FLORIANA 5
MOSTA 0
Floriana: I. Akpan, E. Pepe, S. Pisani, M. Vella, J. Cabral, J. Pisani, M. Paolucci (D. Borg Castaldi), A. Cini, D. Grima, M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina (B. Sciberras)
Mosta: A. Vella, I. Maric, M. Sammartino, T. Veronese, K. Magro, D. Mansi (J. Tanti), T. Farrugia, E. Agyemeng (N. Farrugia), D. Bartulovic, Z. Brincat, G. Trovade (D. Xuereb)
Referee: D. Agius
Asst.refs: R. Vella, P. Apap
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: D. Mansi 34 og, J. Cabral 46 pen, M. Paolucci 67, M. Fontanella 74, 80
Yellow cards: D. Mansi, M. Sammartino
Player of the match: M. Fontanella (Floriana)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Paolucci 2. M. Fontanella 3. M. Vella
Floriana had undoubtedly been the better side, on the balance of play, but Mosta were susceptible at the back and weaknesses in defence gifted their opponents a resounding win.
Mosta looked awkward opponents for the first half hour, but victory ultimately came at a canter for Enrico Chiesa’s team, where Cabral Paolucci and Fontanella were all on the scoresheet.
Amid big defensive gaffes, Mosta were blown away by Floriana’s attack in the second period. They now remain winless and goalless in their last four league matches.
Floriana had Sebastian Nayar and Clyde Borg suspended. Arthur Oyama was not included in their squad.Tempering the blow was the renewed availability of midfielder Mauricio Vella, back in the side after serving a three-match ban.
Following defeat against Hamrun Spartans the previous week, Mosta coach Johann Scicluna made three changes. Ivan Maric, Emmanuel Agyemeng and Damir Bartulovic started instead of Soare, Bangouri and Dexter Xuereb.
The early exchanges were open, with Floriana going close with a Fontanella effort that narrowly missed the target and a Maurizio Vella shot that was ably saved by the Mosta keeper Andreas Vella. In between, Floriana also had a goal disallowed when Paolucci’s shot was deflected over the line by Fontanella but the latter was adjudged to be in an offside position.
Mosta also passed up two good chances after eight and 15 minutes. Agyemeng’s shot, on a Bartulovic short pass, was blocked on the line by defender Cini, while keeper Akpan turned Sammartino’s firm header into a corner on Brincat’s perfect cross from the right.
It became a little bit scrappy after that but, towards the half hour, Mosta defender Davide Mansi stole the limelight for contrasting reasons. He first headed Veronese’s free kick wide and then blocked Cabral’s low drive into a corner at the opposite end.
On 34 minutes, on Pepe’s tame cross from the right, the Mosta central defender stooped low to head the ball past his own keeper.
Thanks to that goal, Floriana’s confidence came flooding back, sensing that their opponents might be vulnerable at the back. On 40 minutes Fontanella reached for Paolucci’s cross but hit wide. Then, on a Mosta hasty clearance, the ball fell to Steve Pisani. Standing on the edge of the area, he failed to put his effort on target.
Mosta almost drew level in the half’s added time with Trovade’s meaty free kick from outside the area. But keeper Akpan stretched himself to turn into a corner and preserve the Greens’ slender lead.
The match was almost over by the start of the second half. Tyrone Farrugia unceremoniously pushed Paolucci inside the Mosta area to halt his progression and concede a penalty which Juninho Cabral tucked away to give Floriana a double lead.
Mosta were suddenly looking ragged. Fontanella, Paolucci, Cabral and Pisani swarmed their box from all angles and the Greens could have had another penalty on 55 minutes when Paolucci was challenged by the Mosta goalkeeper inside the area as he reached for a high ball on Fontanella’s long pass.
Mosta were in a panic. Floriana’s third goal on 67 minutes looked inevitable. Maric failed to cut Fontanella’s through pass, to put Michele Paoluccci clear and go round the keeper before slotting the ball in.
And with Floriana completely dominant and Mosta continuing to fret, there were two further goals from Mario Fontanella before the end. On 74 minutes Cabral floored Maric before crossing from the byeline on the left for the unmarked Fontanella to head in. Six minutes later, Floriana completed the route, Fontanella again heading in from close range on a Maurizio Vella cross from the left.
Valletta look convincing enough in second half
VALLETTA 2
Tarxien R: A. Cassar, S. Radovanovic, E. Baker, G. Aquilina, A. Agius, L. Grech, A. Mitrev, S. Tounkara, W. Viera (G.Mckay), E. Calin (M. Spiteri), R. Faria (J. Brincat)
Valletta: N. Vella, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano, M. Piciollo, E. Beltre’, J. Zerafa (J. Borg), R. Saleh, R. Muscat, M. Alba (U. Uchenna), A. Prosa (K. Nwoko)
Referee: E. Grech
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, D. Petrovic
4th official: C. Pisani
Scorers: S. Malano 51, M. Piciollo 55
Yellow cards: R. Camilleri, E. Baker, S. Radovanovic, P. Beltre’, A. Mitrev
Red cards: E. Baker
Player of the match: M. Piciollo (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Piciollo 2. M. Alba 2. A. Cassar
Attendance: 721
Valletta underlined their superiority with two second half goals, thanks to a convincing performance after a sluggish opening 45 minutes, to beat Tarxien Rainbows and keep up the fight with leaders Balzan.
Matteo Piciollo, given the nod ahead of Nwoko in Valletta’s attack yesterday, provided impetus, injected some zest in their attacking play and scored his side’s second goal shortly after Malano had given them the lead. Valletta also had Nicky Vella playing in goal instead of Bonello.
In the first half, the Rainbows were never out of it but they were upstaged in the second and were lucky to lose only by a two-goal margin. They also played for almost half an hour with ten men, following Baker’s dismissal. They now remain deeply embroiled in the relegation struggle.
Both teams had drawn their previous matches and did not change much yesterday.
The Rainbows had Antonio Mitrev starting the match for the suspended Andre’ Scicluna.
Tarxien’s plan was to defend in numbers and use the linkup play of Faria and Tounkara on the counterattack. That succeeded to a degree until the interval.
They threw bodies in the way. They doubled up. They hoofed and headed balls, hurtled into tackles.
Valletta, often contained and unnerved when their opponents broke, could have been undone after eight minutes. Viera’s short pass inside the area found Faria, who was blocked by keeper Vella. Faria injured his shoulder but could play on.
Valletta kept struggling for rhythm. Alba prompted their first chance after 17 minutes with his rising shot that was tipped over in a corner by Tarxien keeper Cassar.
Valletta had been ascendant towards the end of the half. Beltre’ played a low pass to Saleh, who was blocked by Radovanovic. And, on Beltre’s second cross from the right, Prosa’s glancing header flashed across the face of the Tarxien goal.
Valletta increased their momentum in the second half and, when after hardly five minutes, Piciollo progressed inside the Tarxien area from the right, his angled shot was saved into a corner by the goalkeeper. From the resultant Alba flag kick, Santiago Malano headed the Citizens in front. Within five more minutes, Valletta scored their second goal. Matteo Piciollo broke away through the middle, as Tarxien failed to intercept a long clearance, and beat keeper Cassar with a low strike.
Their resistance broken, Tarxien’s brains scrambled for the remainder of the match.
There were no more goals after that, although there could have been as Valletta kept going and missed chances through the irripressible Piciollo, narrowly missing the target, short of the hour and Alba was denied by Cassar’s smart save on his rising shot on 63 minutes.
There was more frustration for the Rainbows when their defender Baker was sent off on 66 minutes for his second booking.
Even with an extra man, Valletta kept spurning more chances though. On 77 minutes keeper Cassar turned a shot from substitute Nwoko into a corner. The same player put his effort wide ten minutes from time.
Mental and physical fatigue kicked in for Tarxien before the end. They had still failed to conjure a proper chance though.
Birkirkara survive scare to close gap on Balzan
Birkirkara 2
Lija Ath. 1
Birkirkara: K. Naumovski, N. Vukanac, F. Barbosa, M. Andelkovic, S. Dimitrov (G. Zammit), WJ Ferreira (O. Rolovic), E. Herrera, C. Attard, K. Zammit, R. Scicluna, J. Grech (T. Agius).
Lija Ath.: L. Bonnici, M. Clinch (P. Babic), P. Borg, D. Scerri, L. Schembri (N. Spiteri), A. Sammut, Kooh Sohna, O. Sidibe, K. Hirose, E. Beu, R. Sammut.
Referee: M. Degabriele.
Asst refs: J. Spiteri, W. Debattista.
4th official: F. Zammit.
Scorers: J. Grech, R. Kooh Sohna, E. Herrera
Yellow cards: R. Scicluna, D. Scerri, P. Borg,
Player of the match: S. Dimitrov.
TMI Top 3: 1. S. Dimitrov, 2. O. Sidibe, 3. N. Vukanac.
Birkirkara survived a scare against bottom club Lija yesterday to win the three points and close the gap between them and leaders Balzan to four points with the latter having tomorrow’s game against Gzira in hand.
The three points lifted Birkirkara onto the 41-point mark, though closer to a berth in the Europa League rather than challenging for the title.
For Lija, it was yet another defeat which makes their status among the elite next season almost impossible. But I commend them for their great determination against superior opponents as they gave the Stripes a very tough time.
In fact, it should have been an easy match for Birkirkara. But it was not. They were made to fight hard all the way.
In the first half, the Stripes enjoyed possession for long stretches, but could not find their way past a well organised Lija defence in which central defender Ousmane Sidibe was outstanding.
And with Lija operating on just a few counter attacks and never creating any serious problems for the Birkirkara defence, it became a boring encounter which failed to enthuse the small crowd present, except for a few ‘ultras’ of the Birkirkara supporters.
The blank result after the opening 45 minutes was a surprise to no one of those present.
In the second half, the Stripes quickly took the lead and one expected them to take advantage. But they failed to do so and Lija stunned them with an equaliser.
However, they found renewed energy to take the lead once again soon after which they kept till the end of the game.
Birkirkara went straight on attack and a Ferreira good effort was punched away by goalie Bonnici.
In the 8th minute, Dimitrov was unlucky to see his effort from a freekick hitting the crossbar.
Lija had three freekicks in their favour, but they never threatened. At the other end, from a Dimitrov freekick, Attard headed wide.
On 36 minutes, Birkirkara created their best chance to opening the score, when following a Dimitrov freekick, the ball went loose to Edward Herrera, whose fine rising shot just missed the target.
The Stripes took only one minute to finally break the ice. In their first attack on the opposing goal, a deflected ball went to the unmarked Dimitrov who was very unselfish to pass the ball to Jake Grech who had no difficulty in finding the unguarded net.
Two minutes later, from a cross from the right, Kurt Zammit who saw his header going just over the post.
On 51 minutes, Grech set Ryan Scicluna, but his dangerous cross was turned to corner by goalie Bonnici via the upright.
In the 59th minute, in a rare venture forward by Lija, it was Stripes defender Barbosa who had to clear in extremis before Kooh Sohna could attempt a shot at goal from five metres.
Four minutes later, Dimitrov the provider once again. His perfect cross went to Herrera, but he miskicked the ball from an ideal scoring position.
Lija stunned the Stripes on the 71st minute when they managed to equalise. From a pass from midfield, Kooh Sohna, in a dubious offside position, beat the offside trap and hit past the onrushing Naumovski.
However, Lija’s joy was shortlived as three minutes later, Birkirkara again took the lead. A long pass from Ryan Sammut saw Herrera (in another dubious offside position) breasting the ball well to beat Bonnici easily.
Lija tried hard to get back on level terms, but the Stripes defended their narrow lead well.
10-man St Andrews, Naxxar in drab goalless draw
St Andrews 0
Naxxar L. 0
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Borg, M. Gomez (M. Grima), J. Farrugia, J. Van de Lannoite, M. Gauci, M. Davis (J. Walker), R. Martin , D. Jackson, K. Reid, T. Blagrove.
Naxxar L.: C. Nicht, R. Santos Caetano (J. Ellul), M. Souza Duarte, R. Grech, M. Micallef, D.Bonnici, RG Cassar (D. Falzon), D. Bustos, M. Casarotto, E. Ndoye, Y. Messias.
Referee: M. Apap.
Asst. Refs: C. Francalanza, P. Abela.
4th official: S. Spiteri.
Yellow cards: R. Grech, D. Bonnici, R. Martin, D. Jackson, D. Falzon,
Red card: D. Jackson,
Player of the match: J. Farrugia.
TMI Top 3: 1. E. Ndoye, 3. J. Farrugia, 3.M. Micallef.
Attendance: 452
The 10-man St Andrews held on in the final moments as they shared the spoils with relegation rivals Naxxar Lions following a drab goalless draw.
The result might have satisfied the Saints more than the Lions as it enabled them to stay one point ahead of their rivals in the battle to avoid relegation.
The match was keenly contested, but on the whole, it was a poor affair with neither side showing any clear ideas, especially in the two areas which were dominated by the two respective defences.
In the first half, neither side showed any superiority over the other. Play was mostly balanced with Naxxar, perhaps, creating the few chances which were noted.
The Saints were more methodic in their approach with Degran Jackson proving to be a livewire on the right flank. He ruined a good performance with a red card ten minutes from the end.
Naxxar relied heavily on Yuri Messias, but it was certainly not his day as he was well under the control of the St Andrews defence.
The match remained more or less balanced in the second half as play followed mostly the same pattern of the first.
After a good start by the Saints, Naxxar enjoyed slightly more possession, but failed to deliver the goods, even when St Andrews had Jackson dismissed and had to play the final 10 minutes with a man less.
The match had a fiery start, but not through any action in front of goal. In fact, play was more or less restricted to midfield in the opening 20 minutes, when there was a bust up in the Naxxar half following a strong tackle in retaliation by Duane Bonnici on Degran Jackson. To the dismay of the Saints clan, the Naxxar player was only shown a yellow card
In the 21st minute, we had the first real shot at goal. It came from Naxxar’s Yuri Messias. His freekick forced goalie Calleja Cremona to dive sideways to turn to corner in style.
Naxxar again threatened on 39 minutes, when off a Cassar cross, Micallef’s header was well save by Calleja Cremona.
St Andrews started the second half on attack and from a David cross, Jackson saw his header going over the bar.
Play again degenerated, but in the 67th minute, Kemar Reid had an angled shot hitting the side netting.
In the 80th minute, St Andrews were left with 10 men after Degran Jackson stupidly ran away with the ball when everyone was waiting for a Naxxar freekick to be taken. Inevitably, he was shown a second yellow card and was dismissed by referee Apap.
Soon after, Naxxar thought they had scored the winner when the ball finished at the back of the net following a melee which ensued close to the goalmouth, but the point was disallowed, probably for an offside infringement.