During this Old Firm clash Floriana created more occasions than Sliema but failed to score as they lacked punch up front and also a striker.

Sliema were faster on the ball and also quicker in their moves. Following this game Sliema are in 6th position on 25 points from 17 games while Floriana are in 9th place on 20 points also from 17 games.

Floriana scored after only two minutes when Claude Farrugia was fouled on the left flank and from Francesco Gusman’s free kick Emmanuel Briffa headed in from inside the area but the point was disallowed for offside.

Later, Gusman missed the upright from the free kick.

In Sliema’s first real attack in the 13th minute they opened the score when Glenn Chircop served Jan Muscat with a through ball in the area and shot past Greens keeper Jurgen Borg.

Hardly a minute later, Leo Muscat should have equalised for Floriana but he drove high from inside the area when well placed after a Bugeja perfect free kick.  

Lukain Brincat was then served from a long drop-kick by Borg and after entering the area Sliema keeper Michael Cluett saved his shot.

At the other end, Glenn Chircop dribbled past a defender and after entering the area he drove out from a very ideal position.

The last two actions before the break were both created by Floriana. First it was Matthew Degiorgio and later Isaac Galea who missed the target.

In the first action after restart Emmanuel Briffa was fouled in midfield and from the free kick by Rodney Debono, Cluett saved a header by Brincat.   

The Blues then won a corner kick on the left flank, Glenn Chircop served Gabriel Aquilina with a short pass who returned the ball to Chircop but the latter drove out from the edge of the area.

Muscat then served Aaron Chircop in the area but Borg foiled him with a perfect timely sortie.

In the 62nd minute, Floriana came very close to an equaliser when after a corner kick from the right flank by Brincat the ball was cleared on the line following a hard shot by Gusman from inside the area.

Jean C Catania was fouled just outside the area and from Gusman’s free kick the ball hit the defensive barrier and came in the path of Brincat in the area but Cluett denied him with a fine diving save.

Referee: Philip Farrugia

Player of the match: Gabriel Aquilina (Sliema W)