Valletta’s Llywelyn Cremona (left) tackles Sliema’s Marko Potezica. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Sliema Wanderers 2
Potezica 50, 86;
Valletta 4
Nafti 38; Elford-Alliyu 43, 45; Montebello 73;

A three-goal burst towards the end of the opening half put Valletta on the way to a 4-2 win over Sliema Wanderers as the champions went top of the Euro Cup table yesterday.

With both coaches effecting wholesale changes to their formations from their opening matches last week, it was the Citizens who produced the better fare and their superior quality in front of goal made all the difference.

The Wanderers were without a host of first-team players, including Michael Mifsud, Alex Muscat and Stefano Bianciardi who were given a breather by Alfonso Greco after the 3-0 win over Hibs on Thursday.

Gilbert Agius, the Valletta coach, also rotated his personnel with Manuel Bartolo starting in goal and newcomer Hamid Alkamali, a 25-year-old United Arab Emirates defender, making his first appearance.

Hamza Barry was missing for Valletta as the Gambian is reportedly having a trial with Tunisian side Esperance.

Defender Steve Borg, another absentee yesterday, was due to travel to South Africa last night ahead of a trial with a club there.

Both teams took some time to settle with the first opportunity coming Sliema’s way on 18 minutes. Axl Xuereb’s shot was blocked in two attempts by Bartolo.

Scoring chances remained few and far between with Valletta responding on 35 minutes when Abdelkarim Nafti’s deflected shot finished just wide.

Valletta struck on 38 minutes.

Jonathan Caruana surged forward before sending a through-ball to Nafti who lobbed the ball over Henry Bonello.

The Whites struck again five minutes later. Shaun Bajada’s cross was met by Lateef Elford-Alliyu whose header was blocked off the line by Josef Mifsud but the English striker blasted home from the rebound.

Elford-Alliyu was not finished yet and just before the half time, he was again on the end of another Bajada cross to direct a header into the net.

On the restart, Greco withdrew Scerri, Peter Xuereb and Ryan Dalli for Paltemio Barbetti, Gabriel Aquilina and Ahmed Salama, an Egyptian striker.

Valletta brought on Ian Azzopardi and Luke Montebello for Nafti and Siraj Arab.

Sliema started the second half brightly. On 50 minutes, Serbian trialist Marko Potezica was first to Miguel Ciantar’s free-kick and sent his header past Bartolo.

But Valletta all but wrapped up their win on 73 minutes when Montebello surged into the area and beat Bonello with a low drive.

Sliema narrowed the deficit four minutes from time when Potezica met Barbetti’s corner and his header gave Bartolo no chance.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello, C. Cassar (56 I. Meli), L. Martinelli (66 C. Psaila), J. Mifsud, M. Potezica, M. Scerri (46 P. Barbetti), C. Gatt Baldacchino, R. Dalli (46 A. Salama), P. Xuereb (46 G. Aquilina), M. Ciantar, (55 S. Ohawuchi), A. Xuereb.

Valletta
M. Bartolo (89 Y. Cini), J. Caruana, L. Elford-Alliyu (68 R. Camilleri), H. Alkamali (68 R. Fenech), S. Arab (46 L. Montebello), S. Bajada, Denni (26 R. Briffa), L. Cremona, Y. Camilleri, A. Zahra (54 I. Zammit), A. Nafti (46 I. Azzopardi).

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Playing today
(Centenary Stadium): 19.00 Birkir-kara vs Hibernians.

Standings