Valletta 3
Cremona 3; Barry 20, 55;
Sliema Wanderers 1
Potezica 90;

All the talk during the week had been on the controversies that characterised Valletta’s 3-1 defeat to Hibernians in their top-of-the-table clash.

Mindful of the effect that costly setback might have on his players’ morale, Valletta coach Ivan Zammit preached a mantra of caution ahead of yesterday’s game against Sliema Wanderers.

Deprived of three key players in captain Ryan Fenech, defender Jonathan Caruana and midfielder Shaun Bajada, Zammit described the clash with Sliema as more difficult than the previous match against Hibs.

If Zammit’s prudence was intended to keep his players focused and motivated, his stance certainly worked as any fears that Valletta might struggle to regain their fluency after last week’s ordeal were allayed inside the opening 19 minutes, the time it took the champions to surge into a two-goal lead.

The absence of Caruana, Fenech and Bajada and the club’s decision to release a host of foreign players who have failed to impress this season, compelled Zammit to call up several youngsters as substitutes but he was still able to send out a side replete with talented and experienced players.

As it turned out, Valletta produced another clinical performance to ease past the stuttering Blues, themselves plagued by the absence of some key players, with Gambian midfielder Hamza Barry capping a man-of-the-match performance with a brace and Abdelkarim Nafti causing Sliema endless torment on the left.

Sliema were clearly there for the taking as their ultra-cautious strategy backfired in the initial stages.

It was only when Sliema began to venture out from their defensive shell that they started to make an attacking impact, especially in the second half but by then the damage had already been done.

With this win, Valletta ensured that they go into the Christmas break level with Birkirkara in second place on 31 points.

Veteran Luke Dimech stepped in for Caruana in the heart of defence while Llywelyn Cremona deputised for Fenech in the middle.

The other alteration in the Valletta team from the 3-1 defeat to Hibernians saw Luke Montebello replace the injured Bajada.

The enforced changes in the City selection also necessitated some positional tinkering from Ivan Zammit as Lateef Elford-Alliyu was moved to the right wing to free up the central striker’s role for Montebello in a 4-1-4-1-cum-4-3-3 formation.

Hugo Faria was not in the squad as the Portuguese midfielder has reportedly reached an agreement to terminate his contract with Valletta.

Sliema coach Azzopardi had his fair share of selection worries as the likes of Michael Mifsud and Clifford Gatt Baldacchino were sidelined with injuries while Trevor Cilia was suspended.

Caution was the order of the day for Azzopardi as he went with five at the back, with Aidan Friggieri and John Mintoff detailed to provide support to French striker Guy Kassa Gnabouyou when the Blues switched from defence to attack.

It didn’t take Cremona long to vindicate his presence in the City team.

The game was only three minutes old when the Valletta youngster picked up a pass from Elford-Alliyu inside the Sliema box and speared his shot past Glenn Zammit, the Sliema goalkeeper.

On six minutes, Ryan Camilleri squared to Elford-Alliyu in the box but the English forward lifted his shot over the bar.

Sliema’s defensive mindset simply invited Valletta to attack them in these early stages.

The champions doubled their lead on 20 minutes. Abdelkarim Nafti laid the groundwork as his rapid incursion through the middle unlocked the Sliema defence before the Tunisian set up the unmarked Barry who dispatched his shot past Zammit.

There was no respite for Sliema.

On 26 minutes, Dimech picked out Nafti who raced into the box after sweeping past Psaila. The Tunisian’s cross was deflected into the path of Cremona but his strike glanced off Andrea Scozzese.

In next to no time, Ian Azzopardi, charging forward on the left, crossed for Montebello but the latter’s first-time volley was high.

Sliema had not fashioned a single chance but they went close to narrowing the deficit on the half-hour when Andrea Pisanu’s set-piece cross soared into the box and Gnabouyou headed towards goal.

Nicky Vella, the Valletta goalkeeper, managed to paw the ball away as a goalmouth scramble ensued but Stefano Bianciardi was crowded out by the City players.

Nafti had a good chance to add a third when Ryan Camilleri’s cross from the right found him unguarded but the Tunisian’s cheeky backheel was blocked.

The lively Cremona then unleashed a powerful shot that grazed the top of the crossbar.

With eight minutes of the first half remaining, Sliema, who had reverted to four at the back, gained a glimmer of hope as they were awarded a penalty by referee Clayton Pisani for Cremona’s charge on Mark Scerri.

The Valletta fans’ protests soon turned into cheers though as Pisanu’s low strike flashed against the foot of the post.

At the start of the second half, Azzopardi brought on Peter Xuereb for Psaila while Mintoff dropped to right-back.

Four minutes after the restart, Sliema came close to pulling one back as Scerri’s darting run took him into the box but his effort was deflected away for a corner.

Valletta made the points safe 10 minutes into the second half.

Another well-crafted move unnerved Sliema as Roderick Briffa delivered an excellent pass to Montebello who shrugged off the challenge of Scozzese before pulling the ball back to Barry whose thunderous shot went in via the upright.

The game was now over as a contest, although in fairness Sliema were never in it.

On 63 minutes, Friggieri did well to unleash a shot from a tight angle but his effort was off target. As Valletta eased up, Sliema grew more conspicuous in attack.

Fabio Mangiacasale, whose introduction for Pisanu added some impetus to Sliema’s forward play, swung in a dangerous cross-shot from a corner but Vella was alert as he pushed the ball away.

Bianciardi, popping up in the City box after Sliema were awarded a free-kick, volleyed over after Scozzese had headed Scerri’s cross.

Ten minutes from time, Christian Caruana, a late substitute for Barry, had a central shot saved by Zammit.

With the points in the bag, Zammit took the opportunity to rest more players as Hamid Alkamali came on for Steve Borg.

In the closing stages, Vella, who had a good match, saved Marko Potezica’s free-kick and Nafti was wide from the distance.

Valletta almost added a fourth when Elford-Alliyu’s cross dropped to Caruana but his effort was deflected away for a corner.

Nafti’s cross from the ensuing corner sailed into the goalmouth and Caruana’s glancing header looked destined to soar into the net but Mintoff was on the right spot to clear the danger.

In stoppage time, Sliema scored a consolation goal. Gnabouyou veered into the box from the left before supplying a low cross that was turned in by Potezica.

Vallettta
N. Vella-7, I. Azzopardi-6.5, S. Borg-7 (82 H. Alkamali), R. Camilleri-6, R. Briffa-6, L. Montebello-6, L. Elford-Alliyu-6, H. Barry-8 (76 C. Caruana), L. Cremona-7, A. Nafti-7.5 (90 I. Montanaro), L. Dimech-7.

Sliema Wanderers
G. Zammit-4, L. Martinelli-5, G.K. Gnabouyou-6.5, A. Scozzese-6, J. Mintoff-5.5, M. Scerri-6.5, A. Pisanu-6 (63 F. Mangiacasale-6.5), C. Psaila-4 (46 P. Xuereb-5), A. Friggieri-6.5 (90 C. Cassar), M. Potezica-6.5, S. Bianciardi-6.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow cards: Bianciardi; Briffa; Vella.

Missed penalty: Pisanu (SW) 39.

BOV player of the match: Hamza Barry (Valletta).

Attendance: 1,053.

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Hibernians	16	15	1	0	51	8	46
Valletta	16	10	1	5	38	12	31
Birkirkara	16	10	1	5	29	16	31
Balzan	16	5	7	4	19	21	22
Floriana	16	5	6	5	25	31	21
Mosta	16	6	2	8	16	30	20
Sliema W.	16	5	4	7	17	21	19
Naxxar L.	16	4	5	7	20	24	17
Qormi	16	4	5	7	16	26	17
Tarxien R.	16	3	7	6	16	24	16
Pietà H.	16	3	5	8	13	27	14
Żebbuġ R.	16	1	6	9	18	38	9