MOSTA 0 FLORIANA 1

Floriana kept up the pace with the Premier League front runners after they ground out a hard-fought win over a stubborn Mosta side to stay two points behind temporarily leader Valletta.

Judging by the run of play and goalscoring chances, Floriana should have triumphed over their rivals with a biggest margin, especially on the back of a thrilling first-half display but Mosta survived everything that their opponents threw at them thanks mainly to the heroics of goalkeeper Omar Borg, until the 67th minute when Antonio Monticelli set up by an intelligent pass of Steve Pisani.

Photo: Mark Zammit CordinaPhoto: Mark Zammit Cordina

Spurred on by the running of their front trio of Nicloas Chiesa, Mario Fontanella and Matteo Piciollo, Floriana outclassed Mosta but their failure to open the score left the game finely-poised.

Former Nigerian International Tico made his debut for Mosta, while Edile Micheletti and Ryan Grech came in for suspended Hakan Yau and the injured Rodrigues Ekani.

Steve Pisani has been cleared to play after his one-match ban was overturned when it turned out that the foul for which he earned a yellow card against Birkirkara had been committed by Steve Bonnici. Luis Oliveira made one change from the 0-0 draw against the Stripes with Mauricio Villa making way for the returning Clyde Borg.

The Floriana supporters hoisted a number of French flags in a show of solidarity after Islamic States militants struck Paris.

Scoring chances proved elusive in the initial 20 minutes during which Floriana enjoyed territorial supremacy but could not breach the resistance of a well-drilled Mosta defence. Past the quarter of an hour mark, Matteo Picciollo made a ghosting run into the Mosta box but his cross-shot found no takers. Moments later, Micheletti almost committed an own goal in a bid to clear a dangerous corner by Chiesa.

The frequency of Floriana’s attacking moves picked up as the first half wore on, Borg standing to his ground to parry a number of shots by Fontanella. Just before half-time, a header by Fontanella almost caught Borg on the wrong foot but the goalkeeper managed to smother the ball away.

In the 55 minutes, Floriana cursed their luck, or rather the lack of it when Chiesa smacked a thunderous shot which Borg parried away with the aid of the crossbar.

The Blues’ relief was palpable but, in next to no time, they found themselves behind. Pisani’ s intelligent short freekick found Monticelli unmarked in the box and the Italian midfielder lobbed the ball over Borg to evade the goalkeeper’s approaches.

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