Msida SJ-Floriana 1-0

Msida SJ: O. Borg, P. Sciriha (S. Vella), S. Grima, T. Farrugia, J. Mifsud, P. Fenech, I. Babatunde, P. Pullicino, D. Nwoke (D. Cachia), O. Zongo, R. Baldacchino (C. Sciberras)

Floriana: S. Agius, I. Azzopardi, J. Briffa (D. Pisani), M.A. Psaila (A. Buhagiar), R. Gango Rtsa, A. Mifsud, C. Caruana, C. Cassar (M. Gauci), T. Cilia, W. Gomez, M. Micallef

Referee: M. Borg, Ass. Referees: E. Spiteri, I. Spiteri, 4th Official: C. Pisani

Scorer: I. Babatunde

Yellow cards: S. Grima, P. Pullicino, I. Babatunde, O. Borg

Player of the match: Ibrahim Babatunde (Msida SJ)

TMI best three: 1. P. Fenech 2. R. Gango Rtsa 3. I. Babatunde

Msida St Joseph were back in the groove yesterday after their reverse against Marsaxlokk the previous week.

A goal by Ibrahim Babatunde on the stroke of half-time was enough to put them back on the winning track and give them full points against Floriana, after dropping five in the previous two matches.

That goal was just reward for the Saints’ efforts in the latter part of the first half and, despite Floriana’s fighting spirit in the second half, th goal divided both teams at the end. The Saints now go temporary in second place, two points behind leaders Hibernians.

After their boosting win against Marsa the previous week, Floriana’s morale took a nose dive after yesterday’s defeat. Their defence was generally composed and resolute but perhaps allowed their opponents too much of the initiative in the first half. The Greens found their taste for the game in the second half but despite their neat possession they were utterly devoid of penetration as keeper Omar Borg kept them at bay with some quality goalkeeping.

Both teams had their regular goalkeepers back between the sticks. Msida also had Babatunde returning from suspension as Sciberras started on the bench.

After an evenly balanced first quarter hour, during which Msida had an Nwoke goal disallowed for the player’s offside position as he tapped in Zongo’s low cross from the left on Babatunde’s long pass, the Saints gradually began to increase the pace to put the Floriana defence under pressure.

Midway through the half, Pullicino played the ball wide to Babatunde on the right. His diagonal shot went tantalisingly wide.

Past the half hour Fenech’s long range effort clipped the upright and on 39 minutes Zongo’s squeezed shot fell in Nwoke’s path. Keeper Agius blocked and Gango Rtsa cleared the ball into a corner.

Minutes later, Baldacchino picked his spot from the edge of the area following a Floriana short clearance on Babatunde’s free-kick, but shot fractionally wide.

Msida’s goal was in the air, however.

Two minutes before the break Ibrahim Babatunde volleyed Baldacchino’s cross from the right, beating keeper Agius at the far post.

Floriana made an immediate reaction as Caruana’s shot demanded a decent save from keeper Borg, plunging to his right to save.

Caruana again tested the Msida keeper with a grounder, eight minutes after the restart as Floriana substituted Briffa with Pisani and started the second half in more lively fashion.

On the hour, Cilia found space on the left but his effort was repelled by the goalkeeper.

Floriana kept probing dangerously for an equaliser as Msida looked drained and retreated further.

On 80 minutes, Floriana lost the injured Psaila, substituted by Buhagiar, and as they ran out of steam, ran the risk of conceding a second goal but their keeper Agius denied Nwoke with a good save into a corner and then Nwoke volleyed substitute Vella’s cross off target.