Floriana, Luis Oliveira collect first three points

Goals by Ignacio Varela and substitute Daniel Agius handed Floriana and their new coach Luis Oliveira their first win as the boys in green defeated Hibernians 2-0 at the National Stadium on Friday.

Floriana, who had Luis Oliveira making his debut as coach after replacing Nicolas Chiesa last month, welcomed Ini Etim Akpan back in goal together with Juergen Pisani and Mauricio Vella but lacked Mohammed Saleh while Patrick Wleh was retained on the bench.

Hibernians coach Stefano Sanderra, on the other hand, named an unchanged line-up following the 2-1 win over Valletta. For the Paolites, this was the first defeat after identical 2-1 wins over Pietà and Valletta.

The Greens took the lead on the 25th when off a cross by Alex Cini from the right, Ignacio Varela headed home in style past Hogg.

Substitute Daniel Agius doubled the score on the 71st minute, just five seconds after replacing Maurizio Vella, advanced on the left before beating Hogg with a diagonal shot from the left, from outside the area.

One minute in added time, the Paolites had the opportunity to reduce the gap after Isaac Ntow was brought down inside the area by Steve Pisani but Johann Bezzina’s effort from the penalty spot was turned into a corner by Akpan.

HIBS Andrew Hogg, Dunstan Vella (57′ Taylor Nicolas Correa Marcolino), Nemanja Radovanovic, Joseph Mbong (63′ Bjorn Kristensen), Marcelo Dias (83′ Timothy Tabone Desira), Jurgen Degabriele, Isaac Ntow, Johann Bezzina, Andrei Agius, Ivan Blazevic, Tiago Adan Fonseca.
Subs not used: Rudy Briffa, Connor Zammit, Kane Bonello, David Xuereb.
Coach: Stefano Sanderra
Asst. Coach: Ryan Pulis

FLORIANA Ini Etim Akpan, Enzo Ruiz, Steve Pisani, Ignacio Varela, Maurizio Vella (70′ Daniel Agius), Juninho Cabral, Clayton Failla, Jurgen Pisani, Alex Cini, Arthur Henrique Oyama, Emerson Marcelina.
Subs not used: Matthew Grech, Patrick Wleh, Clyde Borg, Mattia Zarb, Bradley Sciberras, Jake Stenson.
Coach: Luis Oliveira

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Luke Portelli, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Etienne Mangion
Yellow Cards: S. Pisani, D. Vella, E. Ruiz, E. Marcelina, J. Mbong
BOV Player of the Match: Johann Bezzina
Attendance: 678