Sliema Wanderers 0
Valletta 5
Zahra 18, 23; Terra 25 54; Fenech 39 pen;
Champions Valletta have more work to do to wipe out the gap on runaway leaders Hibernians but this could prove a watershed moment in their season.
Coming from a 2-1 defeat to Hibernians, Valletta were facing talk of crisis in the lead-up to their first-round clash with the misfiring Sliema Wanderers but emerged from this match with their confidence restored after crushing the Blues to the tune of 5-0.
After taking only four points from their opening four games, leading coach Gilbert Agius to describe his team’s start as “disastrous’, Valletta returned to a semblance of normality not only because of their emphatic winning margin but also with the way they performed.
Valletta had looked short of verve and flair on the wings following the departures of Denni and Alan da Silva Souza but the players signed as their replacements in the close-season finally showed encouraging signs that they can provide that missing spark in wide positions.
Handed a chance to stake his claim for a first-team berth, Adrian Zahra took it with both hands as he scored a brace, albeit both with close-range headers, and was a lively figure throughout.
His interchanging with Brazilian Alex Terra, another new signing who capped a dynamic performance with a brace yesterday, was a notable feature of Valletta’s showing while in midfield, Ryan Fenech and Hugo Faria reigned supreme.
The brisk movement and tactical cohesion displayed by Valletta was in stark contrast with the abject performance from Sliema.
Without a win in their opening five games, the Blues were all over the place, leaving glaring holes in midfield and wings as Valletta ran riot with a three-goal flourish in seven first-half minutes.
Their coach Alfonso Greco is renowned for his tactical nous but his reputation is now on the line after this poor showing.
Greco had limited himself to two changes from the uninspiring goalless draw against Qormi as Italian forward Filippo Talato came in for Andrea Pisanu, who was not in the squad, and Beppe Muscat got the nod ahead of Luca Martinelli.
Ivory Coast striker Kassa Guy Gnabouyou played alongside Michael Mifsud in attack with Talato starting out on the left wing.
Agius’s first XI showed three changes from the Hibs defeat. With Steve Borg and Abdelkarim Nafti injured, Agius drafted Zahra and Terra into the team while youngster Llywelyn Cremona was preferred to Shaun Bajada.
It was 4-2-3-1 from Agius with English forward Lateef Elford-Alliyu up front and captain Fenech deployed in his familiar holding midfield role alongside Portuguese Faria.
The first threat came from Sliema after nine minutes. Fastening on to Mark Scerri’s lofted through-ball, Gnabouyou used his speed to move clear of his markers but Nicky Vella made himself big in the box as he parried away the Ivorian striker’s effort.
Gnabouyou was at it again moments later but this time he was closed down by Luke Dimech.
Valletta began to come more into their own as the first half moved on. They should have taken the lead when Cremona surged clear on the right and delivered a perfect cross for Terra but the Brazilian lifted his shot over the bar with only Glenn Zammit to beat.
The champions didn’t have to wait too long to open the scoring.
It came from a corner action as Fenech’s cross was met by Zahra, who had been left completely unguarded, and the Australian winger’s downward header had the better of Zammit.
Paltemio Barbetti had a good opportunity to equalise for Sliema but his first-time volley from a wide position was high.
It was Valletta who increased their advantage midway into the first half.
Sliema were again found wanting when defending set-pieces as Fenech’s cross, from another right-wing corner, soared towards the far post, Elford-Alliyu nodded the ball back into the goalmouth and Zahra, one of the smallest players on the field, was on hand to glance the ball into the net.
Sliema unravelled.
Their defensive woes were further exposed a minute later when Zahra, profiting from the open space on the right wing, sent in a low cross into the path of Elford-Alliyu who sliced the ball towards Terra and the Brazilian made no mistake from routine distance.
Valletta’s three-goal blitz had a shattering effect on Sliema who looked devoid of inspiration and ideas.
Tactically, the Blues were out of sorts in every area of the pitch, especially in central defence and on the wings, as Valletta confidently stroked passes all over the pitch.
Their afternoon took another turn for the worse when, eight minutes from half-time, Zahra, again making headway down the inside-right channel, veered into the box where he was upended by the back-tracking Talato.
Referee Adrian Azzopardi pointed to the spot albeit TV replays showed that the action took place just outside the area.
Fenech calmly slotted the ball past Zammit to put Valletta 4-0 up with only 39 minutes gone.
City were in total control.
Another flowing move saw Cremona switch the ball to Elford-Alliyu who pulled it back to Roderick Briffa who had roared forward from his right-back station. The Malta international skied his shot over the bar.
Greco brought on new signing Fabio Mangiacasale for Marko Potezica at half-time while Luke Montebello came on for Elford-Alliyu.
Mifsud swung in a dangerous cross-shot from a corner but Vella tipped the ball away.
But Valletta made it 5-0 on 54 minutes, Terra, again left completely unmarked in the box, hitting low past Zammit after good work by Cremona.
Terra showed good poise as he ran himself into a good shooting position but his drive was high.
Valletta had more reason to be cheerful when, midway into the second half, Gambian midfielder Hamza Barry came on for his first appearance of the season after replacing Fenech.
After Mifsud hit wide from the distance, Sliema protested for a penalty when Mangiacasale slum-ped to the turf after coming in contact with the on-rushing Vella who appeared to get the ball but referee Adrian Azzopardi was unmoved.
Vella was less convincing when he dashed out of the area to try and intercept Mifsud as the Sliema striker managed to nick the ball past the goalkeeper but the unyielding Faria averted the danger.
Montebello had a great chance to put his name on the scoresheet when Faria’s pass sent him clear but the Malta U-21 striker miscued his shot.
Sliema Wanderers
G. Zammit-4, M. Potezica-4 (46 F. Mangiacasale-4), J. Mintoff-4, M. Scerri-5.5, M. Mifsud-5.5, F. Talato-4, C. Gatt Baldacchino-4, K.G. Gnabouyou-4.5, P. Barbetti-4, B. Muscat-4, S. Bianciardi-4.
Valletta
N. Vella-6.5, I. Azzopardi-6.5, R. Camilleri-7, R. Fenech-6.5 (67 H. Barry-6), H. Faria-7.5, R. Briffa-6.5 (82 D. Camilleri), L. Elford-Alliyu-6 (46 L. Montebello-6), L. Cremona-6.5, A. Terra-6.5, A. Zahra-7.5, L. Dimech-6.5.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Briffa, Scerri.
BOV player of the match: Adrian Zahra (Valletta).
Attendance: 1,026.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Hibernians | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 15 |
| Mosta | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 13 |
| Birkirkara | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 12 |
| Balzan | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 10 |
| Valletta | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| Tarxien R. | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Floriana | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
| Qormi | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Sliema W. | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 3 |
| Naxxar L. | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Żebbuġ R. | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 2 |
| Pietà H. | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 1 |