Valletta-Floriana 6-0

Valletta: A. Hogg, S. Bezzina, R. Briffa (S. Borg), L. Dimech, K. Scicluna, J. Pace, G. Agius(I. Zammit), J. Cruyff, D. Falzon (G. Den Ouden), T. Scerri, N. Priso Doding

Floriana: B. Paris, J. Briffa, C. Ciantar, O. Anonam, S. Eboh, J. Borg, C. Cassar (L. Agius), M. Briffa, D. Simmonds, A.S. Wasiu, R. Darmanin (C. Caruana)

Referee: C. Pisani asst.refs: K. Borg, P. Apap 4th official: K. Azzopardi

Scorers: T. Scerri (2), J. Cruyff, Priso Doding (2) 1 pen, I. Zammit

Yellow cards: O. Anonam, G. Agius, B. Paris

Palyer of the match: Priso Doding (Valletta)

TMI top three: 1. Priso Doding 2. J. Cruyff 3. T. Scerri

Outplayed, outfought and outmuscled, Floriana were totally humiliated by largely superior neighbours Valletta in this heated derby, conceding a massive 6-0 defeat that sent them reeling. The electrifying and colourful atmosphere before the match might have been something new for both foreign coaches of the respective teams. Valletta’s Ton Caanen was by far the happier man at the end as his side totally demolished Floriana, ripped apart by the Citizens powerplay.

Valletta’s dominance was evident. Punctuated by the powerful wing play of Priso Doding in a three-pronged attacking set-up, they were streets ahead in terms of ideas as they played havoc in Floriana’s defence and their win grew in proportion as the match progressed.

Surprisingly, Ton Caanen dropped Den Ouden as he gave a start to Steve Bezzina on the left flank. Dyson Falzon and especially Priso Doding provided the ammunition from the flanks as Cruyff and Pace supported the main striker Terence Scerri.

Floriana’s coach Roddy Collins, perhaps fielded a too-attacking unbalanced side as he introduced new recruits Donovan Simmonds and Akani-Sunday Wasiu from the start, dropping Christian Caruana. The absence of the injured Pablo Doffo rendered their midfield too fragile. To rib salt into Floriana’s wounds, Christian Cassar was also injured past the quarter hour and the Greens were forced to substitute him soon after Valletta’s opener. Defender Sunday Eboh was also injured before halftime and failed to make an appearance in the second half.

And before the half was over, Caanen also pulled off Ryan Darmanin and put in Caruana.

But the damage had already been done. Valletta were two goals up by halftime and could have been even more.

As early as the fourth minute, Floriana keeper Paris was called to make an incredulous save, stretching out his arm, when grounded, to keep out Priso’s goalbound effort on Falzon’s low cross from the left.

Anonam’s miss on Priso’s cross allowed the ball to fall to Falzon who shot off target, before Valletta deservingly broke the deadlock on 17 minutes. Priso again was the provider with his deep cross from right inside the Floriana area. Cruyff failed to make contact but Terence Scerri was on hand to blast the ball in past the helpless Paris.

A tame Darmanin shot had keeper Hogg stretching himself to save in an otherwise inoperative evening.

Valletta kept up the pressure. Priso’s cross from the right found no one to connect to and later his grounder was held out by the outstretched Floriana keeper.

Valletta doubled their lead four minutes from the break. Defender Julian Briffa was caught off balance on Priso’s cross when challenged by Jordi Cruyff in the air and the Dutchman finished off in style.

Floriana went through further derision within hardly three minutes of the second half when conceding a penalty after Scerri fell under Paris’ challenge in the area. Priso Doding tucked it in to make it 3-0.

With the Floriana defence at sixes and sevens, Priso ran down the right, crossed low for Scerri who laid the ball for Falzon, blocked by the onrushing keeper Paris.

On 56 minutes there was no denying Priso Doding scoring his second and Valletta’s fourth as he ran inside the Floriana area with alarming ease, after exchanging the leather with Scerri, avoided the keeper and shot into an unattended net.

A Scerri effort went tantalisingly wide and on the hour, Valletta introduced Ian Zammit for Gilbert Agius.

Valletta’s fifth goal five minutes later brought harsh protests from the Floriana players, claiming Terence Scerri was in an offside position before slotting the ball past the static keeper, waiting for the flag to go up.

But it did not and in the end Floriana looked like poor infantry men run over by war tanks. Den Ouden went in for Falzon in the late stages as Scerri moved wide on the flank.

His spectacular overhead kick hit the bar and just before the final whistle, Priso again engineered the move to which Ian Zammit applied the finishing touch to complete the route.