Valletta’s Njongo Priso tries to move past Uzeh Edafe. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Valletta 4
Priso 23, 47; Calistus 42; Mifsud Triganza 59;
St Andrew’s 0

The last time Valletta met a team from the Pembroke area, they came unstuck after going down to a shock 2-0 defeat to Athleta.

Last night, Paul Zammit’s troops came across St Andrew’s, Pembroke’s struggling neighbours, but the script was totally different as the Citizens outclassed their opponents to move top on 25 points, in the process raising the pressure on their title rivals who will be in action today and tomorrow.

Despite missing several players, Valletta just possessed too much attacking ammunition for the timid Saints who remain the only team without a point.

St Andrew’s tried their best to put up a fight but they were blown apart by the guile and class of Abdelkarim Nafti, who provided two goal assists, and Njongo Priso, scorer of a well-taken brace.

Injuries and suspension deprived Zammit of a host of key players as goalkeeper Henry Bonello, defender Jonathan Caruana, midfielder Llywelyn Cremona and forwards Federico Falcone and Jhonnattann Benites were all out of the equation.

Zammit tweaked his tactical gameplan as he opted for 4-2-3-1 with Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, who turned 34 yesterday, the attacking pivot, Priso and the recalled Umeh Calistus wide and Abdelkarim Nafti handed roaming duties.

Wayne Attard, the St Andrew’s coach, gave a debut to Nigerian midfielder Uzeh Edafe who stationed himself in front of the back five.

The Saints were missing three first-choice players as Joseph Farrugia, Kyrian Nwoko and Dale Camilleri were sidelined.

Inside the opening two minutes, Nafti’s cross-shot arced menacingly towards goal but St Andrew’s goalkeeper Kris Calleja was alert to block.

Claudio Pani then directed a forward pass to Mifsud Triganza on the left but the latter’s diagonal drive dropped wide of the far post.

On 20 minutes, the Citizens should have taken the lead when Calistus accelerated into the box but his low strike, from a wide position, grazed the base of the far post.

Another inviting chance came Valletta’s way when Mifsud Triganza floated a great pass towards the speeding Nafti but the latter’s first-time volley was wide.

It was a matter of when not if Valletta would open the scoring. Their pressure produced a deserved goal midway into the first half when Priso breezed into the box before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.

St Andrew’s fashioned a ghost of a chance when Nicky Vella, deputising for Bonello, blocked a low shot from Michael Grima a minute past the half-hour.

An elaborate City move saw Nafti and Priso exchange passes inside the box but the latter rifled wide.

Malta U-19 starlet Matthew Guillaumier, reportedly a target for a host of clubs, hit a low shot from the distance but Vella saved.

There was an anxious moment for Valletta when Grima’s strike took a deflection that had Vella scampering backward as the ball rolled wide.

But, in their next raid, Valletta increased their advantage. Nafti’s perfectly-weighted pass flew above the St Andrew’s defenders and into the path of Calistus who advanced before prodding past Calleja.

Valletta’s evening got better two minutes into the second half. Once again, Nafti played a prominent role as his intelligent run had the Saints’ defence on the backfoot with the Tunisian releasing Priso who beat Calleja with a composed finish.

The Saints reverted to four at the back at the back at half-time in a bid to improve their attacking potential but Valletta remained on top.

Nafti concluded a fine run with a low shot that came off the side-netting.

Valletta moved 4-0 up close to the hour, Mifsud Triganza nodding home from close in after Nafti’s diving header had been tipped onto the bar by Calleja.

The Saints hit back when Jacob Walker dragged the ball back for Grima whose piledriver ended high.

In stoppage time, St Andrew’s came close to a consolation goal but Walker’s close-range flick was blocked by the Valletta defenders.

Valletta: N. Vella-6, I. Azzopardi-6 (81 D. Camilleri), R. Camilleri-6, J. Cruz Gill-6.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5, R. Briffa-6 (68 N. Pulis-6), N. Priso-7.5 (73 J. Suda), C. Pani-6.5, U. Calistus-6, A. Nafti-7, R. Romao-6.

St Andrew’s: K. Calleja-5, J. Williams-5, M. Sehitaj-5.5, E. Nkene-5, N. Vella Petroni-4, M. Guillaumier-5.5, M. Grima-6.5, M. Johnson-5 (46 J. Walker-6), U. Edafe-5.5 (85 J. Parry), C. Cumbo-4 (81 N. Ghio), L. Grech-5.

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Yellow cards: Camilleri; Vella Petroni.

BOV player of the match: Njongo Priso (Valletta).

Attendance: 695.