Valletta 1
Falcone 90;
Sliema Wanderers 0

Federico Falcone came off the bench to prod home a last-gasp winner that handed Valletta a 1-0 victory over Sliema yesterday.

It looked as though City were set for a dour night as despite dominating possession they struggled to breach a resolute Sliema side.

But Falcone found the net for the second successive match as a late substitute to give Valletta their second victory that lifted them to the top of the standings.

Valletta effected one change as Abdelkarim Nafti started ahead of Njongo Priso. Albert Bruce, who joined the Citizens in midweek, was among the substitutes.

Sliema were strengthened with the return of Rafael Ledesma, Michael Mifsud and Pedrinho but Gary Muir started on the bench with Benjamin Essel given his first start after joining the Blues in midweek. Midfielder Johann Bezzina, another midweek signing, was also handed his debut.

Valletta started brightly. They were awarded a free-kick from which Jhonnattann’s shot was turned past the post by keeper Entonjo Elezaj.

From the corner, Nafti’s delivery looked to have surprised Elezaj with the ball bouncing on top of the bar before finishing wide.

Valletta continued to dominate and Jhonnattann’s cross was pushed by Elezaj into the path of Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza who saw his header cleared off the line by Clifford Gatt Baldacchino. Llywelyn Cremona was first to the rebound but his shot hit the bar.

Two minutes later the woodwork denied the Blues when Pedrinho picked Ledesma but the Brazilian’s shot crashed against the upright.

It was not Ledesma’s day as he was again denied by the woodwork when his thumping volley smacked against the bar.

Valletta tried to step up their game and Jonathan Caruana connected to Jhonnattann’s delivery from a corner but his header finished just wide.

The Citizens remained dangerous from set pieces. Nafti met Jhonnattann’s corner but he miscued his header from a few metres out.

A minute later, Romeo Romau released Jhonnattann but he failed to connect from routine distance.

Falcone came in for Nafti and Bruce replaced Mifsud Triganza and the changes looked to have worked for City as the two substitutes combined for the winner a minute from time.

Bruce’s long pass picked Briffa on the edge of the area and he nodded the ball into the path of Falcone who beat Elezaj with a low drive.

Bajada joins Blacks

Valletta yesterday parted ways with midfielder Shaun Bajada who agreed to join Ghajnsielem.

The 32-year-old Gozitan was keen to return to the sister island after spending more than a decade in the Maltese league.

The deal will see the former Birkirkara and Sliema player joining the Blacks on a permanent basis.

Valletta
H. Bonello-6.5, J. Caruana-6.5 (70 R. Camilleri), I. Azzopardi-6, J. Gill Cruz-6, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6 (80 A. Bruce), R. Briffa-7, L. Cremona-6, C. Pani-6, Jhonnattann-7.5, A. Nafti-5 (72 F. Falcone), R. Romao-6.5.

Sliema Wanderers
E. Elezaj-6.5, A. Muscat-5, J. Bezzina-5, M. Mifsud-5 (81 R. Dalli), Pedrinho-6, R. Ledesma-5 (88 P. Xuereb), C. Gatt Baldacchino-6, M. Potezica-6, B. Essel-5 (38 G. Muir-5), S. Bianciardi-6.5, L. Dimech-6.5.

Referee: Esther Farrugia.

Yellow cards: Mifsud, Nafti, Bianciardi, Pedrinho, Dimech, Falcone.

BOV player of the match: Jhonnattann (Valletta).

Attendance: 1,425.

Standings

Playing today
Tedesco Stadium: 18.30 Pembroke vs St Andrew’s. 20.45 Mosta vs Qormi.