Valletta            3

Birkirkara         0

Valletta produced the right response to their defeat to Balzan when they brushed aside Birkirkara 3-0 at the National Stadium.

On 11 minutes, Claudio Pani sent a curling cross that soared past Birkirkara defender Cain Attard and into the path of Michael Mifsud who hammered the ball into the roof of the net.

Birkirkara were rattled but two minutes later they almost drew level. Jake Grech pounced on a poor clearance by Henry Bonello but his shot was cleared off the line by Ryan Camilleri.

Valletta were forced to make their first substitution when Pani limped out injured and was replaced by Matteo Piciollo.

On 29 minutes Kyrian Nwoko was unlucky not to double Valletta’s lead when he saw his rising shot touched by Schranz onto the upright before the Stripes cleared.

But the former St Andrews striker was not to be denied on 31 minutes when he connected to Saleh’s delivery from a corner to head the ball past Schranz.

Valletta who all but killed off the Stripes hopes of a comeback on 61 minutes.

Saleh embarked on another surging run before slipping the ball into the path of Denni who kept his cool to place the ball past Schranz.