APS Bank Under 17 Section A

Floriana 4 Melita 1

The Greens were the better outfit in this game and fully deserved the verdict.

Following this match they lead the standings on 10 points from four games while Melita are still pointless from five matches.

Melita created the first action after four minutes when Isaac Curmi was fouled outside the area and the ball was headed away from the free kick by Dylan Cuschieri.

After only six minutes Floriana opened the score as Lukain Brincat served Leo Muscat with a long through ball who, after entering the area, netted with a low shot past Melita keeper Nicholas Mizzi.

Boosted by such an early lead Floriana threatened in three consecutive occasions. A one-two between Isaac Galea and Francesco Guzman finished with the former shooting from outside the area but Mizzi saved his effort.

Brincat was then fouled on the left edge of the area and the ball hit the defensive barrier from the free kick by the same player and the ball was somehow cleared.

Emerson Bonello was then fouled just outside the area and from the free kick by Guzman the ball was deflected by the defensive barrier and ended in Mizzi’s waiting hands.

The Amateurs reacted and after Luke Agius was fouled outside the area Jean M Mizzi drove well off target from the free kick. Malcolm Gatt Baldacchino then served Jeremy Mousu in the area but Greens keeper Jurgen Borg foiled him with a perfect sortie.  

Melita equalised in the 21st minute when Aiden Mizzi served Mousu with a long through ball. The latter entered the area after outspeeding two defenders, scored with a hard grounder. 

In another Floriana attack, Galea served Claude Farrugia with a through ball and Mizzi saved his shot from outside the area, and at the other end minutes later, Aiden Mizzi served Mousu in the area but Borg foiled him by diving at his feet and smothered the ball.

Three minutes before the interval Floriana restored their slender lead when Galea served Muscat in the area from a long throw -in on the right flank and he scored with a low shot.

Very few were the actions worthy of note after the restart. After three minutes Floriana were awarded a penalty when Matthew Degiorgio was tripped in the area after a Guzman through ball.

The Greens keeper took charge of the kick but he drove high over the bar.

The score became 3-1 in the 47th minute when Bonello was fouled outside the area, Brincat floated a high ball in the area from the free kick and Degiorgio scored with a header.

Floriana kept pressing and Mizzi had to dive and turn the ball to a corner on a shot by Degiorgio after he was put through by Claude Farrugia.

Andre’ Farrugia then served Muscat in the area but with only Mizzi to beat, drove well over the bar. 

Six minutes before the end Floriana scored their fourth goal when Andre Farrugia served Ryan Farrugia in the area and after Mizzi partly saved his hard drive, the same player scored from the rebound with another hard drive.

Referee: Philip Farrugia

Player of the match: Francesco Guzman (Floriana)