Valletta 2
Da Silva 8; Elford-Alliyu 78;
Mosta 2
Piccioni 15, 65;
Having courted controversy over their simmering conflict with the Malta FA, Valletta suffered further disappointment yesterday.
For the second time in their opening three Championship Pool matches, they squandered potentially vital points in the title race after failing to go beyond a two-all draw with Mosta.
Valletta dominated long spells of possession but they were stopped in their tracks by a resolute Mosta team who defended staunchly, stringing five players across the back in the second half. They broke forward with vigour on the counter with Gian Marco Piccioni displaying excellent finishing as he helped himself to a brace.
The match was not without controversy with some contending after the game that Valletta may have left themselves susceptible to a Mosta protest as, for a few seconds in the second half, they had six foreign players on the pitch, albeit the game was paused as the Citizens effected a double substitution with Hamza Barry replacing Edmond Agius before Luke Montebello came on for Abdelkarim Nafti.
Brazilian Alan Da Silva Souza, making his first start for Valletta, played on the right of the returning Lateef Elford-Alliyu who was the team’s attacking pivot in a 4-3-3 formation.
Denni was conspicuous by his absence amid talk of an imminent move to Malaysian club Sime Darby FC.
It was not long before Valletta took the lead.
Da Silva Souza traded passes with Elford-Alliyu before hitting a rasping drive that soared into the top corner.
Valletta were in command in the early stages but Mosta’s attacking threat was not to be dismissed.
Piccioni and Bojan Kaljevic were proving awkward customers for the City defenders with the Montenegro striker earning a free-kick just outside the box after his neat turn had wrong-footed Jonathan Caruana. The latter was booked for his foul and, from the free-kick, Mosta equalised as Piccioni’s drive arrowed into the net.
Two minutes later, Nafti rifled over after connecting with Da Silva Souza’s cross while Ryan Fenech’s long-range screamer was high and wide.
Mosta appealed for a penalty when Piccioni appeared to have been pushed inside the area but referee Philip Farrugia saw nothing wrong.
Slowly, Valletta re-established a modicum of control and on the half-hour, Da Silva Souza twisted his way infield from the right before passing to Elford-Alliyu whose close-range flick was tamed by Borg.
The Citizens continued to create the better chances. Seven minutes from half-time, Elford-Alliyu laid the ball to Nafti but his piledriver flew over.
Shaun Bajada, now pushing harder on the left flank, was off target with two attempts.
Mosta issued a quick reminder of their attacking threat when, barely 30 seconds into the second half, Kaljevic dispossessed Roderick Briffa in the box before cutting the ball back to Piccioni whose rising effort was charged down by Caruana.
At the other end, Mosta’s Tyrone Farrugia blocked Steve Borg’s goalbound shot after a prolonged City raid.
From the corner, Nafti laid the ball back to Borg who drove wide.
Six minutes into the second half, another fine City move saw Da Silva flick the ball forward to Nafti who back-heeled it to Briffa but the wing-back skied his shot.
The growing feeling that Valletta risked punishment for their failure to convert supremacy into goals was vindicated on 65 minutes as Mosta forged ahead.
The incoming Antonio Carrozza delivered a low cross from the left and Piccioni’s flick caught Revishvili by surprise.
Valletta almost equalised when Elford-Alliyu released Da Silva Souza but he lifted his shot over the bar.
With 12 minutes remaining, the Whites levelled, Elford-Alliyu heading in from close range after meeting Da Silva’s perfect cross.
As Mosta dropped deeper, Valletta pressed forward in numbers but in so doing they left themselves exposed at the back.
Piccioni almost made them pay but his close-range attempt grazed the far post.
Montebello’s shot for Valletta rolled into the hands of Borg who then saved from Elford-Alliyu.
Late in the game, Barry failed to locate the target with long-range efforts before Borg denied Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.
Valletta
N. Revishvili-5, J. Caruana-5, S. Borg-5, R. Fenech-6, E. Agius-6 (71 H. Barry-5), R. Briffa-5, S. Bajada-6, A. Da Silva-7.5 (89 J.P. Mifsud Triganza), I. Maisuradze-6, L. Elford-Alliyu-6.5, A. Nafti-6 (71 L. Montebello-5).
Mosta
O. Borg-7, T. Farrugia-6.5, R. Ekani-6.5, M. Brincat-7, I. Grech-6, R. Grech-6, K. Zammit-5.5 (57 R. Faria-5), M. Micallef-5, I. Zammit-5.5 (61 A. Carrozza-6), B. Kaljevic-6.5 (89 C. Martins), G.M. Piccioni-7.5.
Referee: Philip Farrugia.
Yellow cards: Caruana; Kaljevic; Fenech; Micallef; Borg; Bajada; Ekani.
BOV player of the match: Gian Marco Piccioni (Mosta).