Valletta 6
Caruana 13; Fenech 47; Agius 50; Briffa 54; Denni 67, 74;
Mosta 0
Valletta put on a dazzling attacking performance to outclass Mosta.
Pre-match predictions hinted at a close encounter but that was certainly not the case as the Citizens were on a different planet.
Inspired by Ryan Fenech and Abdelkarim Nafti, Valletta tore their opponents apart and, were it not for the woodwork, they could have easily been four goals up at half-time.
That didn’t matter as a five-goal burst after the changeover did justice to Valletta’s dominance as the Whites moved just one point behind joint leaders Hibs and Birkirkara.
Mark Miller, the Valletta coach, handed a debut to Nigerian Raimi Bakare who was drafted in a central midfield position alongside Roderick Briffa. Nafti filled the void left by the injured Aziz Corr Nyang while Steve Borg made his first start since recovering from a knee injury.
Mosta also had a new foreigner in their starting formation as Francesco Calcagno replaced the injured Armando while Ishmael Grech, Nicola Cosentini, Ricardo and Haruna Bara were all recalled.
Valletta were quickly in their stride and after eight minutes Briffa picked Fenech whose first-time shot finished just over.
That was only a temporary reprieve for Mosta as five minutes later, Valletta struck. The Citizens were awarded a free-kick, Nafti’s set-piece cross was met by Luke Dimech who nodded the ball into the path of Jonathan Caruana and the defender dived full stretch to head past goalkeeper Omar Borg.
On 17 minutes, Valletta won a corner and Nafti’s cross fell into the path of Dimech who hit a fierce drive that came off the bar.
A minute later, Briffa served Fenech and the Valletta midfielder set up Denni but the Brazilian’s shot was deflected just past the upright.
From the corner, the ball came to Nafti whose dipping shot hit the bar.
Mosta finally threatened on 26 minutes when, in a quick raid, Manolito Micallef served Ricardo whose curling drive beat Valletta goalkeeper Yenz Cini but in came Dimech to clear the ball off the line.
Valletta soon hit back and two minutes later, Denni released Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza whose low drive rolled past Borg but Grech blocked on the line.
The Citizens struck the woodwork for a third time on the half-hour mark when Nafti’s audacious chip came off the bar.
Mosta almost pulled level on the stroke of half-time when Gianmarco Piccione broke free but was denied by the onrushing Cini.
Valletta came out for the second half determined to put the game beyond their opponents and grabbed a vital second goal after just two minutes. The impressive Fenech dispossessed Kane Farrugia and dashed into the area before coolly slotting the ball past Borg.
Mosta were still reeling from that blow when Valletta scored again three minutes later. Mifsud Triganza’s effort from outside the area was blocked but the ball fell kindly to the unmarked Edmond Agius who blasted home.
Valletta were not finished yet and on 54 minutes they made it 4-0. From a corner action, Nafti’s dipping cross was met by Briffa whose downward header had the better of Borg.
The woodwork denied Mosta a consolation goal on 57 minutes when Piccione was first to Cosentini’s set-piece cross but the ball smacked against the bar before City cleared.
On the hour, Denni fed Mifsud Triganza inside the area but the City striker was denied in two attempts by Borg.
Valletta piled more misery on Mosta on 67 minutes when Denni danced past two Mosta defenders before hitting a low drive that nestled into the net.
Seven minutes from time Miller withdrew Fenech and roped in Llywelyn Cremona.
The young City forward immediately left his mark as a minute after coming on, he put Denni clear and the latter beat Borg with a thumping drive.
Valletta
Y. Cini-6, J. Caruana-6.5, S. Borg-6.5, R. Fenech-8 (73 L. Cremona), E. Agius-6.5, R. Briffa-6.5 (61 S. Bajada-6), J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5 (61 I. Zammit-6), R. Bakare-6.5, Denni-7.5, A. Nafti-7.5, L. Dimech-7.5.
Mosta
O. Borg-4, K. Farrugia-4, T. Farrugia-5, M. Brincat-5, I. Grech-5 (64 B. Agius-5.5), M. Micallef-5, N. Cosentini-4 (79 S. Oproiescu), F. Calcagno-5 (54 R. Grech-5), R. Faria-5, H. Bara-5, G. Piccione-5.
Referee: Clayton Pisani.
Yellow cards: Nafti; Agius; Piccione.
BOV player of the match: Ryan Fenech (Valletta).
Attendance: 904.