Floriana 1
Mosta 0
Floriana: I. Akpan, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, I. Varela, M. Vella ( D. Grima 83' ), J. Cabral, C. Failla, J. Pisani, T. Galvao da Silva ( A. Oyama 59' ), A. Cini, E. Marcellina
Mosta: A. Vella, A. De Cerchio, K. Hirose, M. Sammartino, D. Xuereb, M. Gomez Misael ( J. Brincat 62') , T. Farrugia, Z. Brincat, J. Cisotti, K. Zammit ( R. De Oliveira 20') , F. Mazzavillani ( K. Frendo 46')
Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Asst refs: Duncan Sultana, Thomas Debono
4th official: Darryl Agius
Scorers: Clayton Failla (p) 10'
Yellow cards: Z. Brincat, S. Pisani, M. Gomez, F. Mazzavillani, D. Xuereb, K. Frendo, A. Cini, A. De Cerchio, I. Varela
Player of the match: Juninho Cabral (Floriana)
TMI Top 3: 1. J. Cabral 2. Z. Brincat 3. I. Akpan
Floriana returned to winning ways when they beat lowly Mosta by a solitary goal scored from the spot in the early stages of the game. Though Floriana dominated possession especially in the first half, Mosta improved in the second and were unlucky not to draw level with Akpan distinguishin himself with two wonderful saves.
A win which puts them in 9th place on a par with Tarxien Rainbows. For their bold effort in the second half Mosta didn't deserve to have nothing to show after the final whistle.
Floriana went into this match with a rare negative record of three consecutive defeats to Balzan, Pietà and Valletta. On the other hand, Mosta also have passed through a negative spell lately where they were coming from four successive defeats to Pietà, Sliema, Valletta and Hibernians.
So the points at stake were up for grabs with both sides in dire straits.
Floriana did the early running and in the 8th minute a Cabral shot sailed just over the bar. Two minutes late the Greens took the lead when off a Cabral cross from the right the ball was adjudged to hit Farrugia's hand with the referee awarding the penalty and Failla converting.
Floriana kept on dictating matters and in the 17th minute a Vella cross shot was turned onto a corner by Vella. It was all Greens and on 24 minutes a Cabral cross was blocked by Vella before someone could connect.
Mosta came into the picture in the 28th minute when Cisotti supplied the cross which was met by Brincat but his shot on the turn was saved by Akpan into a corner. And nearing the end of the first half Vella saw his shot saved by the Mosta goalkeeper whereas a Steve Pisani shot ended inches wide.
The beginning of the second period was all Mosta threatening on 53 minutes with a diagonal shot saved by Akpan. And two minutes later Zach Brincat made his way into the box only for his low drive to by saved once again by the Floriana goalkeeper.
Floriana responded in the 58th minute through a Cabral free kick which hit the crossbar. But it was Mosta once again when on 70 minutes went near when Brincat's shot was turned of the bar by Akpan. The latter was once again the protagonist saving De Oliveir's headed effort off a Brincat cross from the right.
Mosta were now putting more personnel behind the ball but were finding it difficult to break down a stubborn Floriana defence. And when they did so there was goalkeeper Akpan in fine form to block their efforts.