Balanced encounter ends all square

Floriana 1
Wasiu 36
Tarxien Rainbows 1
Calabretta 55

Floriana and Tarxien Rainbows shared the spoils in a hard-fought encounter yesterday.

The Greens, still reeling from the 6-0 hiding at the hands of rivals Valletta, went ahead through Sunday Wasiu late in the first half. But the Rainbows hit back with series of attacks that finally bore fruit early in the second half when Gianluca Calabretta netted a deserved equaliser.

Floriana coach Roddy Collins could not field his strongest team as Sunday Eboh and Christian Cassar are out for the season with cruciate injuries. On the plus side, Joseph Borg, Luke Agius and Bernard Paris recovered from knocks.

Tarxien coach Noel Coleiro welcomed back Brazilian forward Anderson Mendes Ribeiro but goalkeeper Anthony Curmi and Ryan Grech were unfit to play.

The Rainbows took the game to Floriana early on. After four minutes defender Everton Antonio Pereira unleashed a powerful drive from 30 metres out but Paris saved.

On 17 minutes, Mark Tanti crossed towards Calabretta but the latter fired just over.

The match was balanced in these opening stages with both teams struggling to create scoring chances.

It was Tarxien who went closest on the half hour when Denni Rocha Dos Santos's curling shot from a free-kick flew just over.

The stalemate was broken on 36 minutes and it was Floriana who struck in somewhat controversial circumstances. Tarxien apparently kicked the ball out of play so that Dos Santos, who lay on the pitch after suffering an injury, could receive medical assistance. But the Greens opted to restart play immediately and Joseph Borg slid the ball towards Wasiu who drove past David Cassar.

Stung by this setback, the Rainbows ventured forward. In first-half stoppage time, Ribeiro's long-range shot flashed just wide.

Tarxien's Coleiro looked to increase his team's firepower when he brought on Warren Chircop for Tanti six minutes into the second half. Four minutes later, the Rainbows made it 1-1. Manuel Caruana chipped the ball towards Calabretta who dashed into the area before firing a low drive past Paris.

Donovan Simmonds came close to restoring Floriana's advantage on 65 minutes when he connected to Clifton Ciantar's free-kick but his header finished wide.

Tarxien started to pile the pressure on Collins's men and on 76 minutes, Paris fisted away Dos Santos's cross-shot. The ball fell to David Camilleri whose grounder was diverted for a corner by Julian Briffa.

The woodwork then denied the Rainbows when Ribeiro's screamer was deflected onto the bar by Paris.

Four minutes from time, Wasiu almost won the spoils for Floriana. The English forward was first to Agius's cross but his shot on the turn was well blocked by Cassar.

Floriana
B. Paris-6, D. Pisani-6.5, J. Briffa-5.5, O. Anonam-6, C. Ciantar-6, P. Doffo-6.5, J. Borg-5.5 ('60 C. Caruana-5), R. Brincat-5, D. Simmonds-5 ('67 L. Agius-5), S. Wasiu-6.5, J. Brincat-5.5 ('73 O. Bugeja).

Tarxien
D. Cassar-6, S. Sadowski-6, M. Caruana-6.5, D. Camilleri-6.5, E. Pereira-6.5, A. Ribeiro-5 ('86 K. Magro), M. Tanti-6 ('51 W. Chircop-5.5), A. Decesare-5, G. Calabretta-6.5 ('79 L. Vella Critien), D. Dos Santos-5, R. Mintoff-5.5.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Yellow cards: Doffo; Brincat; Paris; Chircop; Caruana; Magro; Wasiu.

BoV player of the match: Gianluca Calabretta (Tarxien).