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

BOV player of the match: William Barbosa (Valletta).

Attendance: 1,004.

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Valletta	23	14	7	2	54	15	26
Hibernians	23	15	3	5	50	24	26
Birkirkara	22	12	7	3	47	19	22
Sliema	22	11	4	7	34	22	19
Tarxien	23	11	5	7	39	35	19
Mosta	23	11	1	11	39	38	17
Qormi	23	9	3	11	33	36	15
Floriana	23	6	9	8	28	32	15
Balzan	22	7	6	9	34	36	14
Rabat	23	2	8	13	18	46	9
Ħamrun	22	4	4	14	24	58	8
Melita	23	3	5	15	19	58	7