Italian striker Mario Fontanella grabbed a brace as Floriana beat Birkirkara 2-1 and surpassed both Birkirkara and Valletta to clinch third place in the BOV Premier League.

Meanwhile, this was another setback for the Stripes in their course for a European place having conceded their seventh defeat of the season.

The Greens started on the front immediately and after three minutes, they broke the deadlock when former Birkirkara player Ryan Camenzuli delivered a low-drive into the box on which an unmarked Fontanella capitalized.

Birkirkara promptly responded when Christian Bubalovic directed his towering header towards the net but Justin Haber was equal to the task and cleared the danger.

Midway in the second half, Giovanni Tedesco’s side doubled their lead.

Fontanella received a through ball from Steve Pisani, dribbled past a defender and the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the net.

The Stripes could have reduced the score through Miguel Angel Alba, Cain Attard and Gareth Sciberras but all of them failed to place the ball past Justin Haber, as Birkirkara continued to seek a lifeline in this game.

Nonetheless, Birkirkara managed to find a consolation goal in injury time when Vito Plut drilled the ball from close range past Haber.

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