St Andrews 0
Valletta 0
St Andrews: J. Galea, M. Johnson, K. Kesinovic, BW Che, E. Pena Beltre, F. Udoh, D. Camilleri (R. Darmanin), J. Farrugia, G. McKay (N. Belacevic), I. Paz (K. Nwoko), Z. Kastrevec.
Valletta: D. Bartkus, J. Caruana, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano (L. Cremona), M. Mifsud, F. Falcone, C. Pani, L. Aguirre, J. Benites, V. Concalves Alinho.
Referee: Ms E. Azzopardi.
Asst refs: A. Camilleri, P. Abela.
4th official: G. Tonna.
Yellow cards: E. Pena Beltre, J. Farrugia, F. Udoh, F. Falcone, C. Pani, Z. Kastrevec, R. Camilleri, K. Kesinovic,
Player of the match: Bong Won Che
TMI Top 3: 1. C. Pani; 2. J. Benites; 3. BW Che.
Attendance: 637
Champions Valletta disappointed their fans yesterday as they were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by a plucky St Andrews side.
Although the citizens cannot be said to have played badly, their insistence failed to produce the desired result as the Saints fought gallantly all the way.
It was a case of two missed points for the citizens in their title challenge and an important one obtained by the Saints in their fight to stave off relegation.
Valletta now occupy third place on 18 points, one ahead of Hibernians, four behind league leaders Balzan and one behind second placed Birkirkara. Of course, Hibernians, Birkirkara and Balzan have a match in hand.
The Saints remained in eighth place, but now they have 10 points, one below Hamrun and one ahead of Gzira and Tarxien.
Valletta dominated for most of the time as they had control of midfield right from the very first whistle.
St Andrews’ plan was obvious – defend with caution and operate on the break. At the back they were well organised and on most occasions, they managed to keep the citizens at bay. Che, Pena Beltre and Kesinovic proved to be tough nuts to crack as most of City’s attacks fell apart in their domain.
In their few counter-attacks, the Saints never made an impact on City’s defence and Lithuanian goalie Dziugas Bartkus was never tested, so superior were the City defenders.
On the 4th minute, Mifsud set Falcone with an intelligent pass, but the latter’s angled effort went wide.
Two minutes later, a fine move between Alinho, Malano and Mifsud ended with the latter shooting well over the bar from an ideal position.
St Andrews replied through a Beltre cross from which an Ivan Paz first timer was well saved by Bartkus.
In the 14th minute, as Valletta insisted, from a Mifsud cross, it was Benites who set the completely unmarked Malano in the centre of the area, but the City midfielder completely miskicked the ball and a good chance went begging.
In the 23rd minute, Saints goalie Jake Galea excellently saved a Benites first timer. And moments later, it was Pani who went close with a 20-metre scorcher which just missed the target.
Early in the second half, the Saints threatened through Pena Beltre who advanced into the City area, but goalie Bartkus rushed out of his charge to save.
In the 52nd minute, from a Pani freekick, Falcone’s neat header just missed the target.
The match degenerated and Valletta could not find a way past a packed St Andrews defence.
In added time, Aguirre had a freekick blocked by the Saints defence and his shot from the rebound went well over the bar.
Floriana 1
Gzira U. 0
Floriana: J. Haber, A. Scicluna, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg, M. Vella (B. Farrugia), J. Pisani, A. Samb, N. Chiesa, M. Fontanella (I. Varela), R. Camenzuli.
Gzira U.: Jur. Borg, R. Ledesma (J. Nwoba), G. Conti, A. Machedo Neto, JC Corbalan, J. Bondin (K. Pulo), M. Avila Perez, Jac. Borg, Z. Scerri, D. Diamoutene, Y. Tonna (C. Gatt Baldacchino).
Referee: A. M. Sant.
Asst refs: R. Vella, P. Apap.
4th official: S. Pace.
Scorers: N. Chiesa pen,
Yellow cards: S. Diamoutene, E. Ruiz, I. Varela, A. Macheda Neto, B. Farrugia.
Player of the match: A. Samb.
TMI Top 3: 1. A. Samb, 2. M. Fontanella, 3. N. Chiesa
A penalty goal on 25 minutes by Nicolas Chiesa sealed the issue in favour of the Greens in yesterday’s first match at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.
The victory enabled Floriana to move onto the 17-point mark in the standings while Gzira remained on nine points.
It was a second consecutive win for the Greens while for the Maroons is was a third consecutive loss, having lost to Valletta and Birkirkara in their previous two matches.
Floriana were the better team from the outset and dictated matters from midfield, where Nicolas Chiesa, Steve Pisani, Clyde Borg and Maurizio Vella were definitely in command.
The Greens enjoyed territorial superiority, but failed to turn it into goals; in fact, they had to be content with just one goal at the end.
Despite the Greens’ domination, Gzira also had their good moments, but these were few and far between and Floriana goalie Haber was hardly ever tested seriously.
The Maroons could not penetrate a strong Floriana defence in which goalie Haber returned to the starting line-up which also had Ruiz and Jurgen Pisani outstanding in defence.
In the 2nd minute, it was Gzira who went close through a Corbalan incursion into the Greens area, but goalie Haber rushed out to block to corner.
Floriana’s reaction arrived on the 14th minute, as Fontanella entered the area on the left, but his angled shot hit the side rigging.
The Greens were awarded a penalty on the 25th minute when Maurizio Vella was floored in the area by Antonio Machedo Neto. From the spotkick, Nicolas Chiesa made no mistake sending the goalie the wrong way.
In the 38th minute, a Samb dangerous cross into the Gzira goalmouth ended with Machedo Neto clearing from near the line.
Soon after, at the other end, a Ledesma freekick bounced awkwardly in the Floriana area, but goalie Haber was in time to turn to corner with some difficulty.
As the second half started, Floriana almost doubled their lead, when Fontanella dribbled round goalie Borg on the edge of the area, but his low shot found Diamoutene standing on the goalline to clear in extremis.
At the other end, a Conti shot was easily dealt with by Haber.
On the 62nd minute, Floriana again went close through a fine Samb effort from the edge of the area with the ball missing the target by a few centimetres.
On 77 minutes, Samb set Vella on the left flank. The latter advanced into the area, but his shot was turned onto the post by goalie Jurgen Borg with the ball being eventually cleared by a Gzira defender.
Photos Domenic Aquilina