Floriana-Marsaxlokk 1-2

Floriana: S. Agius, M. Micallef, S. Eboh, D. Krsteski, C. Ciantar, T. Cilia, Z. Levniac (J. Borg), M. Brincat (C. Caruana), Y. Bolasie, C. Cassar (D. Pisani), R. Darmanin

Marsaxlokk: R. Debono, C. Mamo, S. Wellman, C. Magro, W. Camenzuli, J. Pace, T. Templeman, M. Barbara, J. Alcorse, A. Madzar, S. Tellus

Referee: A. Azzopardi asst.refs: A. Camilleri, K. Borg 4th official: A. Casha

Scorers: T. Cilia, A. Madzar (2)

Yellow cards: T. Templeman, S. Eboh, Z. Levniac, R. Debono, C. Mamo

Player of the match: Trevor Cilia (Floriana)

TMI top three: 1. T. Cilia 2. J. Pace 3. Y. Bolasie

Understrength Marsaxlokk beat Floriana 2-1 in a late controversial manner after absorbing most of the Greens’ pressure, to go top of the Premier League standings this morning, two points above Valletta, who will be in action this evening.

The match, and especially the first half, was open, flowing and good to watch. Floriana’s sharp passing game and Bolasie’s as well as Cilia’s, surging runs down opposite flanks often had their opponents in a tizzy.

Marsaxlokk were made to defend grimly, at times in chaotic manner, but with the industrious Jamie Pace covering acres of land, the champions were never to cave in.

Floriana were made to pay for one slack moment, when their defence was caught on the hop, allowing Madzar to score Marsaxlokk’s winner in the dying minutes.

But surely the Greens deserved better, although Marsaxlokk have to be commended for their fighting spirit.

The champions were handicapped by absences of four key suspended players, namely Conceicao, Pullicino, Sammut and Frendo, as well as the injured Licari and Sciberras.

Ominously for their opponents, Floriana were at full strength, giving a start to Eboh in defence instead of the more offensive Christian Caruana.

The Greens tried to exploit Marsaxlokk’s vulnerability. And they succeeded in taking an early lead after only five minutes play.

Trevor Cilia went past Mamo from the right and beat keeper Debono with an arrow-like diagonal strike.

Floriana appeared, at that stage, to have the edge in power and confidence.

Marsaxlokk, who until then had been mostly bystanders, made the best of the first chance that came their way and took only five minutes to level matters. Alcorse ran into open space on the right and crossed for the unmolested Aleksandar Madzar to volley in past the helpless keeper Agius.

That goal injected some much needed belief in Marsaxlokk’s players as they continued to battle gamely enough while Floriana tried to pressurize their defence for the rest of an eventful first half.

Cilia’s first timer skimmed the Marsaxlokk goal and on the quarter hour Levniac darted in for Bolasie’s long ball forward only to head narrowly wide. After a Krsteski free kick missed the target by a whisker, Mrsaxlokk’s defensive clearance on a Micallef cross fell to Brincat, whose shot was blocked by keeper Debono.

The Marsaxlokk shot stopper again dived to his right to hold out another Cassar free kick past the half hour but Marsaxlokk looked menacing on the fast breaks towards the end of the half.

Alcorse looked hesitant on a Pace through pass and then shot over. Two minutes before halftime, the lanky forward took possession on an Eboh erratic clearance, served Barbara whose powerful drive was repelled by the alert keeper Agius.

But the interval seemed to rob Floriana of their attacking flair and it took them a while before they could venture into Marsaxlokk’s penalty area once more, only for Darmanin to miss the target after a Wellman slip.

On the other end, Barbara put clear inside the area on Camenzuli’s through pass, was caught between two minds, sending his cross shot wastefully wide.

Floriana even put in Caruana to support their attack but as the match was heading towards a draw, Aleksandar Madzar had the final say as he shot low past Agius when put clear inside the area in a dubious offside position. With the Floriana defence caught square, the assistant’s flag did not go up and the goal was allowed to stand despite some Floriana protests.

Floriana’s frantic late efforts failed to reap dividends and as the game unfortunately degenerated into a scrappy and nervous affair, Marsaxlokk emerged winners.