FLORIANA – 2
HIBERNIANS- 4
Floriana: T. Gauci, A. Monticelli, E. Pepe, S. Pisani, Clyde Borg (Conor Borg), J. Pisani (M. Villa), A. Scozzese, M. Picciollo (D. Agius), E. Briffa, N. Chiesa, M. Fontanella
Hibernians: J. Borg, R. Gomes, J. Pearson, J. Lima, M. Dias, A. Cohen (D.Dos Santos), B. Kristensen (G. Ribeiro), C. Failla, A. Agius, J. Silva, Jorginho
Referee: M. Spiteri
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, P. Abela
Additional asst.refs: M. Borg, A.M. Sant
4th official: M. Scerri
Scorers: M. Picciollo 12, A. Cohen 14, 61, M. Fontanella 28, J. Silva 82, G. Ribeiro 90+
Yellow cards: A. Agius, N. Chiesa, M. Villa, J. Pearson
Player of the match: A. Cohen (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. A. Cohen 2. M. Fontanell 3. R. Gomes
Attendance: 1045
Champions Hibernians overcame a stern test of character yesterday, coming twice from behind to beat resilient Floriana in the midweek top clash at Ta’ Qali National stadium. Reinvigorated after the break, they scored three times to cancel out a 2-1 deficit.
With Valletta winning on Tuesday, the pressure and spotlight again turned on the champions to catch up with them at the top of the standings.
It was not an easy win against a spirited Floriana side, unbeaten in their previous four outings, looking superior in the first half but lacking composure in the second.
Hibernians were an unchanged side from the one that beat Balzan.
A notable absentee for Floriana was goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona who dislocated his shoulder. The young Tyrone Gauci deputised in goal. Andrea Scozzese, who missed the previous match against Mosta, started instead of Steve Bonnici. Piciollo was deployed wide on the left flank and showed exquisite wing play, with Mario Fontanella taking command as a central striker.
But when Jurgen Pisani was stretchered off after 20 minutes play and Mauricio Villa was introduced instead, Piciollo moved on the right.
The game’s quick tempo befitted an occasion between two in-form teams challenging for the title.
Floriana started brightly, forging ahead after only 12 minutes play when Matteo Piciollo’s shot from outside the area swerved in the air to put the Hibernians’ keeper Borg off balance.
It was a tit-for-tat with the champions restoring equilibrium hardly two minutes later, again from an Andrew Cohen free kick out on the left that could have been slightly deflected by Scozzese and surprise keeper Gauci.
But Floriana were not demorilised and although their goalkeeper’s handling of high balls is not his best quality, they showed spirit and guile. A Dias shot caught the Floriana keeper out of place but Scozzese blocked well.
The decibal count heightened appreciably as Floriana regained the lead short of the half hour. Substitute Villa, standing in a slightly offside position, delivered a low cross from the left for Mario Fontanella to reach before his opponent and hit past the helpless keeper Borg from close range.
For the remaining minutes, Floriana remained firmly in command and were still 2-1 up at halftime.
Despite regaining a measure of control in the second half, Hibernians were erratic in the final third and their defence repeatedly struggled against Floriana’s fast forays, although less frequent.
Jorge Silva failed to put his shot on target on a Jorginho cross from the left. On 55 minutes Lima’s close range shot was well turned into a corner by keeper Gauci.
Two minutes later, Agius shot off target following a Floriana headed defensive clearance on an insidious Cohen free kick.
With Floriana staying in their own half for most of the time,the Paolites restored parity past the hour as the Floriana rearguard wilted under Failla’s corner from the right as Andrew Cohen stooped low to head past keeper Gauci.
By that time Floriana were gardually fizzling out, completely drained of ideas and their frustration was epitomised when Piciollo, who played an excellent first half but was reduced to near invisibility in the second, showed his disapproval for being substituted.
The champions wrapped up the points eight minutes from the end, after having withdarwn both Cohen and Kristensen from the pitch. Jorge Silva advanced between two opponents inside the Floriana area from the right to beat keeepr Gauci with a low harmelss diagonal shot.
Susbstitute Gilmar Ribeiro completed the rout deep into added time, as he galloped from half pitch and finshed off with a defiant strike.
As the ball whizzed over the goalkeeper with unerring accuracy, the sense of diappointment from the Floriana stand was almost palpable. It showed how frustratingly games can tilt in favour of the elite.
BIRKIRKARA – 1
TARXIEN RAINBOWS – 0
Birkirkara: J. Haber, Z. Muscat, M. Mazzetti, N. Vukanac, J. Zerafa, E. Marcelina (F. Temile), G. Sciberras, R. Scicluna (R. Muscat), R. Camenzuli, E. Liliu (E. Agius), V. Plut
Tarxien R: A. Cassar, B. Giglio (M. Tabone), T. Caruana, B. Muscat, A. Azzopardi, L. Omeruo (R. Anderson), C. Hevia Menendez, L. Montebello (D. Meira Santos), D. Zerafa, A. Alves, J. Oliveira
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann
Asst.refs: W. Debattista, M. Borg
4th official: G. Tonna
Scorers: R. Camenzuli 48
Yellow cards: R. Camenzuli, E. Marcelina, E. Liliu, C. Menendez, R. Scicluna, B. Muscat
Player of the match: R. Camenzuli (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. R. Camenzuli 2. G. Sciberras 3. A. Alves
A dull game was decided by a Ryan Camenzuli goal, scored early in the second half, to give Birkirkara a narrow win against sixth-place Tarxien Rainbows.
It was far from a convincing performance from the Stripes but at least they could take heart from extending their unbeaten run to 10 league matches, as they move closer to the leading pack.
Tarxien were strangely lacklustre and lacked motivation. The Birkirkara keeper Justin Haber remained under employed. They now suffer defeat after five unbeaten matches.
One point separated these two teams befor kick-off, as both went into the match in some vein of good form.
Paul Fenech and Franceso Miccoli were again missing from the Birkirkara squad as Rowen Muscat and Cain Attard were named among the substitutes. They welcomed back Nikola Vukanac, Gareth Sciberras and Joseph Zerafa though.
Tarxien had defender Eb iabowei Baker suspended. Despite the recent murder of his brother, Alex Alves still made an appearance for the Rainbows yesterday and a one-minute silence was observed before kick off.
Neither side had a shot on target in the opneing half hour as Tarxien crowded the midfield and Birkirkara struggled to pick a way through. On a Camenzuli deep cross, Liliu hit wide. On the other end an Azzopardi free kick from outside the area, narowly missed the target.
Tarxien were well drilled in defence, allowing their opponents no comfort on the ball. Sciberras and Marcelina were finding the going tough in central midfield but creditably, they refused to give up.
Towards the half hour, Birkirkara won a series of corners. On a Zerafa cross from the left, the ball rolled up Giglio’s arms inside the Tarxien area but rightly the referee turned down Birkirkara’s claims for a penalty.
With halftime looming, Giglio limped off injured and was replaced by Matthew Tabone.
Aware something needed to change, Birkirkara coach Giovanni Tedesco introduced further attacking pace in the shape of Frank Temile for Marcelina for the second half. Hardly three minutes after the restart, Liliu played the ball wide to Ryan Camenzuli, who shot past keeper Cassar to give the Stripes the lead.
The goal however failed to ignite and the quality of play remained poor.
Tarxien were struggling to get any meaningful possession and only showed up with an Alves shot from a distance going over. Caoch Jacques Scerri effected a double substitution, putting in Danilo Meira Santos and Raimondo Anderson for the final 20 minutes.
Although they were in front, even Birkirkara had looked far from convincing and never raised the bar. In all fairness, they did not actually have to play particularly well. Unlike other instances, their opponents prospects had looked bleak all evening.