FLORIANA 0
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, M. Mifsud (S. Malano), M. Picciollo (U. Uchenna), K. Nwoko (R. Muscat), J. Borg, J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, C. Pani
Floriana: I. Akpan, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg (D. Grima), I. Varela, M. Vella, A. Cini (L. Grech), A. Oyama, M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, J. Spiteri
Asst.additional refs: G. Tonna, E. Grech
4th official: P. Abela
Scorers: M. Piciollo 80
Yellow cards: M. Fontanella, E. Ruiz, M. Piciollo, S. Borg, I. Varela, K. Nwoko
Player of the match: J. Cruz (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. E. Marcelina 2. J. Cruz 3. S. Borg
Attendance: 3,681
Valletta emerged worthy winners against neighbours Floriana thanks to a Matteo Piciollo strike late in the game, to take the derby spoils and catch up again with Balzan at the top of the standings.
The match was played in front of a good crowd and a noisy atmosphere.
Tactical discipline was always to be the order of the day for this much awaited derby between the two best defences of the Premier League and, not surprisingly, the contest offered little in terms of entertainment and goal scoring opportunities. Valletta managed to squeeze a winner, thanks to having slightly the better of a second half following a quiet first.
Separated by only one point at kick-off, and both harbouring ambitions to challenge at the top, neither side could afford to lose.
Frustration followed for the Greens at the end, after succumbing to their first defeat in 12 domestic matches this season.
Floriana’s solid structure and sense of team organisation always kept their opponents at arm’s length but the disappointment was in their inability to wound their opponents. Apart from a good first half chance and a late rally in search of an equaliser, they mustered few efforts on the Valletta goal.
Following their goalless draw against Hamrun Spartans the previous week, Valletta coach Zoran Popovic made three changes to the side yesterday. Michael Mifsud, Claudio Pani and Joseph Zerafa were all given starts, replacing Denni Dos Santos, Uchenna and Malano.
Floriana, with coach Giovanni Tedesco returning to the bench, included Clyde Borg and Ignazio Varela in their starting line-up, following their win against Sliema Wanderers the week before.
The match started at a high pace, with Valletta perhaps steaming out with greater intent, with Piciollo, Mifsud and Saleh running behind Nwoko. But the usual solid Floriana defence stood firm.
Other than a frenetic opening, the closest Valletta came to a breakthrough was Mifsud’s two shots blocked in succession by the Floriana defenders short of the half hour.
Floriana created the most clear chance soon after when, on Vella’s pass, Fontanella beat the Valletta offside trap but his low drive was well blocked by keeper Bonello.
Aside from that it wasn’t a difficult afternoon for both shot stoppers as neither side carried much of a threat in an uneventful first half.
Valletta managed to put some more pressure on the Floriana goal in the second half and enjoyed their best patch past the hour, after Malano was introduced for Mifsud.
On 67 minutes, Nwoko headed Pani’s deep free kick just over and two minutes later, Floriana keeper Akpan was up to task as he saved Cruz’ firm header into a corner.
Floriana responded on 77 minutes when Fontanella followed up a Valletta defensive clearance on an Oyama cross but his effort was blocked in a corner.
But the warning signs had been there.
Ten minutes from time, Valletta made the breakthrough. Nwoko played a wide pass towards the left that opened the Floriana defence and former Floriana forward Matteo Piciollo hit the ball powerfull past the helpless keeper Akpan.
Floriana were deflated and tried to react by putting in Leighton Grech. But there was little time for them to bounce back. Valletta were in no mood to dent another clean sheet.
HIBERNIANS 3
Tarxien R: C. Cassar, E. Baker, S. Cipriott (M. Brincat), L. Grech, J. Brincat, A. Agius, A.Scicluna, R. Darmanin (G. McKay), A. Benes, R. Faria, M. Desira Buttigieg (M. Dieye)
Hibernians: A. Hogg, R. Soares, M. Dias, C. Failla, J. Bezzina (M. Kreuzriegler), J. Degabriele (M.A. Fillho), J. Lima, J. Mbong (D. Vella), A. Agius, M. Sahanek, J. Elias
Referee: S. Pace
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: J. Degabriele 23, M.A. Filho 80, J. Bezzina 86
Yellow cards: L. Grech, M. Sahanek, J. Mbong
Player of the match: M. Sahanek (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Sahanek 2. J. Bezzina 3. A. Benes
Hibernians kept up the pace and pressure on the leading duo by brushing aside neighbours Tarxien Rainbows in the afternoon’s first derby at the National Stadium yesterday. They now go in second place, three points adrift of Valletta and Balzan.
The champions capitalised on Tarxien’s present woeful run, and, inspired by the creativity of Marco Sahanek and Johan Bezzina, strolled to victory with a goal midway through the first half and another two towards the end, in a match they completely dominated.
Indeed this was not a classic game, won by the better team, but otherwise light on quality.
Tarxien threatened little and a brief surge towards the hour, on the only occasion Hibernians wera cuaght out shape, was quashed by the more experienced opponents.
Sluggish throughout, many of the Rainbows’ passes went astray, the glaring lack of creativity in the squad was badly exposed once again and the players’ confidence is shot to bits.
In the absence of the suspended Rui Gomes, Hibernians’ back line included Dias, Soares and Agius, with Failla and Mbong the wide backs.
Kristensen was also missing, with Johan Bezzina starting in midfield, alongside Jackson Lima. Jorge Elias, Sahanek and Degabriele played in a three-pronged attack.
Tarxien coach Jose Borg deployed ultra defensive tactics with five men at the back and three holding players in front of them in search of more solidity. That made it difficult for Hibernians to work any openings.
Sean Cipriott returned in the side after suspension, replacing Calin.
No wonder, Hibernians’ lead midway through the half came at the end of a set piece when Jurgen Degabriele headed in Sahanek’s corner from close range.
Hibernians continued to persevere. Past the half hour, a Lima powerful shot was repelled by Tarxien keeper Christian Cassar.
The champions could have at least doubled their lead before the break. Sahanek, twice, and Lima missed their cues though.
Jorge Elias steered his header over the bar on a Bezzina cross.
Yet only one goal separated the teams at halftime.
Hibernians returned with their more familiar and expansive structure, intent to test Tarxien’s main area of vulnerability after the restart.
When Degabriele’s cross was cleared short by the Tarxien defence, Sahanek’s shot was blocked.
On 56 minutes, on a Sahanek free kick from the left, Jorge Elias headed slightly over.
After introducing Matar Dieye, Tarxien tried to go out of their defensive shell and a brief spell saw them win a free kick from outside the Hibernians area on the right but Brincat’s delivery was unproductive.
Hibernians quickly reasserted themsleves with Marco Antonio Filho going in for Degabriele.
Jorge Elias skied the ball on Filho’s cross from the right and keeper Cassar reached for the ball before Filho could connect on a high ball inside the area.
Tarxien gave in for Hibernians’ mounting pressure ten minutes from time. Lima’s cross from the right was headed down by Jorge Elias for Marco Antonio Filho to smash the ball in.
It got worse for Borg’s men six minutes later. Filho played the ball wide to Johan Bezzina to crown a good performance with a low diagonal strike to send the Paolites into party mood.