Pietà Hotspurs 1
Xavier 32;
Floriana 3
Piciollo 50, 58; Samb 67;
Football is a team game but this contest was defined by a one-man show.
Surprisingly left on the bench by Floriana coach Giovanni Tedesco, Matteo Piciollo turned the game on its head after entering the fray at the start of the second half.
With Floriana 1-0 down and lacking ideas for most of the opening period, Piciollo inspired an amazing revival as the Italian forward struck two goals in the space of eight minutes to turn the tables on Pietà Hotspurs.
The Hotspurs had been the more cohesive side in the opening half but they unravelled as Floriana, inspired by Piciollo, upped the ante after the change of ends.
Tedesco handed Senegalese forward Amadou Samb his debut.
It was 4-1-3-2 from the Italian coach with Samb and Slovenian striker Vito Plut forming a two-pronged attack.
Brazilian defender Rafael Xavier Zacarias, back from a two-match suspension, started up front with Gabriel tucked in behind him as Pietà coach Noel Coleiro deployed his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
The game was off to an uneventful start.
The Hotspurs were awarded a free-kick from an inviting position but Claudio Daniel Frances elected to shoot rather than cross, his powerful effort too central to trouble Valerio Senatore in goal.
Moments later, the Italian goalkeeper blocked a low shot from Xavier.
Despite enjoying more possession, Floriana failed to create a clear scoring opportunity in the opening 23 minutes. Their forwards were starved of any decent service as the Greens lacked width.
It was the Pietà who came close to scoring when a swift interchange between Xavier and Kyle Cesare opened up the Floriana defence. Xavier darted into the box before flicking the ball to Jurgen Pisani whose attempt was repelled by Senatore.
The Hotspurs had the ball in the net when Xavier rifled past Senatore from point blank but the Brazilian had strayed offside.
There was to be no reprieve for Floriana on 32 minutes when Xavier, again profiting from the glaring gaps in the Greens’ defence, advanced from the middle and curled his shot past Senatore to give his team the lead.
It was not before the 38th minute that Floriana fashioned a shot at goal but Plut’s grounder was stopped by David Cassar.
Tedesco made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Piciollo and Emanuel Briffa for Marcelina and Joseph Borg res-pectively, and adjusted to 4-3-3.
The move paid instant dividends for Tedesco as, within five minutes of his introduction, Piciollo equalised for Floriana with a delightful shot from just outside the area after receiving from Briffa.
Reinvigorated by Tedesco’s tactical change and Piciollo’s sharp movement, Floriana should have taken the lead when Douglas Felipe’s corner dropped to Steve Bonnici inside the box but the defender’s effort rolled against the base of the post.
The Greens did not have to wait long to get their second as, 13 minutes into the second half, Briffa released Samb who powered into the box. His shot was kept out by Cassar but Piciollo was on the right spot to flick the loose ball home.
The Italian nearly completed his hat-trick but his first-timer, from Plut’s pass, was inches wide.
Then, midway into the second half, Floriana went 3-1 up as Samb headed home from Clyde Borg’s corner.
Three goals in 17 minutes jolted Pietà’s composure. They had to wait until 19 minutes from the end of regulation time to produce a scoring chance as Xavier set up substitute Luke Micallef but his angled drive came off the side-netting. Frances did likewise from a free-kick.
The Hotspurs produced a late reaction. Micallef went close again on the stroke of time but his drive was deflected away for a corner.
Pietà Hotspurs
D. Cassar-5, C. Attard-5.5, C. Grech-5, L. Fortunato-6 (55 O. Anonam-5), J. Pisani-5.5, R. Rodrigues-5, R. Xavier-6.5, K. Cesare-5 (63 L. Micallef-5.5), T. Agius-5, C.D. Frances-6, Gabriel-6 (80 D. Agius).
Floriana
V. Senatore-6, A. Scicluna-6, F.D. Moreira-6.5, E. Marcelina-5 (46 M. Piciollo-8.5), C. Borg-6.5, V. Plut-6.5, J. Borg-4 (46 E. Briffa-6.5), A. Samb-6.5 (70 S. Pisani-6), B. Farrugia-5.5, S. Borg-6, S. Bonnici-6.
Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Yellow cards: Bonnici, Samb, Farrugia, Frances.
BOV player of the match: Matteo Piciollo (Floriana).