Floriana 1

Mosta 2

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

Mosta: J. Debono, A. Borg, K. Farrugia, F. Tisbi, Y. Ossok, T. Vella (G. Martin), F. Raimy (P. Mirceta), J. Bajada (S. Grech), K. Magro, I. Zammit, O. Obiefule

Referee: M. Mercieca

Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, S. Attard

4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorers: O. Obiefule 26, 90, A. Grabowski 67

Yellow cards: I. Zammit, T. Paris, Y. Ossok, F. Raimy, P. Mirceta, P. Doffo, A. Borg

Player of the match: Pablo Doffo (Floriana)

TMI top 3: 1. K. Magro 2. O. Obiefule 3. P. Doffo

Floriana’s nine-match unbeaten run came surprisingly to an end yesterday as they were beaten by the in-form Mosta side, courtesy of a brace by Obinna Obiefule, who now takes his tally to 15 league goals.

Obiefule had given Mosta the lead midway through an unremarkable first half, but Floriana drew level through Andre Grabowski’s goal past the hour, only for Obiefule to break the Greens’ hearts with Mosta’s winner on the stroke of full time.

The win takes Mosta up to eighth place, three behind Qormi and keeps their slim hopes of landing a Top Six berth alive.

Floriana, without their playmaker Christian Cassar, who surprisingly did not even feature in the squad, lacked creativity and enthusiasm. They were careless in their passing, especially in the last third, with Woods and Grabowski often flaccid in the face of an organised Mosta defence. New Italian signing Alessio Restuccia was handed his debut as left back, with Manolito Micallef playing upfield on the flank during the first half. That changed after the interval when Malcolm Licari joined the attack, after substituting Restuccia and Micallef dropped at the back.

Mosta also gave a start to their latest recruit Terence Vella, providing support to Obiefule in attack.

It was pretty dismal stuff for the first 25 minutes, with neither side producing anything noteworthy and both goalkeepers remaining mostly inoperative.

After that we were presented with Mosta’s opening goal. Obinna Obiefule played a deft one-two with Zammit before going through to beat keeper Bartolo with a low strike.

Mosta enjoyed their best spell after taking the lead. Borg shot wastefully off target after picking Bajada’s pass inside the Floriana area.

Past the half hour Obiefuele’s pacey run on Magro’s pass, took him past Doffo but the Mosta striker fell heavily inside the area under the Argentine’s challenge.

Towards the end of the half, Mosta went close again after keeper Bartolo missed the ball on a Zammit corner but Raimy headed out and then Magro again failed to put his header on target on Vella’s cross from the left.

On the stroke of halftime, Doffo’s direct free kick thumped against the bar but the action was interrupted for an offside when Woods won possession from the rebound.

Mosta took a laidback approach in the second period and that allowed Floriana to hold the initiative for long stretches, especially after they withdrew Caruana and Clyde Borg.

The Greens restored equilibrium on 67 minutes when they won a free kick on the edge of the area on the right. Doffo played a floating ball towards the middle. Andre Grabowski’s header was parried by keeper Debono but the Floriana forward knocked the loose ball over the line.

Mosta remained cautious at the back and allowed tetchy Floriana few openings, although the Greens threatened in the late stages. Bugeja headed Doffo’s free kick over and a Grabowski cross from the left caught the Mosta rearguard napping, only for Micallef to arrive fractionally late. Grabowski also mishit in front of goal, as he tried to connect to Licari’s cross.

Mosta countered with seven minutes remaining as a Zammit shot from a distance went over.

And on the stroke of full time, Obiefule chased Magro’s clearance, outpaced Bugeja and planted the ball past the helpless Bartolo to give Mosta a dramatic win.