Valletta 1
Floriana 1
Floriana: M. Towns, D. Pisani, T. Farrugia, P. Doffo, T. Paris (J. Borg), C. Cassar, M. Micallef, D. Draganov (C. Caruana), I. Woods, D. Nwoke, O. Bugeja
Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, R. Dos Santos, E. Agius, I. Azzopardi, R. Briffa, J. Pace, T. Scerri (A. Anderson), D. Dos Santos, R. Fenech (I. Zammit), G. Agius (K. Sammut)
Referee: C. Lautier Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, A. Camilleri 4th official: A. Azzopardi
Scorers: T. Farrugia 20, G. Agius 36
Yellow cards: J. Pace, R. Dos Santos, A. Anderson
Player of the match: T. Farrugia (Floriana)
TMI top 3: 1. P. Doffo 2. R. Briffa 3. T. Farrugia
Attendance: 3,383
A point apiece in this derby ensured champions Valletta remain unbeaten and Floriana in second place, two points above Birkirkara with one match to go.
Valletta’s last match, which should see them celebrate the title win, is against Tarxien Rainbows, while Floriana need only to draw against Birkirkara to secure second place.
Valletta again remained mostly in second gear and managed to cancel Floriana’s 20-minute lead through Tyrone Farrugia. The champions have gone without a win in two consecutive matches.
After their lead, Floriana enjoyed their best spell for almost 15 minutes but after they were caught out by Gilbert Agius’ equaliser and looked more willing to avoid defeat, especially after Birkirkara’s win in the previous match.
Valletta’s defence was bereft of the suspended Steve Borg but welcomed back Ian Azzopardi. Terence Scerri, Valletta’s scorer in their draw against Birkirkara, was given a start. Ian Zammit and Antunes Anderson went in as late substitutes.
Floriana’s most notable change was choice of keeper Matthew Towns ahead of regular Saidi. They had Thomas Paris back after suspension as Christian Caruana used as a second half substitute.
A cagey start to the match had both sides stifling each other, with very few openings.
Valletta were dangerous after seven minutes with a Fenech free kick from the right across the face of the Floriana goal with nobody putting a foot to it.
The ball was kicked from one end to the other in rather scrappy fashion until on 20 minutes Draganov’s shot, following some hesitancy in the Valletta defence on a Cassar incursion inside the area, was deflected into a corner. That was the prelude to Floriana’s goal. From the resultant Cassar corner kick, defender Tyrone Farrugia turned attacker to power his header past keeper Hogg.
Floriana were riding the waves. They looked the better team midway through the half and on a Cassar cross from the left, Azzopardi cleared into a corner before Nwoke could connect. Doffo shot slightly over.
On 33 minutes, keeper Hogg needed to rush out of his penalty area to clear before Cassar, put through by Paris. Draganov shot the loose ball over.
That heralded Floriana’s best spell until Valletta drew level on 36 minutes. Gilbert Agius connected well to Briffa’s cross from the right and put his firm header beyond the keeper’s reach.
With parity restored, Floriana lost some of their brittle confidence and before halftime they had a Draganov header on a Cassar free kick going narrowly off target.
The second half was no brimstone and fire either. Valletta controlled the proceedings, staying composed at the back and allowing Woods and Nwoke little space. When Valletta’s defence failed to clear a Pisani cross, Woods missed the target.
A Pace shot from a distance on 54 minutes was comfortably saved by keeper Hogg.
On 67 minutes, Gilbert Agius limped off for Valletta and Floriana also substituted the injured Draganov with Christian Caruana.
That did little to change the pattern of the game although Valletta started belatedly to mount some pressure. Substitute Sammut played a through ball to Denni who shot wide from a promising position.
Denni again headed Briffa’s cross wide on 78 minutes, before Valletta effected a double substitution putting in Ian Zammit and Antunes Anderson.
But Valletta pushed forward with little purpose and Floriana’s defence was always up to task.
In the final analysis, a draw served both sides right.