St Andrew’s 0
Floriana 5
Villa 31, 58; Uzeh 53og; Picciolo 56; Fontanella 82 pen;
Floriana cruised to a comfortable victory yesterday after trouncing bottom-placed St Andrews to keep the pace with the league front-runners.
Five goals were more than enough to dispose of a poor Saints’ side that never looked like troubling the more seasoned campaigners. St Andrew’s have now lost all their 16 matches in the league so far.
Floriana knew that they were in the driving seat as they notched their second goal eight minutes after the interval. The other three goals were simply academic and added gloss to an accomplished task.
The Greens were able to recall keeper Matthew Calleja Cremona after three weeks out following a facial injury. Yesterday, he donned a rugby-style headguard.
The returning Emanuel Briffa replaced Antonio Monticelli.
Kris Calleja was sidelined with injury and, with Michael Johnson also suspended for St Andrews, Floriana’s furious opening salvo was predictable.
They broke the deadlock past the half hour. Matteo Piciollo initiated a menacing run in the middle channel, serving the surging Mario Fontanella who in turn squared the ball for Mauricio Villa to tap the ball home.
Six minutes later, Floriana nearly doubled their advantage. Piciollo tested Dorian Bugeja with a low shot but the goalkeeper did well to parry.
Floriana had the match firmly under their grasp by the 58th minute when they added three other goals in quick succession.
First, Christopher Edafe Uzeh tried to clear Steve Pisani’s cross but instead diverted the ball behind his own goalkeeper for an unfortunate own goal.
Floriana then increased their already cushion lead when the lively Piciollo went dashing inside the box to beat Bugeja with a rising shot.
Converter turned provider on 58 minutes, Piciollo fed the overlapping Fontanella who pulled it back for Villa to complete formalities from the centre of the penalty area.
Late on, Fontanella again unsettled the Saints defence with another mazy run but he was hauled down to the ground by the St Andrew’s goalkeeper.
Fontanella picked himself up to plant the penalty past a dispirited Bugeja.
St Andrew’s
D. Bugeja-4, N. Ghio-4, E. Nkene-4 (84 M. Sehitaj), C. Uzeh-4, W. Moodley-4, D. Camilleri-5.5, M. Guillaumier-5, M. Grima-4 (67 R. Sammut-4), J. Farrugia-5, K. Nwoko-5, J. Walker-4 (35 J. Williams-4.5).
Floriana
M. Calleja Cremona-6, E. Pepe-6, S. Pisani-6 (59 J. Cabral-5.5), M. Villa-7 (68 A. Scicluna-5), C. Borg-6.5, A. Scozzese-5.5, M. Piciollo-7.5, S. Bonnici-6, E. Briffa-6, N. Chiesa-6 (63 F. Aboulezz-5), M. Fontanella-7.
Referee: Esther Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Fontanella, Bugeja, Guillaumier.
BOV player of the match: Matteo Piciollo (Floriana).