FLORIANA 3

SENGLEA ATHLETIC 0

Floriana: I. Akpan, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg,J. Cabreal, A. Cini, A. Oyama, D. Grima (I. Varela), M. Fontanella (L. Grech), E. Marcelina (J. Baldacchino)

Senglea A: G. Cetrangolo, J. Bondin, R. Dalli (P. Sammut), H. Vella, A. Terraciano, S. Uyi, N. Palmieri, M. Garzia, G. Virano (R. Vella), J. Leyton, T. Vella

Referee: M. Degabriele

Asst.refs: L. Portelli, C. Francalanza

4th official: S. Spiteri

Scorers: A. Oyama 42, M. Fontanella 63, J. Cabral 80

Yellow cards: C. Borg

Player of the match: J. Cabral (Floriana)

TMI top 3: 1.J. Cabral  2. M. Fontanella  3.M. Garzia

Attendance: 352

Goals by Oyama, Fontanella and Cabral ensured Floriana overcome Senglea Athletic's stubborn challenge at the Centenary Stadium yesterday evening to move up to second place in the BoV Premier League standings as they remain unbeaten in 10 matches.

Floriana were made to fight hard for their victory though, when surprised by Senglea's tenacity and refusal to wilt and had only generated the upbeat tempo that set them apart past the hour, after scoring the second goal.

The Greens called the tune in territorial terms but Senglea were set up to fight in their compact 4-3-3 formation.

Senglea were still in the game until they conceded the second goal, only to give up hopes after that.

Floriana's line-up showed four changes from the previous week. Chiesa, Baldacchino, Varela and the suspended Maurizio Vella were dropped as Steve Pisani, Arthur Oyama, Dylan Grima and Emerson Marcelina were given the nod instead. Coach Giovanni Tedesco was suspended and Nicolas Chiesa sat on the bench as his replacement.

Senglea, who had Ivan Paz still suspended, were bolstered by the return of striker Nicola Palmieri, with Jonathan Bondin and Ryan Dalli also handed starts.

Senglea were harrassing their opponents all over the field in the opening stages. That made it difficult for Floriana to find their rhythm. They often opted for shots from a distance but for almost the first half hour neither side could produce a decent effort.

Then, Senglea were first to threaten. Floriana's  defence looked beaten, on a Terence Vella calibred cross from the right, but Dalli headed over at the far end.

Leyton was then fortunate not to score an own goal as he diverted an Oyama cross with his head after keeper Cetrangolo failed to reach for the ball.

Cetrangolo palmed away Borg's long range drive before Floriana opened the scoring three minutes before the break.

Fontanella recovered a lost ball, crossed low from the left for Arthur Oyama to shoot from the edge of the area, the ball rebounding off Senglea defenders to finish at the top of the net.

As expected, it looked as if Floriana might be building some momentum after the interval, although Senglea looked menacing with a deep Virano free kick that Terracciano headed narrowly over.

But the game then got away from them entirely. With the injured Grima forced to be replaced by Ignazio Varela, Floriana doubled their lead on 63 minutes. Cabral's cross from the left cut the entire Senglea defence and Mario Fontanella was at hand to hit in from close range.

Soon after, Fontanella played a deft one-two with Pisani but dragged the ball wide.

So composed in the first half, Senglea suddenly looked rattled. Floriana were in total control and ten minutes from time, they completed the scoring, through Juninho Cabral who started and finished the move. His low cross inside the area was backheeled by Fontanella towards Pisani, whose cross was headed in by Cabral himself.

Palmieri's free kick in added time forced the Floriana keeper Akpan into the only diffucult save but that was too little too late for Senglea.