Floriana-Birkirkara 1-3
Floriana: D. Hanford, S. Pisanim C. Caruana (L. Casha), I. Coronado, C. Borg, J. Borg, B. Farrugia (G. Favero), F. Guzman (D. Pinheiro), A. Scicluna, G. Muir, S. Borg
Birkirkara: J. Haber, M. Bissi, A. Mendoza, Jhonnattan, R. Scicluna (D. Zerafa), J. Zerafa, P. Fenech, R. Muscat,S . Shodiya (K. Zammit), T. Vella (F. Temile), Z. Muscat
Referee: M. Apap
Asst.refs: C. Francalanza, T. Debono
Additional asst.refs: K. Azzopardi, G. Tonna
4th official: D. Sultana
Scorers: Jhonnattan 5, 41, I. Coronado 56, F. Temile 73
Yellow cards: J. Borg, R. Scicluna, G. Favero
Player of the match: Jhonnattan (Birkirkara)
TMI top three: 1. R. Muscat 2. Jhonnattan 3. D. Hanford
Attendance: 872
Floriana’s unbeaten run of three matches was halted by Birkirkara yesterday as the Greens could not counter their opponents’ strength in depth and only really looked menacing in the last half hour of the macth after they scored the goal that reduced the two-goal deficit.
Floriana could have conceded more goals but have their goalkeeper Daniel Hanford and the woodwork to thank for avoiding a heavier defeat as Birkirkara showed determination and punished some flaws in their opponents’ defence.
Superior Birkirkara deserved the points and this ultimately convincing win, their seventh in 10 games, saw them entrench their position in the top three and extend their lead over Sliema Wanderers behind them to five points
Birkirkara left Demba Toure and Edward Herrera on the bench and introduced Frank Temile as a second half substitute.
In Rowen Muscat and Paul Fenech, they have two hard workers and splendidly alliterative technical central midfielders, who could hit pinpoint crossfield passes and provide service for the front runners, in a typical 4-2-3-1 formation yesterday.
Floriana were handicapped by the absences of two key players, Ibok Edet and Gary Roberts through suspension. Andre Scicluna and Francesco Guzman were given starts instead but the Greens’ defence was breached after only five minutes play.
Birkirkara, who had already threatened with a Ternce Vella free header going wide, made the breakthrough when Jhonnattan nipped inside the Floriana area on Shodiya’s pass to beat keeper Hanford with a low strike.
The Stripes could have doubled their lead on 35 minutes when, on a Ryan Scicluna through ball, Jhonnattan shot at goal but the ball was parried by the Floriana keeper. In between, Pisani had netted for Floriana from a Caruana corner, but the referee noticed some infringement and disallowed the goal.
Birkirkara still managed to make it a more comforftable lead though four minutes before halftime. Rowen Muscat played a long ball forward for Jhonnattan to chase and lob over the onrushing Hanford.
Floriana effected a double substitution at halftime. They introduced Giacomo Favero and Diego Pnheiro in midfield for Brooke Farrugia and Guzman.
If they did not exactly stop conceding chances thereafter, they at least started to make some of their own.
Birkirkara carved out the first chance after the restart. Jhonnattan went past Joseph Borg but his diagonal shot went narrowly wide. Birkirkara could have even wrapped up the points on 55 minutes. On Jhonnattan’s free kick, Bissi’s firm header was held out by the outstretched keeper Hanford into a corner. From the resultant corner, the keeper cleared upfield for Igor Coronado to counter, gallop inside the area and beat the Birkirkara keeper Haber with a clinical finish.
The goal briefly raised some hopes for Floriana until Birkirkara effected a double substitution themselves, putting in Frank Temile and Daniel Zerafa. The former scored the third goal for the champions on 73 minutes when his downward header from a Jhonnattan corner took a deflection off Floriana defender Sascha Borg and deceived the goalkeeper.
Birkirkara threatened to increase their lead five minutes later. On a Temile cross, substitute Kurt Zammit thumped his header against the bar. On the other end, keeper Haber pulled a smart save on Pinheiro’s shot from a Caruana cross.
But any hope of a comeback for Floriana was ended, six minutes from time, when Haber again thwarted Coronado, who had advanced inside the Birkirkara area with only the keeper to beat.