Sliema W.: M. Akanji, A. Muscat (J. Mintoff), B. Said, R. Bajada, J. Chetcuti, I. Woods, Z. Zvoboda, M. Galea (M. Scerri), S. Pace, C. Ciantar, D. Carabott (L. Lombardi).

Floriana: M. Camilleri, D. Pisani (R. Newell) , R. Gango Rtsa, I. Azzopardi, C. Caruana, J. Briffa, A. Buhagiar, K. Formosa, M. Caruana (M. Gauci), A. Mifsud (T. Cilia), C. Cassar.

Referee: P. Caruana Asst. Refs: P. Agius, K. Borg; 4th official: A. Zammit

Scorers: Z. Zvoboda, M. Scerri

Yellow cards: J. Chetcuti, Gango Rtsa

Player of the match: Z. Zvoboda

TMI Top 3: 1. Z. Zvoboda; 2. M. Akanji; 3. G. Rtsa

A great goal by Zdenek Zvoboda on 63 minutes and another by substitute Mark Scerri helped Sliema to beat their eternal rivals Floriana.

The result enabled the Wanderers to join Hibernians in fourth place on 18 points and relegated Floriana to seventh place in the standings. In fact, they remain on 16 points, two behind Birkirkara.

That great goal proved to be the only difference between the two teams before Mark Scerri scored the second which sealed the issue. But it was a somewhat balanced match in which Floriana appeared more dangerous in the first half and with Sliema coming back strongly in the second.

In the first half, play was more or less balanced, but Floriana appeared to be more aggressive, also creating the only scoring opportunities.

They were inspired by a strong Gango Rtsa at the back and the intelligent Caruana and Cassar in midfield as they tried to unsettle the Wanderers.

The Blues, however, responded equally with a strong defensive performance where the protagonist was Nigerian goalkeeper Murphy Akanji whose two great saves denied Floriana a lead.

Up front the Blues failed to make an impact as Ivan Woods and Mark Galea were well under control.

In the second half, Sliema looked more determined and were also sharper and livelier up front with Woods improving considerably over his first half performance.

Floriana were the first to go close when on 13 minutes, it had to be Murphy Akanji who splendidly turned to corner a fine effort from Christian Caruana.

The match, however, failed to take off as both defences appeared to be superior to the respective strikers.

But on 34 minutes, Floriana again threatened seriously through a humdinger from Kurt Formosa which forced Akanji into another great save.

Floriana remained the more dangerous as Duncan Pisani had a long-distance effort going just wide on 40 minutes.

Two minutes later, it was Christian Cassar who lifted a freekick just over Akanji’s post.

At the start of the second half, Sliema went close through a Muscat shot which was well saved by Camilleri.

On 60 minutes, it was Gango Rtsa who avoided an awkward situation for the Greens with a timely intervention as Ivan Woods threatened to advance into the small area.

Soon after, at the other end, substitute Trevor Cilia had a shot going wide.

But it was Sliema who struck on 63 minutes and what a goal it was! Zvoboda received the ball at the far end and made his way into the Greens area to fire a fine inswinger which had Camilleri beaten all ends up.

Three minutes later, a melee ensued in front of the Floriana post, but two shots were blocked on the line before Camilleri finally got hold of the ball.

Sliema protested in vain for a penalty on 73 minutes when Mark Galea set John Mintoff in the area. The latter appeared to have been floored by a Floriana defender, but the official saw nothing untoward.

Sliema made sure of the result on 81 minutes. A David Carabott long distance lob beat Camilleri and hit the crossbar. Woods controlled the ball from the rebound and squared it for the unmarked Mark Scerri, who had come on as a substitute a minute earlier, to easily plant the ball into the net.