Airborne... Jorge leaps as he tries to connect with the ball during a Tarxien attack. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Tarxien Rainbows 1
Jorge 39;
Floriana 1
Samb 29;

Tarxien and Floriana did little to improve their position in the standings after figuring in a drab encounter that finished one-all.

That was perhaps a fair outcome to a match in which neither side managed to hold an edge with very few scoring chances to take note of.

Floriana looked livelier early on and deservedly took the lead through Amadou Samb but the Rainbows fought back to restore parity following a Jorge Santos Silva strike.

Jorge’s goal could have sparked the match to life but that never happened even though, in the closing minutes, both Floriana and Tarxien Rainbows missed a clear scoring opportunity.

Tarxien coach Clive Mizzi was boosted by the return from suspension of four first-team players as defender Owen Bugeja, midfielders Carlos Hevia and Matthew Tabone and forward Wesley were restored to the starting formation.

Goalkeeper Sean Mintoff made his first start of the season as he replaced the suspended Sean Cini.

Floriana had to do without Italian forward Matteo Piciollo who was serving a one-match ban.

Felipe Aguiar was relegated to the bench with Emerson Marcelina starting the match as Emanuel Briffa was preferred to Conor Borg.

The match was devoid of any entertaining fare in the opening stages.

Then, it was the Greens who created the first chance when Steve Pisani’s delivery from a free-kick was met by Samb whose downward header finished against the side-netting.

Tarxien produced an even better opportunity on 25 minutes when Wesley released Alvaro who, with only Valerio Senatore to beat, fired straight at the goalkeeper.

The Rainbows were made to pay for this miss as Floriana struck soon after.

Pisani’s long ball reached Samb who outmuscled Kane Farrugia before sending his shot past Mintoff.

Tarxien took 10 minutes to level matters thanks to Jorge.

He pounced on a short clearance by the Floriana defence and unleashed a scorcher that flew into the top corner of the net.

The Rainbows continued where they left off in the first half after the break. Wesley dashed into the box but his effort was blocked by the alert Senatore.

Floriana were almost gifted a second goal on 64 minutes when, from a Pisani corner, Tarxien defender Alessandro Lopes Pereira miscued his header but luckily for him the ball hit the bar.

On 68 minutes, the Greens lost Marcelina to injury but they threatened again through Clyde Borg’s grounder that forced Mintoff into a diving save.

The pace slowed significantly as both teams seemed happy with the draw but in stoppage time the stalemate could have been broken on two occasions.

Jorge’s fierce drive was neutralised by Senatore and then, Floriana striker Vito Plut was denied by Lopes Pereira who cleared off the line with Mintoff caught out of position.

Tarxien Rainbows
S. Mintoff-6, K. Farrugia-5.5 (63 R. Sammut-5.5), M. Caruana-6, O. Bugeja-6.5, Alvaro-5, Wesley-6.5, C. Hevia-6, A. Cini-5, M. Tabone-5.5 (69 T. Caruana-5), A. Lopes Pereira-6.5, Jorge-7.

Floriana
V. Senatore-6.5, A. Scicluna-6, D. Cobo-6, E. Marcelina-6 (68 I. Galea-5), S. Pisani-7.5 (89 G. Galea), C. Borg-6.5, V. Plut-4, N. Spiteri-5, E. Briffa-5, A. Samb-6, B. Farrugia-6.5.

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Yellow cards: Scicluna; B. Farrugia; Wesley; Samb; Lopes Pereira.

BOV player of the match: Steve Pisani (Floriana).

Standings