Floriana-Sliema W. 2-2

Floriana: S. Agius, M. Micallef (Y. Bolasie), J. Briffa, D. Krsteski, D. Pisani, T. Cilia, C. Caruana (M. Sevasta), C. Cassar, Z. Levniac, C. Ciantar, R. Darmanin (A. Mifsud)

Sliema W: M. Akanji, I. Azzopardi, B. Said, N. Milovanovic (O. Anonam), R. Bajada, J. Chetcuti (M. Bartolo), I. Woods, A. Madzar, R. Briffa, S. Pace, E. Barbara

Referee: J. Attard, Ass. referees: P. Agius, C. Micallef, 4th official: A. Zammit

Scorers: A. Madzar, R. Darmanin (2), R. Briffa

Yellow cards: A. Madzar, J. Chetcuti, I. Woods, N. Milovanovic, C. Ciantar, D. Krsteski, R. Briffa

Red card: D. Krsteski

Player of the match: Ryan Darmanin (Floriana)

TMI top three: 1. C. Cassar 2. R. Darmanin 3. I. Woods

Floriana looked heading towards their fourth consecutive league win yesterday after stageing a remarkable second half comeback against rivals Sliema Wanderers.

Leading by 2-1, courtesy of Ryan Darmanin’s brace with some clinical finish, they were caught cold by Roderick Briffa’s late equaliser, deep into four minutes of added time as he left keeper Agius hooked to his line with an exquisite shot, practically the last of the match, to give a dramatic end to this ‘Old Firm’ clash. Floriana were at the time playing with ten men after having defender Krsteski sent off minutes earlier.

Thus Floriana’s perfect start to the season was dented, despite improving beyond recognisition in the second half after a rather patchy start. Yet, if they were short of ideas, there was desire aplenty as they covered acres of ground to outplay their opponents for most of the second part.

Sliema faltered again, failing to clinch maximum points and can consider themselves lucky to have taken a point. After their early lead they were unable to keep a grip on the game as their side showed a high ratio of sterility, despite a promising start.

With them all out to erase the previous defeat by Birkirkara and Floriana flying high at the top, it was not surprising that there was an explosive start to the match. Within minutes, Cilia was inside the Sliema box but lofted the ball. On the other end, keeper Agius, back in the Floriana goal, punched out Bajada’s close range shot as both sides sought an early lead.

That was forthcoming from Sliema past the quarter hour when Chetcuti’s cross from the right was headed in by Aleksander Madzar, despite Micallef’s challenge.

Floriana regrouped themselves and tried to hit back as Micallef moved wide in midfield. Their cause was undermined by the absence of both strikers Adrian Mifsud and Bolasie.

But Sliema’s rearguard, including Pace instead of Ciantar, looked capable enough to weather Floriana’s raids in the form of Caruana’s scrappy scissors-kick.

For some time the passing patterns Floriana twinned in midfield, died out the closer they got to goal as their opponents read their intentions. By the half hour, the game had been reduced to Sliema’s likening.

On 35 minutes Woods’ cross from the left was palmed out by keeper Agius, who, twice in succession, blocked close range rebounds from Bajada.

But they tried to step up a gear after the interval and managed to draw level seven minutes into the second half. The towering Ryan Darmanin beat Akanji with a glancing header on Krsteski’s sailing free-kick.

Soon Sliema were back pedaling as Floriana were all over their opponents. Cilia shot just over and on the hour Cassar played an intelligent pass forward to Cilia who, with the goalkeeper out of his line, lobbed the ball narrowly wide.

Sliema took some time to recover. Anonam went in for the innocuous Milovanovic as Woods’ incursion was blocked by the onrushing keeper Agius.

The Wanderers forced a succession of corners but none proved effective.

Even worse, they conceded Floriana’s second goal on 70 minutes. Ryan Darmanin chased a deep Cilia cross from the right and volleyed the ball from a tight angle, the ball hitting the underside of the bar, behind a helpless Akanji.

Sliema were short of any reaction against the aggression and running of Floriana, who were reduced to ten men six minutes from normal time, when Krsteski was ordered off after protesting too loud with the referee for a previous booking.

But the Greens’ dominance remained so much that Madzar, Barbara and Bajada were subdued to almost invisibility until Roderick Briffa cropped up with that spectacular late equalizer, leaving Floriana in such bitter taste.