Matchday 13: Valletta 3 Gudja U. 0
20/01/2024
Valletta returned to winning ways after beating Gudja U. 3-0 earlier today at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.
Gudja under the guidance of Renzo Kerr Cumbo, had some new faces that they acquired at the beginning of the year, where Stephen Owusu started from the beginning, then the former Swieqi United Ibrahim Salis, Eernesto Gentile and Rodrigue Nanitelamio.
Valletta opened the score after only three minutes when defender Ricardo Mango deflected Victor Luiz’s cross from the left into his own net to give the Citizens the lead.
Gudja responded with a shot by Shaizen Attard in the seventh minute that was saved by Alessandro Guarnone who had returned with Valletta.
In the tenth minute Valletta hit the crossbar with a shot by Federico Falcone. The Argentinian attacker was close to the goal again two minutes later with a shot that once again went close to the post.
Two minutes before the end of the first half, Valletta doubled their lead when, from Shaun Dimech’s cross from the right, Federico Falcone scored with a header, scoring the seventh goal of the season.
At the beginning of the second half, Ibrahim Salis made his debut with Gudja, replacing Gianluca Zammit.
In the tenth minute of the second half, debutant Stephen Owusu’s shot was saved on the ground by Alessandro Guarnone.
A quarter from the end the young substitute Jake Azzopardi was going to add his name to the scorers when he received from defender Juan Bolanos but his shot was turned into a corner by Justin Spiteri.
Ten minutes from the end another attempt by Stephen Owusu was again stopped by Alessandro Guarnone.
Valletta scored the third goal in the 83rd minute when the substitute Diego Cardoso scored with a precise shot to the corner of the net.
Valletta: Alessandro Guarnone, Enzo Ruiz, Victor Luiz, Juan Bolanos, Neil Micallef, Fernando Barrientos, Alfred Silas (Santiago Ferraris), Brandon Paiber, Shaun Dimech (Jake Azzopardi ), Jhonnattan Benites (Diego Cardoso), Federico Falcone.
Gudja United: Justin Spiteri, Mirco Esposito, Zak Grech, Armando Brenner, Ricardo Mango, Matias Muchardi, Shaizen Attard (Rodrigue Nanitelamio ), Stephen Owusu, Aidan Friggieri, Gabriel Mensah (Ernesto Gentile ), Gianluca Zammit (Ibrahim Salis)
Yellow cards: E. Ruiz (V), R. Mango Fernandes (G)
Scorers: 3′ R. Mango Mendes (o.g.), 43′ F. Falcone, 83′ D. Cardoso (V).
Referee: M. Spiteri
Bov Player of the Match: F. Falcone (V)
