Floriana ease past Mosta but Spartans stay just behind
Floriana scored three first-half goals to secure a comfortable victory over Mosta and maintain a two-point lead over Ħamrun Spartans, who beat Gżira United in the late kick-off.
The league leaders now move to 57 points after clinching their 18th win of the season.
For Mauro Camoranesi’s side, this was their fourth straight win with a clean sheet as they continue to boast the league’s best defensive record with just 10 goals conceded.
On the other hand, Mosta remain in the red zone, in 11th, with 24 points as they trail Sta Lucia by two points with three matches left.
Floriana almost opened the score inside the third minute when Kemar Reid teed up Matheus Sousa but the former Balzan player squandered the chance from close-range.
Moments later, Mosta missed two open chances when Zachary Brincat failed to beat Georgi Kitanov with his header before Kevin Tulimieri missed the target.
On the 20th minute, Floriana were given a penalty when Akpan tripped Matheus with referee Glen Tonna immediately gesturing towards the spot.
Forward Willis Furtado made no mistake to put the Greens ahead.
Goalkeeper Akpan denied Maksim Volodjko after the Belarus player fired a fierce strike towards goal.
Volodjko, on his 23rd appearance for the Greens, earned a second penalty for the league leaders when he was floored by Armen Hovhannisyan.
Furtado, once again, converted from the spot to make it 10 goals since his arrival during the January transfer window.
Floriana extended their lead when Akpan denied Oualid ElHasni but youngster Owen Spiteri was quick to send the rebound into goal, his third of the season.
After the change of ends, Mosta tried to turn the tides of the game to their favour with three changes.
Furtado 22 pen., 37 pen. Spiteri 43; Rovas 90
FLORIANA
G. Kitanov; O. El Hasni, K. Reid, M. Sousa (61 J. Grech), D. Vella, O. Spiteri (76 C. Rovas), M. Garcia (61 L. De Grazia), C. Lonardelli, M. Valadzko, A. Kouro, W. Furtado (76 M. Veselji). MOSTA
D. Akpan; G. Chara, E. Aneni (24 T. Shedrack), T. Precious, A. Hovhannisyan (78 B. Farrugia), W. Britto, N. Agius, J. Scerri, J. Vassallo (46 S. Cachia), Z. Brincat (46 C. Nnaji), K. Tulimieri (46 H. Nwoga).
Referee: Glen Tonna.
Yellow cards: Chara, Precious.
Red card: Bradley Farrugia.
However, although they did enjoy a bright start to the second half, they could not muster any chances to threaten Floriana.
The Greens, on their part, deployed last week’s scorer against Valletta Jake Grech to bolster their attack past the hour mark.
Late in the game, substitute Mattia Veselji could have easily scored Floriana’s fourth just to sail his effort over the bar from inside the small area.
Floriana wrapped up the win in stoppage time when Christos Rovas beat Akpan from pointblank range.
Making matters worse for Mosta was Bradley Farrugia’s red card on his debut after a dangerous tackle on Floriana’s captain El-Hasni.
Ten-man Ħamrun Spartans survived a nervy final 30 minutes to edge past Gżira United.
Roko Prsa scored the all-important winner, albeit in a controversial manner after an apparent Seth Paintsil’s handball just before the goal, as the Spartans are now on 55 points.
The Spartans had to suffer Gżira’s constant pressing in the second part of the game, with Ħamrun also playing with ten players after captain Emerson Marcelina was sent off for a second bookable offence.
The Maroons remain eighth on 29 points, five points above the red zone.
Gżira United threatened first when Lucas Macula’s effort was blocked by Federico Marchetti before the Ħamrun’s backline cleared the danger away.
At the other end, league’s top scorer Luke Montebello almost added another goal to his tally with a brilliant curling effort just to be denied by the crossbar.
The Malta forward produced another effort towards goal, this time a low-drive that glanced past Darijan Zarkov’s goal.
On the other hand, Gżira replied with two dangerous efforts.
First, Gabriel Bohrer struck the woodwork with a delightful shot from outside the area before Brooklyn Borg almost beat Marchetti with another longrange shot.
Nonetheless, it was Ħamrun who drew first blood just before half-time when Prsa headed home from inside the small area.
In the second half, the Spartans created the first best chance when Jonny fired wide past Zarkov’s goal.
Zauri’s team was dominating for large spells of the game but for all their possession, they rarely forced Zarkov into serious action.
Twenty minutes from time, Ħamrun Spartans were dealt a blow when Marcelina was given his marching orders after a second
Prsa 45
GŻIRA UNITED
D. Zarkov; C. Chaba (61 L. Riascos), G. Bohrer, A. Borg (80 D. Boadu), Thaylor, Z. Scerri, M. Dias (85 K. Spence), L. Macula, F. Zuniga, Z. Cassar, B. Borg. ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
F. Marchetti; L. Montebello (85 E. Bruno), R. Prsa, Elionay, O. Bjelicic, J, Corbalan, S. Paintsil (71 S. Borg), C. Rutjens, E. Marcelina, R. Camenzuli, Jonny.
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Yellow cards: Marcelina, Camenzuli, Zarkov, Prsa, Macula.
Red card: Marcelina (Ħ) 69.
yellow card for a foul on Brooklyn Borg.
Immediately, coach Zauri reacted by deploying experienced defender Steve Borg to fill the central defender role left empty by the Brazilian.
Despite their late rally, Gżira could not find a leveller as the Spartans kept them at bay to claim three crucial points.