Valletta-Floriana 0-0

Valletta: A. Hogg, S. Borg, R. Dos Santos, J. Caruana (D. Falzon), I. Azzopardi, G. Agius (E. Agius), J. Pace, R. Briffa, K. Sammut (O. Temile), D. Dos Santos, T. Scerri

Coach: J. Zerafa

Floriana: L. Saidi, D. Pisani, T. Farrugia, B. Said, M. Micallef, J. Borg (C. Borg), C. Cassar, P. Doffo, M. Mecerod (M. Gauci), I. Woods, C. Caruana (R. Darmanin)

Coach: T. Raykov

Referee: A. Azzopardi, Asst.refs: K. Borg, A. Camilleri, 4th official: A. Arciola

Yellow cards: R. Dos Santos, C. Caruana, D. Pisani, P. Doffo, M. Micallef, J. Pace

Red card: R. Dos Santos

Player of the match: J. Pace (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. I. Woods 2. S. Borg 3. M. Micallef

Attendance: 4,655

The derby between Valletta and Floriana ended in a goalless drab draw with both sides looking happy with a point apiece at the end.

For Valletta this point might carry more weight as they were down to ten men past the half hour when central defender Ramon Dos Santos was sent off for two bookings.

That left them unbeaten, four points above the same Floriana, with a game in hand, although yesterday they did not play anywhere as well as they could.

The Greens may still be satisfied, having avoided defeat against the leaders in this season’s first derby.

Football was the main loser as goalmouth action remained at a premium, especially in a largely sterile second half, devoid of any excitement. It says something that the only goalscoring chance came on 90 minutes.

Both teams were at full strength with no selection problems for both coaches.

Spurred by their colourful and noisy support, it was not surprising that the teams were off to a blistering start. The Floriana keeper Saidi was the first to be tested, saving a Denni Dos Santos shot and on nine minutes, the Floriana shot stopper missed the ball on an Agius cross, but Scerri failed to capitalise.

But the promise of any high-tempo fireworks quickly evaporated, giving way to a tepid, disappointingly first half.

Pace twice was erratic with his finishing as Floriana tried to penetrate on the break.

Ramon Dos Santos, not fully fit, looked increasingly at pains to control Woods and within ten minutes he earned two bookings, for fouling the Floriana forward, which brought his expulsion on 35 minutes.

That changed a bit Valletta’s tactical set-up as Steve Borg moved in the heart of defence and Roderick Briffa retreated as full back.

But the Citizens were still dangerous going forward. Agius sent his free kick wide and on 40 minutes Denni played the ball wide to Briffa on the right but Said blocked into a corner with his timely tackle. From the resultant Sammut corner, Agius’ shot was saved by keeper Saidi. Before halftime, Scerri headed Briffa’s cross over.

The second half was even less exciting as both teams looked for defensive security rather than risk and lose the match.

Azzopardi did well to stop Borg’s incursion from the right but that was as far as Floriana could get inside the Valletta box for most of the time as their defence nearly always looked in control.

For all their huffing and puffing, Floriana failed to exploit their numerical superiority, despite the inclusion of forward Darmanin, at one time playing with a three-pronged attack.

Valletta also effected all their three substitutions in the second half, putting in Dyson Falzon, Temile and Edmond Agius but Floriana were equally determined to take something from this match.

On the stroke of normal time, the Floriana keeper Saidi produced the best save of the match as he stretched himself to tip Denni’s powerful shot into a corner and deny Valletta what could have been an unexpected winner.