VALLETTA 2
Fontanella 57
Dilaver 82
MOSTA 3
Morisco 13
Acheampong 25
Ememe 45
VALLETTA A. Guarnone-4 (68 Y. Cini), S. Dimech-5 (68 J. Mallia), M. Sansone-6, C. Gauci-5, A. Zammit-7 (80 K. Tulimieri), E. Pena Beltre-6.5, E. Promise-5, R. Muscat-6, E. Sala-5 (46 S. Mackay), C. Prado-6 (80 H. Dilaver), M. Fontanella-7.5.
MOSTA I. Akpan-6, C. Ememe-6 (75 M. Mifsud), G. Acheampong-7 (87 R. Fernandes Da Silva), C. Failla-6.5, J. Vassallo-5.5, B. Diarra-6, L. Riascos-6, D. Agyare-6 (55 W. Donkin), R. Morisco-6.5, Z. Brincat-6 (55 N. Agius), R. Ekani-6.
Referee Ishmael Barbara.
Yellow card Pena Beltre.
BOV Player of the Match Rafael Morisco (Mosta).
Mosta secured their place in next season’s BOV Premier League after they beat Valletta 3-2 at the Tony Bezzina Stadium on Saturday.
Joseph Grech’s side took to the pitch keeping in mind the fact that three points would safeguard their status among the top echelon of Maltese football.
Grech made wholesale changes to his squad after last weekend’s draw to Sta Lucia, bringing in Zachary Brincat, Luis Riascos and Dennis Antwi for Will Donkin, Nathan Agius and Sunday Akinbule.
Danilo Doncic made two changes to his squad with Shaun Dimech and Michele Sansone playing in place of Jean Borg and Kevin Tulimieri.
Mosta took off in style, attacking from the opening minute but it was Valletta who threatened first through Mario Fontanella who tried to lob Ini Akpan with a first-time chip, but the Mosta goalkeeper was alert to tip over.
It was Mosta who took the lead three minutes later when from a Clayton Failla freekick, Rafael Morisco’s header the ball into the net.
Valletta tried to reply from another Fontanella effort, but it was Mosta who went further ahead on 25 minutes. An impressive solo effort from Geoffrey Acheampong to collect the ball from a mistimed clearance lead to the Ghanian firing from distance into the bottom corner.
Andrea Zammit could have reduced the margin after the half hour but his acrobatic effort from a Fontanella cross went whiskers away.
Valletta were made to pay as Mosta made it three right before the break. A throughball was met by Failla on the left, who picked the unmarked Christ Ememe who tapped home.
The second half showed a different side to the story as Valletta turned into the more offensive side. It took them 12 minutes but Fontanella finally got his goal when Emmanuel Promise’s initial effort was blocked by Akpan.
The Citizens were close again just past the hour but Akpan was the hero this time blocking consecutive shots from Zammit and Fontanella, before a third shot from Sansone was stopped by the defence.
Valletta were not to be denied from getting their second, as eight minutes from time, substitute Haris Dilaver rebounded another Fontanella effort amid mass confusion inside the area.
Valletta had appeals for a penalty waved away from referee Ishmael Barbara in injury time when substitute Kevin Tulimieri fell to a challenge inside the area as Mosta held on for the win.
