Fine win for Wanderers over Floriana

Sliema Wanderers scored two late goals to register a comfortable 3-0 win over Floriana at the National Stadium on Monday. A win which extended the Blues’s positive run in recent weeks and which also enabled them to register a hat-trick of wins over their Old Firm rivals.

On the other hand, this second consecutive defeat for the Greens means that they lost any chance of challenging for third place.

Both sides had two changes from their last outings as Justin Haber and Steve Pisani replaced Matthew Grech and Andre Scicluna for Floriana while Leonardo Incorvaia and Jean Paul Farrugia replaced John Mintoff and Ryan Spiteri for Sliema.

Floriana were reduced to ten men on the 21st minute when Ryan Camenzuli was sent off for a karate-style kick on Jean Paul Farrugia’s chest.

Sliema forged ahead two minutes from the end of the first half when Alex Muscat sent Frank Temile through on the right and off the latter’s cross, Mark Scerri tapped the ball home from close range.

Floriana were awarded a penalty on the 62nd minute after Peter Xuereb brought down Mario Fontanella down inside the area. Peter Xuereb was sent off while Fontanella’s effort from the penalty spot was partially saved by Sarao.

The Wanderers doubled the score on the 91st minute when Frank Temile served Denni and the latter rounded the goalkeeper before pulling to the right and crossed for Jean Paul Farrugia to nod the ball home.

A minute later, Sliema made it 3-0 when Frank Temile headed the ball home off a cross by substitute John Mintoff from the right.

SLIEMA Giuseppe Sarao, Alex Muscat, Jonathan Pearson (52’ Peter Xuereb), Denni (90+1’ John Mintoff), Mark Scerri (67’ Gabriel Aquilina), Matias Muchardi, Stefano Bianciardi, Riccardo Correa Duarte, Leonardo Incorvaia, Jean Paul Farrugia, Frank Temile.
Subs not used: Miguel Bonnici, Luca Martinelli, Ryan Spiteri, Luca Brincat.
Coach: John Buttigieg

FLORIANA Justin Haber, Enrico Pepe, Antonio Monticelli, Nicolas Chiesa (46’ Andre Scicluna), Enzo Ruiz, Steve Pisani, Ignacio Varela, Sebastian Nayar, Alex Cini, Mario Fontanella, Ryan Camenzuli.
Subs not used: Matthew Grech, Clyde Borg, Denilson Borg Castaldi, Jurgen Pisani, Jake Stenson, Jamie Delia.
Coach: Giovanni Tedesco

Referee: Matthew De Gabriele
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Thomas Debono
Fourth Official: Sandro Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Chiesa, Temile, Incorvaia, Pisani, Fontanella, Correa
Red Cards: Camenzuli, Xuereb
BOV Player of the Match: Mark Scerri
Attendance: 496