Floriana 2

Qormi 1

Floriana: M. Bartolo, O. Bugeja, M. Micallef, D. Pisani, E. Akoto, P. Doffo, A. Grabowski (M. Licari), C. Borg, I. Woods, J. Mintoff (T. Paris), C. Caruana (R. Darmanin), I. Woods

Qormi: M. Farrugia, Jeff.Chetcuti (Jos. Chetcuti), R. Sammut (L. Sciberras), M. Bartolo, K. Scicluna, F. Mirarchi (C. Sammut), J. Pereira, S. Duff, T. Caruana, S. Wellman. A. Bello-Osagie

Referee: C. Lautier

Asst.refs: J. Camilleri, T. Borg

4th official: T. Farrugia Cann

Scorers: A. Bello-Osagie 14, C. Borg 31, C. Caruana 44

Yellow cards: T. Caruana, O. Bugeja

Red cards: E. Akoto, J. Pereira

Player of the match: Matthew Bartolo (Qormi)

TMI top 3: M. Bartolo 2. O. Bugeja 3. C. Caruana

Floriana kept their positive run well on course as they beat Qormi, despite falling behind to a Bello-Osagie goal towards the quarter hour and having their central defender Eric Akoto sent off ten minutes later.

The Greens made a remarkable comeback that saw them score twice in less than 15 minutes to go in front before halftime.

After the interval, Floriana had to soak much of Qormi’s pressure but with their galvanized defence they managed to preserve a precious win that keeps them unbeaten in eight league matches and well in contention for the top places.

Although they had won the previous match, coach Michael Woods deemed it fit to make some changes to the side. The return of Pablo Doffo and Christian Caruana from suspension meant that Thomas Paris and Christian Cassar had to make way. Forward Sodje was also absent with a broken wrist and Clyde Borg was given a start.

Qormi made a good start to the match but then lost their grip as they handed their opponents the initiative and were unable to capitalise on their numerical superiority. Their spirited efforts in the second half failed to avoid defeat. They were severely handicapped by the absence of their midfield dynamo Joseph Farrugia, as suspension also deprived them of defender Jonathan Bondin. The newly loaned Triston Caruana from Hibernians played in midfield with Stephen Wellman deputising for Bondin.

After a quiet opening, the match came to life short of the quarter hour with Qormi’s opener. Pereira chested Duff’s cross from the left towards Abubaker Bello-Osagie who blasted the ball past the helpless keeper Manuel Bartolo.

Floriana were shell shocked but reacted with Woods’ diagonal grounder from the right that rolled across the face of the Qormi goal and narrowly missed the target.

Qormi threatened with the wing play of Pereira and Matthew Bartolo. Bugeja intercepted Bello-Osagie’s low cross before the unmarked Bartolo could take possession inside the area.

On 23 minutes, Floriana suffered another setback. Their central Togo defender Akoto was shown red for his reckless tackle on Matthew Bartolo and Floriana were forced to put in Paris for Mintoff and drop Doffo in central defence.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Greens rallied well and their efforts were rewarded with two goals before the half was over.

Past the half hour, a Doffo free kick was repelled by keeper Farrugia and cleared towards Clyde Borg who beat the keeper at the top right corner.

Qormi seemed to lose all their composure after that. Two minutes before the break another menacing Doffo free kick was saved by keeper Farrugia, who again held out a Paris effort.

Floriana’s goal was inevitable though. On the stroke of halftime, Micallef’s shot took a wicked deflection into a corner. That caused anxious moments inside the Qormi area before Christaian Caruana resolved it all with his clinical finish.

Qormi faced an uphill struggle in the second half as they probed hard for an equaliser. Bartolo and Pereira pushed forward relentlessly, in support of Bello-Osagie. Caruana’s shot from the edge of the area went narrowly wide and towards the hour, Matthew Bartolo’s cross from the right was missed by the Floriana keeper but Bello-Osagie’s shot was blocked by the defence.

Qormi were dangerous with two successive corners from Duff but the Floriana rearguard somehow was able to smother the danger.

Six minutes from time, Bello-Osagie headed in Bartolo’s cross but the goal was disallowed for some infringement by the Qormi forward.

And to add insult to injury, Pereira was also shown the red card, deep into added time, for a foul on the Floriana keeper.