Pietà Hotspurs shock Floriana

Pietà Hotspurs came from behind to beat Floriana 2-1 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium on Saturday. A win which puts Ramon Zammit’s side on the eight-point mark, just one behind the Greens.

For Floriana, this was the second consecutive defeat and the fourth defeat this season. They remain eighth, on level points with St. Andrews and Tarxien Rainbows.

Alex Cini and Maurizio Vella were back for Floriana, replacing Clyde Borg and Ignacio Varela while Pietà had Dylan Agius and Paul Chimezie replacing Shunsuke Nakamura and Juan Manuel Artiaga Roa.

Photos: Copyright © Andrew Grima

Floriana managed to take the lead after just five minutes thanks to a Juninho Cabral penalty after he was brought down inside the area.

However ten minutes in the second half, Pietà were awarded a penalty for a foul by Mohammed Saleh on Paul Chimezie and the Nigerian striker converted from the penalty spot to level matters.

Five minutes from time, substitute Shunsuke Nakamura exchanged the ball with Neil Pace Cocks before hitting home past goalkeeper Ini Etim Akpan.

Photos: Copyright © Andrew Grima

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”24″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]

FLORIANA Ini Etim Akpan, Mohammed Saleh, Enzo Ruiz, Steve Pisani, Maurizio Vella (46′ Daniel Agius), Juninho Cabral, Clayton Failla, Jurgen Pisani, Alex Cini (70′ Clyde Borg), Arthur Henrique Oyama (46′ Ivica Guberac), Emerson Marcelina.
Subs not used: Justin Spiteri, Mattia Zarb, Bradley Sciberras, Jake Stenson.
Coach: Luis Oliveira
Asst. Coach: Ryan Newell

PIETÀ Nicky Vella, Ose Takaki, Travis Bartolo (90′ Juan Manuel Artiaga Roa), Neil Pace Cocks, Dylan Agius, Paul Chimezie, Jan Busuttil (89′ Christian Degabriele), Gabriel Mensah (79′ Shunsuke Nakamura), Christian Grech, Ishaya Irimiya Jalo, Antonio Orlando Macedo Neto.
Subs not used: Jacob Chircop St John, Nicholas Pisani, Quincy Bregman, Ayrton Mizzi.
Coach: Ramon Zammit
Asst. Coach: Mark Vella

Referee: Etienne Mangion
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Chris Francalanza
Fourth Official: Mario Apap
Yellow Cards: N. Vella, Pace Cocks, Cini, Saleh, Ruiz
BOV Player of the Match: Paul Chimezie