Day 22: Valletta 2 Qormi 0
13/02/2016
Valletta completed their second round commitments in winning fashion after overcoming lowly Qormi 2-0 at the Hibs Stadium.
As expected it was Valletta who made all the early running and on 18 minutes Rafael Ledesma received the ball from a short corner taken by Jhonnattann and his thundering drive came off the bar with Vella beaten.
Valletta tried to raise their ante and on 32 minutes Roderick Briffa’s powerful volley whizzed past the upright while a minute later Romao picked Falcone inside the area but the Argetine striker headed the ball just wide.
Valletta was denied by the woodwork for a second time on 43 minutes when Jhonnattann’s delivery was met by Falcone whose thumping header was somehow kept out by Vella with the aid of the crossbar.
A minute later, Vella again distinguished himself with a top-drawer serve when keeping out Pani’s shot from the distance.
Valletta’s persistence finally reaped an opener on 53 minutes when from a corner action Juan Cruz Gill connected to Jhonnattann’s delivery and his angled header was pushed out by Vella from beyond the goalline.
The Citizens kept pushing forward and two minutes later Mifsud hit a firm low drive that was pushed away by Vella.
Qormi were too weak to produce a response and on 68 minutes Valletta doubled their lead.
Romao powered through from the right to send a dipping cross towards Falcone who headed firmly past Vella.
Qormi finally threatened a minute from time when Djameel Leeflang hit a swerving shot that just missed the upright.
Valletta striker Jhonnattann was voted as the BOV Player of the match.
Source – times of malta.com
VALLETTA – H. Bonello, R. Briffa, R. Ledesma, J. Caruana (L. Cremona), R. Romao, F. Falcone, J. Benites (J. Suda), R. Camilleri, J. Gill Cruz, C. Pani, M. Mifsud (J. Borg).
QORMI – J. Vella, C. Gauci, O. Sidibe, T. Gusman (C. Barbara), D. Leeflang, Y. Yankam, A. Cassar, I. Micallef (E. Vella), N. Ojuola, T. Vella (S. Zammit), K. Magro.
Date: 13.02.2016
Scorers: 53′ J. Gill Cruz, 68′ F. Falcone,
Yellow Cards: C. Pani (V)
Man of Match: J. Benites (V)
Referee: Glenn Tonna
