Jose Perreira (left) tightly marked by Brooke Farrugia.Floriana 1
Piciollo 31;
Tarxien Rainbows 1
Darlington 51;
This game can be described as a tale of two halves. In fact, while Floriana were the more enterprising side at first, Tarxien rose to the challenge after the break.
Gaining strength from Matteo Piciollo’s opener, Giovanni Te-desco’s Greens produced the better football and the more open scoring chances against a lacklustre Tarxien side in the opening half.
The omens looked good for Floriana on the evidence of their commendable first-half display but the second half was a different story as Tarxien turned up the heat on the Greens and drew level through Obinna Darlington besides seizing the initiative to pose more danger to their opponents.
Floriana’s starting XI showed two changes from the win over Mosta in their previous match.
Goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona, who was making his debut following his move in midweek from Pembroke Athleta, started ahead of Tyrone Gauci while Brooke Farrugia replaced Conor Borg, injured.
Clive Mizzi’s resources in Tarxien’s midfield were hampered by the suspension handed to Triston Caruana, Carlos Hevia and Mat-thew Tabone, the match-winner in the previous match against Qormi, as Firas Aboulezz was out injured.
Newcomer Jorge Yepes, Kane Farrugia and Jose Pereira filled their void as Tabone had started the last game on the bench.
With the forceful wind blowing behind their backs, Floriana ran the show in the opening half as Tedesco deployed Marcelina in front of the Greens’ four-man defence with Vito Plut and Piciollo leading the forward line in a 4-1-3-2 module.
Hardly eight minutes from the start had elapsed when Steve Pisani had a chance to put Floriana ahead but the shot from the edge of the Tarxien box flew just wide.
Floriana then came agonisingly close to taking the lead when Marcelina rose to meet Pisani’s inviting ball from a corner but his downward header was cleared off the line by Alex Cini.
But having failed to heed that warning, Tarxien fell behind past the half hour mark.
The modus operandi was the same as Pisani’s inswinger soared towards the far side of the Rainbows’ box and Piciollo scored with a glancing header.
Tarxien’s first-half display did not merit a goal, but they found the net soon after the break when Yepes’s cross from the right fell into the path of Darlington who hit a crisp first-time volley that flashed into the top corner.
Tarxien went for broke.
Yepes almost put Mizzi’s team in front on 66 minutes but fired over the bar from a good position.
Six minutes later, Tarxien were thwarted by Calleja Cremona who repelled an effort at goal by Darlington.
After that promising first half, Floriana faded badly with their midfield trio of Emanuel Briffa, Pisani and Clyde Borg showing little understanding between them.
Yet, seven minutes from time, the Greens could have won it but Piciollo headed over from Pisani’s set-piece.
Floriana
M. Calleja Cremona-6, F. Douglas-5.5, Marcelina-5.5 (59 S. Borg), S. Pisani-7, C. Borg-6, V. Pluto-6, M. Piciollo-6.5, E. Briffa-5.5, B. Farrugia-6 (68 G. Galea-5), G. Muir-6, S. Bonnici-6.
Tarxien Rainbows
J. Debono-6, K. Farrugia-6 (74 S. Sadowski), M. Caruana-6, J. Yepes-7 (90 L. Zahra), E. Vallecillo-6, R. Sammut-5.5, J. Pereira-5.5, I. Grech-5.5, A. Cini-6, O. Darlington-6.5 (90 M. Schembri), M. Acevedo-6.
Referee: Mario Apap.
Yellow cards: Grech, Sammut, Yepes, Pisani, S. Borg.
BOV player of the match: Matteo Piciollo (Floriana).