Floriana 1
Farrugia 20;
Valletta 1
G. Agius 35;
Emotions always run high in derby matches.
Valletta may be home and dry in so far as winning the championship is concerned but, having gone 26 matches unbeaten, the new kings of Maltese football went into their skirmish with Floriana knowing that a victory or a draw would edge them to within a game of achieving immortality.
The stakes were potentially higher for Floriana. Back in the top echelons of the table after several years in the doldrums, they started the day in second place but Bir-kirkara’s victory over Marsaxlokk in the curtain-raiser cranked up the pressure ahead of the derby.
The prospect of ruining their rivals’ quest to finish unbeaten ought to have reinforced Floriana’s resolve and that was abun-dantly clear during yesterday’s tight duel.
An excellent header from man-of-the-match Tyrone Farrugia lifted the spirits of the Floriana fans as their team quickly warmed to the task of putting the slow-starting Citizens under pressure but the latter would not be champions if they lacked resilience.
Despite not producing their best football, Valletta came through a difficult 10-minute spell to level matters through their unflappable captain Gilbert Agius.
Valletta teetered for the first 20 minutes of the second half but it was they who created the better chances in the final stages as Floriana tired out.
In the end, the 1-1 draw left both teams happy as Valletta stayed on course to complete their league campaign with a zero mark in their defeats column and Floriana went two points clear of the third-placed Birkirkara before their final-day encounter.
The availability of defenders Ramon and Ian Azzopardi, who both missed the Birkirkara game due to suspension, softened the blow caused by Steve Borg’s one-match ban.
Terrence Scerri’s reward for his goal in the 1-1 draw with the Stripes was a recall to the first team as Andrade, back after recovering from injury, was kept in reserve.
Perusing the Floriana team, one would have been immediately struck by the inclusion of English goalkeeper Matthew Towns at the expense of the erstwhile first-choice Lotfi Saidi who was among the substitutes.
With playmaker Christian Cassar deemed sufficiently fit to be among the substitutes, Floriana coach Michael Woods restored Pablo Doffo to his usual position in central midfield. Thomas Paris was also back in the thick of things as he received Woods’s nod to replace the unavailable Clyde Borg.
High in spirits after their team wrapped up the title two weeks ago, the numerous Valletta fans transformed their side of the enclosure into a sea of red and white while those of Floriana unfurled a giant team shirt at the Millennium Stand.
A through-pass by Paris caught the City defence on the wrong foot as the ball rolled into the path of the unmarked Dragomir Draganov. The latter sped into the box but his cut-back for Daniel Nwoke was cleared away by Ramon.
The early exchanges were brisk. Ryan Fenech’s free-kick whizzed across the face of goal and just past Denni at the far post.
After a lull in creative football, Floriana stirred around the 20th minute mark.
Draganov had a diagonal shot deflected wide. From the ensuing corner, Cassar’s measured cross soared towards the box where Farrugia leapt above friend and foe to direct a powerful header past Andrew Hogg.
Cue scenes of delirious joy among the Floriana fans who were joined by those of Birkirkara.
Energised by their goal, the Greens took the game to Valletta.
Azzopardi rescued the champions from a potentially damaging situation when heading Cassar’s cross away for a corner after the latter had been set up by Woods.
At the other end, Towns did well to dive at the feet of Denni after the Brazilian had pounced on Bugeja’s short pass.
The muted atmosphere among the City supporters summed up their disappointment at their team’s deficit in this much-awaited derby.
Things could have got worse for Valletta when Cassar raced clear after Valletta had been caught cold at the back but Hogg dashed out of goal to nudge the ball away from the Floriana midfielder. The loose ball squirmed into the path of Draganov whose long-range chip ended high.
From the grim prospect of falling two goals behind, Valletta levelled matters 10 minutes from half-time.
Roderick Briffa was the provider with a cross from the right and captain Agius planted a downward header past Towns.
The relieved City fans raised the roof of the stadium as Agius, who on Friday inked a one-year contract extension with the champions, kissed the badge on his shirt as he celebrated his goal.
Sensing Valletta’s early toils to combine possession with swift incursions from the wings as well and to boss the midfield, Zerafa swapped the positions of Gilbert and Edmond Agius. His move reaped instant rewards as the former, buoyed by his well-taken goal, was causing all sorts of problems to the Floriana defence down the right wing.
As if to show that Valletta’s equaliser had not undermined their attacking confidence, Floriana had the ball in the City box as early as the second minute of the second half but Woods’s half-volley ended wide.
Ramon was then cautioned for hauling the advancing Nwoke whose non-stop movement kept the Valletta defenders on their toes.
Moments later, Ramon’s overhit backpass travelled dangerously towards the far post but the backtracking Hogg reached the ball in time.
Jamie Pace tested waters with a long-range piledriver but Towns saved with relative ease.
As Valletta struggled to hit their stride, Floriana gained in confidence, causing problems to their rivals almost every time they broke forward. On one occasion, a deflection on Woods’s diagonal shot almost set up Nwoke but Hogg was alert. Shortly afterwards, the Valletta goalkeeper blocked a grounder by Floriana’s Nigerian forward.
Coach Woods introduced Caruana for Draganov and Zerafa brought on Kevin Sammut for Gilbert Agius who departed to chants of ‘C’é solo un capitano (there’s only one captain).
Sammut’s first contribution was to thread a pass to Denni but the Brazilian rifled wide from inside the box. The Malta midfielder gave Valletta fresh impetus but still the champions remained somewhat disjointed.
With 13 minutes remaining, Sammut came close to putting Valletta ahead when, after a well-worked set-piece, Briffa’s low cross reached the former Marsaxlokk player who was dispossessed when in the act of shooting.
The Citizens should have snatched the lead when Briffa’s cross from the right was met by Denni but the latter’s header lacked precision.
Two minutes from the end, Andrade, who had replaced Scerri, mustered a looping volley from an acute angle but his effort was high and wide.
In stoppage time, Valletta protested for a penalty when the sprinting Andrade went down after being challenged by Bugeja but referee Chris Lautier, who had a good showing, waved play on.
Floriana
M. Towns-6, D. Pisani-6.5, T. Farrugia-7.5, P. Doffo-6, T. Paris-6.5 (80 J. Borg), C. Cassar-7, M. Micallef-6, D. Draganov-6 (66 C. Caruana-6), I. Woods-6, D. Nwoke-6.5, O. Bugeja-6.5.
Valletta
A. Hogg-6.5, J. Caruana-7.5, Ramon-7, E. Agius-6, I. Azzopardi-6.5, R. Briffa-6.5, J. Pace-6, T. Scerri-5.5 (78 Andrade), Denni-6, R. Fenech-5 (78 I. Zammit), G. Agius-7.5 (68 K. Sammut-7).
Referee: Chris Lautier.
Yellow cards: Bugeja; Ramon; Andrade.
BOV player of the match: Tyrone Farrugia (Floriana).
Attendance: 3,383.