Floriana 0

Birkirkara 0

Floriana needed to win this match to keep in contention in this pre-season competition. At the end they could only obtain a drab goalless draw which eliminates them.

The Greens looked toothless in attack although they showed some defensive resilience that at least avoided them a second defeat.

Birkirkara played some good flowing football although hardly penetrative as well as being themselves guilty of some profligacy.

A point still keeps them with chance of winning the season’s first honour if they beat champions Valletta next Thursday.

Birkirkara, under new coach Patrick Curmi and his assistant Peter Pullicino, had a new look about them. With Spaniard Jorge Mora in goal and former Hibernians player Matt Clarke as one of the central defenders alongside Andrei Agius, Joseph Zerafa played as left back and Angus Buhagiar on the right. The returning Alan Tabone started in midfield with Trevor Cilia and Andrew Decesare. New Italian recruit, Jacopo Camilli was the main striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

They also gave a trial to their Argentine forward Victor Rena and Latvian defender Savinovs who went in as substitutes in the second half, together with new signing Leighton Grech.

Floriana, who had lost their first match against Valletta, were again without th not fully fit Ivan Woods, sitting on the bench. They also had Italian forward Salvatore Amirante missing, after going abroad for another trial.

Christian Caruana and Clyde Borg were continuously being outplayed in midfield as Birkirkara held the upper hand during the first period. Wide players Seydi and Joseph Borg were often compelled to retreat to help at the back. Ryan Darmanin was left too isolated up front, starved of service.

Birkirkara carved out the better opportunities but fluffed the best three of them in the first quarter hour.

After only five minutes, Camilli failed to conclude on a Decesare cross that was laid in his path by Tabone and the chance went to waste.

Cilia should have done better a couple of minutes later. Put clear down the right flank, he shot against the underside of the bar with only keeper Towns to beat.

On 17 minutes, Camilli again mishit in front of goal on Cilia’s testing cross.

With Floriana rarely venturing into enemy territory and Mora remaining untested, Birkirkara still failed to turn their ample possession into more chances.

Seyda got the better of an unlucky defensive clearance by Buhagiar at the start of the second half, but his cross from the left for Darmanin was intercepted by keeper Mora.

On 55 minutes, Birkirkara threatened with a Camilli low shot that clipped the foot of the post on the keeper’s left. Camilli later made way for Rena.

Play remained scrappy though as Floriana defended stoutly and the Stripes looked short of ideas.

Birkirkara could have won the match in the dying minutes when Cilia chested a Grech cross from the right but missed the target from a promising position in front of goa. No wonder, the stalemate prevailed.

Floriana: M. Towns, D. Pisani, O. Bugeja, T. Farrugia, M. Micallef, C. Borg, J. Borg, C. Caruana (M. Grioli), R. Darmanin, J. Hardiker, I. Seydi

Birkirkara: J. Mora, A. Agius, P. Fenech, T. Cilia, A. Tabone, A. Decesare (L. Grech), M. Clarke (M. Savinovs), J. Zerafa, A. Buhagiar, J. Camilli (V. Rena), R. Muscat

Referee: M. Borg

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono

4th official: G. Tonna

Yellow cards: J. Zerafa, A. Buhagiar, C. Caruana

Attendance: 640