ZEBBUG RANGERS-1, FLORIANA-4
Floriana gained their first win in three matches after easing past bottom side Zebbug Rangers 4-1.
The Greens deserved the three points as they were the more creative side with their three forwards Matteo Piciollo, Vito Plut and Amadou Samb all getting on the scoresheet but the latter marred his performance with a late red card.
With this win, Floriana have now moved up to the table on 21 points.
Floriana took less than four minutes to open the scoring.
Amadou Samb exchanged passes with Vito Plut as the Senegalese striker ran into the box before lifting his shot past Fabricio Rapchan Morales.
Samb got his second six minutes later, this time using his head to send the ball into the bottom corner after meeting Steve Pisani's free-kick cross from the right.
Zebbug Rangers struggled to get going as Floriana dictated the tempo of the game.
Plut came close to scoring Floiana's third when he left Lee Galea in his wake but his effort hit the near post.
Samb then sped past a host of Rangers defenders before squaring to Matteo Piciollo whose curling effort from inside the box was pushed away by Morales.
The game was 25 minutes old when Zebbug created their first chance. Carlo Monti's free-kick from the right was met by Yessous Camilleri but his header was blocked by Tyrone Gauci, the Floriana goalkeeper.
The Rangers tried to make a reaction.
Mattias Muchardi served Mauricio Britto from a free-kick but the Brazilian's shot was blocked by Steve Bonnici.
Late in the first half, Floriana keeper Gauci blocked a half-volley from Matthew Gauci.
Floriana should have sealed the issue in the first minute of the second half when Piciollo burst clear on the left before squaring the ball to the sprinting Conor Borg but the young midfielder blasted over with only Morales to beat.
The Rangers had a chance of their own when Monti's cross dropped to Bartolo near the six-yard box but the winger failed to control the ball.
A quick Zebbug counter-attack unsettled Floriana as the dynamic Muchardi powered clear on the left before picking out the unmarked Bojan Mamic who was dispossessed by the back-tracking Samb as he was about to shoot.
With 20 minutes remaining, Zebbug pulled one back. Britto, now leading the line after Mamic had been taken off, dallied his way into the box from the right before producing an angled strike that had the better of Gauci.
The Rangers' confidence grew but Floriana hit back with a vengeance, scoring two goals in three minutes to secure he points.
With 13 minutes left, Piciollo produced a smart feint to run past Jacob Borg before serving Plut who stabbed the ball home at the near post.
Three minutes later Plut and Piciollo combined again as they swapped passed to open up the Rangers defence before the Italian fired home.
Two minutes from time, tempers rose following a confrontation between Britto and Samb. Azzopardi cautioned Britto and Samb who was sent off as he had already been booked.
Piciollo was named BOV player of the match.