Day 6 Valletta 4 Qormi 0
27/09/2014
Champions Valletta made it two wins in a row for the first time this season after thrashing Qormi 4-0 this evening.
Buoyed by their 5-0 demolition of Sliema Wanderers, Valletta took their time to find their rhythm against their aggressive opponents but they dominated the game after Lateef Elford-Alliyu put them ahead.
They scored three more goals in the second half to climb up the table as Qormi slipped to their fourth defeat in six matches.
After 11 minutes, Valletta’s Llywelyn Cremona headed over from Roderick Briffa’s cross.
Qormi also threatened as Frank Temile cut in from the right but his grounder was charged down by Ryan Fenech.
Another good move by Qormi saw Alfred Effiong guide through-ball to Alex Bruce who sprinted into the box but Hugo Faria did well to put his body in the way of the Ghanaian midfielder.
Temile then fired wide from an angled position as Qormi continued to hold their own.
Valletta went close when Roderick Briffa headed over from Adrian Zahra’s corner.
The Citizens’ pressure grew as the first half wore on. Briffa was unlucky when his firm drive shook the crossbar but, from the same action, Zahra played in Elford-Alliyu who turned well before hitting past Matthew Farrugia from close range.
Qormi shouted ‘penalty’ when Temile raced into the box to receive Steve Agius’s return pass but the Nigerian went down after making contact with the sliding Faria. Referee Andre Arciola was not impressed.
Five minutes from half-time, Qormi had a great opportunity to equalise but were thwarted by Nicky Vella. After pushing out Effiong’s dangerous cross, the City goalkeeper repelled Temile’s follow-on attempt and, from the rebound, Joseph Chetcuti lifted his shot over the bar.
Three minutes into the second half, Luke Dimech blocked a dangerous effort from Bruce following a pass from Jonathan Bondin.
Bruce then hit wide from the distance and Effiong missed the ball from Anderson’s set-piece cross.
The game remained interesting. Briffa, pushing forward on the right, produced a superb half-volley from a tight angle but the ball landed wide of the far post.
With Qormi pressing forward for an equaliser, it was Valletta who sealed the issue. The champions hit Qormi on the counter as Ryan Fenech lobbed the ball over a defender before passing to Elford-Alliyu who ran into the box. The English forward looked set to shoot but instead switched the ball to the unmarked Terra who slotted home.
Late in the game, Valletta pulled further clear as Ian Azzopardi made it 3-0 with a close-range header from Terra’s cross and substitute Luke Montebello beat Farrugia with a firm drive.
Valletta striker Elford-Alliyu was voted BOV player of the match.
Source: timesofmalta.com
VALLETTA – N. Vella, I. Azzopardi, L. Dimech, R. Fenech, A. Terra, H. Faria, L. Cremona (S. Bajada), L. Elford (L. Montebello), R. Camilleri, R. Briffa , A. Zahra (H. Barry).
QORMI: – M. Farrugia, J. Bondin, A. Quatrochi Santos, S. Agius, D. Pisani, R. Sammut, J. Chetcuti, Z. Levniac, A. Bruce (P. Viggiani), A. Effiong, F. Temile (G. Azzopardi).
Date: 27.09.14 Time: 19:00 Venue: National Stadium
Scorers: 31′ L. Elford Alliyu, 63′ A. Terra, 86′ I. Azzopardi, 90′ L. Montebello
Yellow Cards: L. Dimech (V)
Man of Match: Lateef Elford Alliyu (V)
Referee: Andre Arciola
