Valletta’s Hamza Barry runs clear of Qormi defender Zoran Levnaic, yesterday. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Valletta 3
Barry 66, 74 pen; Azzopardi 81;
Qormi 2
Temile 12; Levnaic 35;

Valletta staged a superb comeback yesterday, scoring three goals in the final 25 minutes to leave Qormi stunned after the latter had taken a 2-0 half-time lead.

The direct running of Alfred Effiong and Frank Temile’s finishing had been central to Qormi’s double advantage but Valletta have clearly become a resilient side under Ivan Zammit.

Their never-say-die attitude was epitomised by Hamza Barry whose all-action performance laid the platform for Valletta’s rally.

Qormi mentor Josef Mansueto’s attacking tactics had paid off in the opening half but he should have tried to shut up shop in the final 30 minutes.

Valletta made only one change from the Sliema win, returning skipper Ryan Fenech taking the place of Roderick Briffa, suspended. As usual, Lateef Elford-Alliyu and Abdelkarim Nafti were given the freedom to roam in support of Luke Montebello in a 4-3-3 formation.

Qormi’s starting XI showed three changes from the 2-0 loss to Birkirkara.

Alessio Cassar filled in at right-back, Pietro Viggiani replaced Emerson Vella, suspended, on the left and Carmelo Farrugia partnered Bjorn Bondin in midfield in a 4-1-4-1 approach with Effiong in attack.

It was Qormi who produced the first notable move.

Temile picked up a pass from Bjorn Bondin before slicing open the defence with a slick ball to send Effiong through but the latter was blocked in time by the onrushing Nicky Vella.

The champions were let off the hook but not for long. Their early toils came to the fore two minutes later when Effiong released Temile who outpaced the Valletta defence before sending the ball behind Vella and into the net.

The Whites were again caught out at the back in the 24th minute as Temile made a jinking run on the right before hitting a cross towards Viggiani whose header was repelled by Vella. The rebound fell to Effiong who lost his composure in front of goal before the City rearguard cleared the danger.

But there was no reprieve for the confused Valletta. Just past the 35th minute mark, Temile’s delivery from a corner soared into the box where Zoran Levnaic rose above everyone to direct a header over the startled Vella.

The out-of-sorts Valletta had a chance just before half-time when Elford-Alliyu rattled the bar with a thunderbolt from the D.

Qormi came close to increasing their lead five minutes into the second half. Fenech gave away possession on the edge of the box and Effiong darted through before hitting a firm drive that was tipped away by the alert Vella.

On the hour, Matthew Farrugia, the Qormi goalkeeper, beat away a header by Luke Dimech. From the ensuing corner, Nafti’s inswinger flew past a sea of players but was headed off the line by Jonathan Bondin.

Valletta’s touch and movement were clearly on a different plane now.

In the 66th minute, from Nafti’s corner, Elford-Alliyu hit goalwards but his header came off the bar. The ball fell kindly to Barry who fired home.

Eight minutes later, Valletta were awarded a penalty when Barry was felled by Levnaic. The Gambian despatched the ball past goalkeeper Farrugia to level the score.

It required something spectacular for City to make the final breakthrough and that came from Ian Azzopardi whose sublime strike from just inside the area, after exchanging passes with Elford-Alliyu, gave Farrugia no chance.

At the death, Valletta survived a fright when, after a scramble, the ball fell to Mazzetti who shot wide.

Valletta
N. Vella-7, I. Azzopardi-7, S. Borg-5.5, L. Dimech-6, R. Camilleri-5.5, R. Fenech-5, L. Elford-Alliyu-6.5, L. Montebello-4.5 (58 C. Caruana-5), H. Barry-8 (90 J. Borg), A. Nafti-6.5 (90 H. Alkamali), L. Cremona-5.

Qormi
M. Farrugia-6, B. Bondin-6 (86 J. Chetcuti), M. Mazzetti-6, P. Viggiani-6.5 (58 R. Micallef-4), C. Farrugia-6, A. Effiong-6.5, F. Temile-7, Z. Levnaic-6.5, D. Pisani-5, J. Bondin-5.5, A. Cassar-6.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Yellow cards: Fenech; Viggiani; Mazzetti.

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

Attendance: 966.

Standings