Valletta secured the point they needed against Marsaxlokk to confirm their place in the Top Six for the closing round. Marsaxlokk, meanwhile, had already guaranteed their place among the teams competing in the upper half for the remainder of the season. The decisive moments of the match came early in the second half, with both goals arriving within less than two minutes of each other.
Marsaxlokk threatened first in the eighth minute when Ulises Arias created a promising move down the right before cutting inside, where Dodò’s shot from outside the area was blocked by the Valletta defence led by Simkus. Midway through the first half, Marsaxlokk tried again from distance through Redon Mihana, but his effort was comfortably handled by Adilson Maringa.
Approaching the 40th minute, Thaylor Aldama delivered a perfectly timed pass to Andrea Zammit, who did well to beat the offside trap, but goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi reacted quickly to close down the space. Two minutes before the break, Diogo Tavares came close with a curling effort that drifted just wide.
Seconds before half-time, Sava Radic nearly turned a cross from the right into his own net when he attempted a headed clearance, but the ball went narrowly out for a corner.
Marsaxlokk broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Ulises Arias capitalised on a loose ball from the Valletta defence, advanced forward, evaded the challenges of Emmanuel Mbende and Radic, and finished confidently past Maringa.
Valletta responded almost immediately, equalising less than two minutes later. Yuri Messias delivered a cross into the box where Andrea Zammit rose unmarked and headed the ball between Mafoumbi’s legs.
Just after the hour mark, Zammit found himself in a good position in front of goal but opted to square the ball to Yannick Yankam instead of shooting, and the opportunity went begging. In the 70th minute, Valletta threatened again when Belti struck an effort from outside the area following a corner, sending the ball just over the net.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Yankam tested Mafoumbi with a low shot that the goalkeeper dealt with well. In the 82nd minute, substitute Stijn Meijer delivered a cross that was met by Ahmed Adebayo, but his header went wide.
Marsaxlokk responded with a dangerous move two minutes later when, following a corner, Maringa produced a fine save to deny Rasmus Linden from close range before substitute Isaac Christie-Davies fired the rebound over the bar.
