Easy for Floriana, difficult for Birkirkara

An own goal paved the way for Floriana as they registered a most comfortable 5-0 win over Mosta at the National Stadium on Saturday.

The Greens therefore returned to winning ways after two draws with Balzan and Gzira. A win which puts them temporarily one point ahead of Hibernians.

Floriana managed to take the lead on the 34th minute thanks to an own goal when off a cross by Enrico Pepe, Davide Mansi headed the ball past fellow goalkeeper Andreas Vella.

The Greens doubled the score two minutes in the second half when they were awarded a penalty after Tyrone Farrugia floored Michele Paolucci and from the penalty spot, Juninho Cabral converted.

Michele Paolucci made it 3-0 on the 67th after rounding Ivan Maric and the goalkeeper  before placing the ball at the back of the net.

Floriana added another on the 74th thanks to Mario Fontanella who hit home from close range following an assist from the left by Juninho Cabral.

Mario Fontanella scored a fifth goal ten minutes from time, beating Andreas Vella with a header following a cross by Maurizio Vella.

Photo: Copyright © Andrew Grima

[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”masonry” title=”true” desc=”false” responsive=”true” display=”all” sort_by=”random” animation_effect=”bounce” album_title=”true” album_id=”124″]

MOSTA Andreas Vella, Ivan Maric, Massimo Sammartino, Thomas Veronese, Kurt Magro, Davide Mansi (54′ Jan Tanti), Tyron Farrugia, Emmanuel Akwa dei Agyemeng (63′ Nicholas Farrugia), Damir Bartulovic, Zachary Brincat, Giordano Trovade (73′ Dexter Xuereb).
Subs not used: Dylan Ciappara, Jurgen Grech, Calvin Camilleri, Kyle Frendo.
Coach: Johann Scicluna

FLORIANA Ini Etim Akpan, Enrico Pepe, Steve Pisani, Maurizio Vella, Juninho Cabral, Jurgen Pisani, Michele Paolucci (79′ Denilson Borg Castaldi), Alex Cini (83′ Jake Stensen), Dylan Grima, Mario Fontanella, Emerson Marcelina (79′ Bradley Sciberras).
Subs not used: Matthew Grech, Jamie Delia, Neil Spiteri, Arthur Henrique Oyama.
Coach: JJ Aquilina Asst. Coach: Nicolas Chiesa

Referee: Darryl Agius
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Paul Apap
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Mansi, Sammartino
BOV Player of the Match: Mario Fontanella

Meanwhile at the Hibernians Stadium, Birkirkara struggled much more than expected to beat bottom-placed Lija Athletic 2-1. The Stripes therefore returned to winning ways after the draw with Valletta last week.

Following a goalless first half, two minutes in the second half, Srdjan Dimitrov took advantage of a defensive blunder and entered the penalty area before serving Jake Grech who placed the ball inside the empty net.

Lija equalised on the 71st minute thanks to Raphael Kooh Sohna whose fine shot beat goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski.

However three minutes later, the Stripes regained the lead thanks to Edward Herrera who chested the ball down following a cross from the left before hitting past Bonnici.

B’KARA Kristijan Naumovski, Nikola Vukanac, Fernando Barbosa Perreira, Mislav Andelkovic, Srdjan Dimitrov (85′ Gianluca Zammit), Walder Jesus Acosta Ferreira (75′ Ognjen Rolovic), Edward Herrera, Cain Attard, Kurt Zammit, Ryan Scicluna, Jake Grech (68′ Terence Agius).
Coach: Paul Zammit

LIJA Luke Bonnici, McAllister Clinch (75′ Predrag Babic), Patrick Borg, Daniel Scerri, Leejoe Schembri (83′ Nigel Spiteri), Aaron Sammut, Raphael Alain Kooh Sona, Ousmane Sidibe, Kei Hirose, Erjon Beu, Ryan Sammut.
Coach: Joseph Galea

Referee: Matthew Degabriele
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Fyodor Zammit
Yellow Cards: R. Scicluna (B), D. Scerri, P. Borg (L)
BOV Player of the Match: Srdjan Dimitrov