Qormi-Floriana 2-2

Qormi: M. Farrugia, R. Sammut, O. Bugeja, G. Gianola, E. Vella, R. Bajada (Jorge Da Silva), T. Caruana, S. Quintieri (D. Pisani), L. Cantoro, D. Pirotta (L. Grech), A. Effiong

Floriana: D. Hanford, S. Eboh (D. Baldacchino), I. Edet, R. Emeka, C. Caruana (S. Pisani), I. Coronado, C. Borg, J. Borg, B. Farrugia (D. Pinheiro), G. Muir, S. Borg

Referee: S. Spiteri

Asst.refs; I. Spiteri, A. Camilleri

Additional Asst.refs: C. Pisani, A. Azzopardi

4th official: M. Spiteri

Scorers: R. Emeka 25, L. Cantoro 45+ pen, G. Muir 60 pen, A. Effiong 65 pen

Yellow cards: G. Gianola, T. Caruana, I. Edet, G. Muir, J. Borg, O. Bugeja, L. Grech

Red cards: G. Gianola, I. Edet

Player of the match: L. Cantoro (Qormi)

TMI top three: 1. L. Cantoro  2. M. Farrugia  3. G. Muir

Attendance: 595

These two struggling sides settled for a draw in an entertaining open game that brought about four goals, three from penalties, two sending offs and some controversial refereeing decisions.

Both Qormi and Floriana  are going through grim times and a league win has become a rare commodity for any of them. A point apiece proved useless. Floriana’s draw follows after five consecutive defeats and they now start the second phase in eighth place in the Relegation Pool with two points above Vittoriosa below them. Qormi follow, one point behind the Stars, in joint eleventh place with Tarxien Rainbows.

Yesterday the Greens had Roland Emeka as their main striker, with Christian Caruana returning to the side after quite a long absence. Steve Pisani, Diogo Pinheiro and Luca Casha all started on the bench. Kokavessis was not even included in the squad.

Karel Zeman is still to record his first victory as Qormi coach, taking only a second  draw yesterday after the one against Rabat Ajax at the start of the year. Twice they trailed their opponents yesterday but manged to draw level thanks to two penalies, the second awarded in a controversial manner, after Floriana had also gone in front, with another debateable decision, from the penalty spot.

Qormi, with Lucas Cantoro and Alfred Effiong spearheading their attack, made the more assertive start and carved out the first chance of the match with hardly six minutes on the clock. Cantoro’s shot from the left was repelled by keeper Hanford. Bajada’s effort on the rebound was blocked.

Soon after, a Cantoro free kick was easy prey for the Floriana keeper.

Floriana gradually started to find pace and rhytm of their own. On 19 minutes Muir’s curling free kick from the edge of the area went narrowly off target.

On 25 minutes, Floriana took the lead. Roland Emeka capitalised on some hesitation in the Qormi defence between Sammut and keeper Farrugia as he darted inside the area and scored with a low drive from a tight angle.

To their credit, Qormi were not demorilised and tried to regroup. They threatened on the half hour, as Floriana keeper Hanford rushed out of his area to clear a high ball in kung-fu style before Effiong could connect. Cantoro’s long range effort on the loose ball, with the goalkeeper out of his place, was headed out by Muir.

Qormi again looked dangerous on 37 minutes. Pirotta sent a low cross from the left which was just tipped out by Hanford. Effiong was blocked as he tried to connect and in a goalmouth scramble that followed inside the Floriana area, Pirotta shot on the goalkeeper.

On the other end, Floriana almost doubled their lead on 39 minutes. Gianola cleared before Emeka, who had avoided the Qormi keeper with his incursion, could conclude.

Floriana replaced the not fully fit Sunday Eboh with Darrel Baldacchino on 40 minutes, as Sacha Borg moved as central defender alongside Edet.

An individual move by Coronado ended with a low shot that keeper Farrugia saved well.

In the half’s added time, Qormi were awarded a penalty when keeper Hanford felled Effiong inside the Floriana area and Lucas Cantoro tucked it away with a powerful shot to level matters.

An eventful second half was characterised by two debateable penalty calls and two players dismissed, one from each  side. On the hour Caruana fell under Gianola’s challenge inside the Qormi area. The referee, who was quite far from the action, awarded the penalty for Floiana, cautioned the Qormi defender, and it being his second, sent him off. Qormi’s official Redeno Apap was livid and after protesting too loudly, was also dismissed from the bench. Gary Muir scored from the spot to put Floriana in front again after calm was restored.

Hardly five minutes later, numerical parity was restored when the referee awarded Qormi a second penalty, this time after Cantoro fell freely when tackled by Edet, who was also sent off for a second booking. The Floriana’s defender tackle looked clean on the ball. Alfred Effiong steadied himself to beat Hanford and level matters.

Both sides kept trying to win the match and it became quite an entertaining affair. Effiong was blocked by keeper Hanford as he ran inside the Floriana area. On the other end, a Coronado effort went wide.

Floriana put in Diego Pinheiro and later Steve Pisani to boost their attack but Qormi went close to scoring again on 75 minutes when Cantoro headed Triston Caruana’s corner against the woodwork.

Matthew Farrugia thwarted Emeka on a Coronado through pass before the Qormi shot stopper turned protagonist in the late stages. He superbly turned Emeka’s header into a corner and then blocked Pinheiro’s drive on the ground.

Qormi could have won the match in added time but Effiong’s firm header on yet another Triston Caruana cross was tipped over the bar by the alert Floriana keeper Hanford.