Five-star Valletta see off Mosta as substitute Andrea Zammit hits hat-trick

Valletta kicked off their Closing Round commitments in the best possible way after securing a convincing 5-0 win over Mosta.

The Citizens were off to a flier after Thaylor Aldama fired them ahead after three minutes.

But for all their dominance they could not add a second goal as they missed a series of scoring opportunities.

However, Valletta finally made their pressure count in the final stages of the match with Emmanuel Mbende adding a second before Andrea Zammit came off the bench to score an impressive hat-trick.

Valletta took just three minutes to surge ahead against Mosta.

Yuri Messias, who was returning from suspension, sent a fine pass into the path of Thaylor Aldama, and the City winger adjusted his body well to volley the ball home.

After that early setback, Mosta took some time to fight back but they came close to an equaliser on 23 minutes.

Cheick Diamanka sent a fine throughball into the path of Zachary Brincat, who used his strength to fend off his marker, and his low drive was well saved by goalkeeper Adilson Maringa.

Valletta suffered a blow on the half-hour mark as Steve Borg pulled out injured and was replaced by Neil Micallef.

The next scoring chance came Mosta’s way on 39 minutes. Brincat found Pedro Cacho, and the former Hibs forward fired over.

At the other end, Yannick Yankam should have doubled Valletta’s lead when he was teed up by Steijn Meijer but the Malta midfielder was denied by Akpan.

A minute later, the Dutch forward failed to turn home Paiber’s cross-shot.

Valletta stepped up a gear in the second half in search of a second goal and on 58 minutes, Meijer saw his shot on the turn palmed away by Akpan.

Eight minutes later, Messias should have killed off Mosta as he picked up a short rebound but he fired over with only Akpan to beat.

Valletta sealed the points 12 minutes from time, when Aldama’s cross was met by Emanuel Mbende who headed the ball past Akpan.

Substitute Andrea Zammit also left his mark for Valletta on 85 minutes when in a swift break he turned past Akpan and blasted the ball into the net.

In stoppage time, Jake Azzopardi played in Zammit who kept his cool to chip the ball into the net.

Zammit was not finished yet as in stoppage time he was at the right place to tap home from a Mellilo cross.