FLORIANA-  1

MOSTA-        2

Floriana: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Monticelli, E. Pepe, S. Pisani (Clyde Borg), M. Villa (C. Juninho), Conor Borg (F. Aboulezz), J. Pisani, S. Ezeadi, S. Bonnici, N. Chiesa, M. Fontanella

Mosta: O. Borg, T. Farrugia, M. Micallef, R. Ekani, O. Guobadia, D. Falzon (J. Brincat), M. Brincat (B. Frederick), H. Yau (R. Grech), S. Fidelis, S. Chukwide, M. Abdul Malik

Referee: S. Spiteri

Asst.refs: W. Debattista, T. Debono

4th official: G. Tonna

Scorers: S. Bonnici 5, J. Brincat 82, S. Fidelis 87

Yellow cards: M. Brincat, S. Pisani, M. Fontanella, R. Grech

Player of the match: N. Chiesa (Floriana)

TMI top 3:  1. N. Chiesa  2. S. Pisani  3. J. Brincat

SILVIO VELLA

The season is new but Floriana’s familiar ability for making life difficult for themselves continues. They were 1-0 up until eight minutes from time, not cruising but largely in control, only to concede two late gaols that saw them lose the match. Mosta substitute James Brincat cancelled out Steve Bonnici’s early lead for Floriana before Saviour Fidelis, one of many debutants for Mosta, who had spurned a couple of opportrunities, scored his side’s winner.By the end, Floriana’s new coach Luis Oliveira was reduced to shaking his head ruefully while a section of their supporters booed in frustration

Both these teams had a new look about them with a rift of new foreigners making their debut in the BoV Premier League, without hardly being impressive but still keep stifling domestic talent.

Floriana had an Italian look both in attack and defence but the player who mostly caught the eye among all newcomers was their diminutive Argentine holding midfielder Nicolas Chiesa. He exhibited some good footwork, sprayed around inviting passes and rendered a sense of stability in front of the Greens’ defence.

Mosta, with coach Ivan Zammit at the helm, were the more offensive side, with their three new attacking Nigerian forwards using the width of the pitch. Abdul Macik on the right and Samuel Chukwide on the left, flanked centre forward Saviour Fidelis. The returning Manolito Micallef and Dyson Falzon pushed forward behind them down the flanks. But they lack a genuine playmaker in midfield and substitute Ryan Grech might have gone in too late in the game in that role.

For all of Mosta’s huffing and puffing, their fast start created a false impression as Floriana broke the deadlock after only five minutes from a deadball situation. Defender Steve Bonnici capitalised on some loose marking to head in Chiesa’s corner from the left and score Floriana’s first league goal of the season.

With both sides showing wastefulness and lack of punch in the final third, quality remained much in short supply for the remainder of the first half. Mosta keeper Omar Borg was called to palm out a Pisani free kick towards the half hour and shortly before the break Guobadia’s shot was repelled by Floriana keeper Calleja Cremona’s leg.

The second half was hardly any better. Floriana had already introduced another foreigner, Brazilian Juninho, and Fidelis had tested the Floriana keeper with a tame effort, after running inside the Greens’ area, when Mosta effected a double substitution on 68 minutes, putting in Bobby Frederick and James Brincat.

Fidelis missed an easy chance soon after as he was presented with a good pass in open space by substitute Brincat, but he lofted the ball and the chance went to waste.

The introduction of James Brincat had given Mosta a lift and it was no surprise that he scored his side’s equaliser on 82 minutes, with a powerful drive form outside the area that left keeper Calleja Cremona reeling.

And three minutes from normal time came Floriana’s defensive gaffe that allowed Mosta to score their winner. Keeper Calleja Cremona rushed off his line as he tried to head out a Micallef harmless long ball, only for the leather to bounce akwardly over his head, leaving the way clear for Saviour Fidelis to steer it into a completely unattended net.

It was a cruel way to concede for Floriuana, but Mosta had the last laugh.

BALZAN FC-    1

HIBERNIANS- 1

Balzan: V. Senatore, S. Bezzina, C. Brincat, E. Zarate, L. Micallef (A. Vujacic), S. Arab (T. Agius), G. Mensha, A. Effiong, E. Serrano, D. Grima (R. Darmanin), J. Grioli

Hibernians: J. Borg, R. Gomes, J. Lima, R. Soares, M. Dias (J. Silva), A. Cohen (J. Bezzina), B. Kristensen, C. Failla, A. Agius, G. Ribeiro (J. Degabriele), Jorginho

Referee: A. Azzopardi

Asst.refs: R. Vella, C. Francalanza

4th official: M. Apap

Scorers: Jorginho 57, A. Vujacic 90+

Yellow cards: Jorginho, C. Brincat, E. Zarate, J. Grioli, D. Grima, B. Kristensen, A. Cohen

Player of the match: A. Cohen (Hibernians)

TMI top 3:  1. A. Cohen  2. E. Zarate  3. Jorginho

Attendance: 1,015

SILVIO VELLA

It looked like Balzan would be punished by Jorginho’s goal, scored towards the hour, as they trailed the champions deep into five minutes of added time. But with this side’s spirit and their penchant for dramatic fightbacks, Balzan clinched a dramatic equaliser through their new Montenegro striker Alexandar Vujacic, to punish Hibernians’s erratic clearance on an Agius freekick.

It was a  huge disappointment for Hibernians, who always knew that this fixture was to be a stern test on the opening day of their title defence.

But, with their possession and dominance, they looked capable of holding to Jorginho’s slim lead, scored after Balzan themselves could have gone in front, only for the post to deny Lyden Micallef’s effort.

Encouraged by a fourth-place finish last season, Balzan invested and strengthened their squad this season with additions of new goalkeeper Valerio Senatore, former Valletta midfielder Ryan Fenech, who was unavailable yesterday, as well as Nigerian forward Godwin Mensha. Meanwhile, other foreigners Alexandar Vujacic and Maxim Focsa were named as substitutes, offering evidence of a club intent on pursuing an impressive gradual makeover.

Coach Oliver Spiteri yesterday also fielded the very latest signing Alfred Effiong from Qormi and his inclusion made up in some way for Bojan Kaljevic’s absence due to injury.

The champions have the same familiar look about them this season, with Gilmar Ribeiro their only new addition, meaning that Johann Bezzina started on the bench.

Balzan’s willingness to go forward and do not allow themselves to get bullied by their opponents, lent the match a lively start. Efforts by Effiong for Balzan and Cohen for Hibernians went close.

But the promise of some early fireworks soon evaporated as the teams stifled each other in midfield.

Cohen and Jorginho launched some raids for the champions but were repelled with relative ease by the Balzan defence, although after 18 minutes the Hibernians fans protested that thier team should have been given a penalty when Jorginho fell under Serrano’s challenge inside the area.

 On the half hour the energetic Lydon Micallef went close again for Balzan with a curling shot from outside the area. On the other end, Cohen’s effort, on a Failla cross from the byeline, was blocked into a corner.

For all that, the first half was poor.

The second half promised some more entertainment as already after eight minutes, Lydon Micallef was put through by Effiong’s intelligent pass. With only the keeper to beat, Micallef’s shot bounced out off the bottom of the post to Borg’s left.

The goal came on the opposite end, hardly five minutes later. Jorginho connected well to Cohen’s low through ball and after going past Arab, beat keeper Senatore with a low diagonal drive.

To their credit, Balzan were not demorilised. For the last 20 minutes, they even introduced a third forward in the likes of Vujacic and went close to an equaliser with a drilling Mensha free kick that keeper Borg tipped over the bar into a corner.

For the final five minutes, Ryan Darmanin was also drafted in attack in Balzan’s  desperate effort to salvage a point.

This was achieved after five minutes of added time when, on a sailing Agius free kick, Alexandar Vujacic picked up a shortr clearance inside the box and hit past the helpless keeper Borg.