Mosta 3
Obiefule 10, 69 pen; Apap 13;
Floriana 1
Wasiu 82;
Only one point separated Mosta and Floriana ahead of their first-round skirmish.
With both clubs vying for a top-six berth, yesterday’s meeting represented an opportunity to strengthen their position in the upper part and underline their Championship Pool credentials.
Buoyed by three straight wins, Mosta maintained their momentum as they raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 13 minutes to take a massive step towards their fourth successive victory.
Floriana were themselves coming from a straightforward win over Rabat but Mosta’s bright start left the Greens with a mountain to climb.
The 3-1 outcome might give the impression that Mosta enjoyed a trouble-free afternoon but their win was not that easy as Floriana’s rally produced some glaring chances but two goal-line clearances and Sunday Wasiu’s wayward finish when the score was still 2-0 shattered the Greens’ hopes of forcing their way back into the match.
Mosta still deserved the win but their performance was another up-and-down affair as, after going 2-0 up, they became somewhat lethargic. They were let off the hook when Wasiu missed in front of a gaping goal before Obinna Obiefule got his second of the game and Mosta’s third from a penalty.
The Nigerian forward stole the attention after scoring a brace but his fellow forwards, Danail Mitev and Ousseni Zongo, were also influential as Mosta extended their winning streak to join Birkirkara on the 12-point mark.
Mosta were unchanged from the 4-2 victory over Qormi. D’Amato retained a three-pronged attack of Mitev, Obiefule and Zongo after the trio excelled for Mosta in their previous outing.
Brazilian youngster David Maia Dos Santos was named in Mosta’s squad for the first time this season.
With Aaron Brown and Clyde Borg ruled out by suspension, Alan Lewer, Floriana’s assistant coach, had to make at least two changes from the team that started the 3-0 defeat of Rabat Ajax.
Duncan Pisani and Valdo Alhinho deputised for Brown and Borg respectively while striker Ryan Darmanin was rewarded for his well-taken goal against Rabat with a berth in the first XI.
Thomas Paris had to make do with a place on the bench.
Lewer, still in charge of the Greens in the absence of first-team coach Mark Wright, opted for 4-4-2 with Sunday Wasiu and Darmanin leading the line.
Before kick-off, Manolito Micallef received a warm applause from the Floriana fans as the left-back was facing his former team for the first time since his summer move to Mosta.
The first chance of the game came Floriana’s way after four minutes. Aman Verma swung over an inviting cross from the right but Owen Bugeja headed wide.
It was Mosta who broke the deadlock in their first notable raid on Floriana’s rearguard.
The Greens knew they were up against it when Micallef’s superb through-ball found Obiefule in space. The Nigerian forward sped forward before rifling past Jonathan Debono.
Things got worse for Floriana as they fell 2-0 down on 13 minutes.
The sight of Mitev preparing to take a corner will have caused ap-prehension among the Floriana players as the Bulgarian is re-nowned for his shooting and crossing abilities. The Greens’ fears were realised as Mitev directed his delivery right into the six-yard box and Ferdinando Apap, Mosta’s towering defender, headed home.
Energised by their two-goal spurt, Mosta remained in ascendancy. Mitev produced another fine cross, this time from the right, but Zongo fired over.
At the other end, Darmanin leapt into the air to meet Trevor Cilia’s cross with an overhead kick but his well-struck effort was stopped by Justin Haber.
Verma’s corner bypassed a clutch of bodies as Floriana intensified their efforts in search of an equaliser.
The majority of Floriana’s attacking moves originated from the right flank, precisely from the feet of Verma and Cilia.
With 11 minutes of the first half remaining, Verma’s cross reached Carl Tremarco but his volley was too central to trouble Haber.
Floriana would have halved the deficit but for vital goal-line clearance by Luke Dimech who threw his body in the way of Cilia’s screamer with Haber beaten.
Mosta surrendered the initiative to the improving Floriana as the first half drew to a close. Haber did well to fist the ball away from the jumping Wasiu as the latter tried to connect with Darmanin’s cross.
Wasiu then unleashed a powerful drive that was pushed over the bar by Haber. Just before half-time, Mosta broke forward on the counter as Mitev left Kane Farrugia in his trail before squaring to Firas Abou-lezz whose first-timer brought an excellent save from Debono.
The Greens fashioned another good chance six minutes into the second half when Pisani set off on a strong run before pulling the ball for Tremarco whose shot from outside the box ended just wide.
Danger again loomed for Mosta when Dimech’s run from defence was stopped by Wasiu. The English striker sent Tremarco through but the latter hit wide.
Obiefule temporarily broke Floriana’s momentum with a long-range effort that finished wide.
On the hour, Jonathan Bajada came on for Ryan Grech who picked up an injury.
Floriana should have scored when Cilia, fastening on to a clearance from Pisani, ran at the back-tracking Mosta defenders and outpaced Bryan Agius before serving Wasiu who was completely unmarked. The English forward looked certain to score but incredibly skewed his shot.
Wasiu’s miss proved costly as, in their next noteworthy attack, Mosta were awarded a penalty after Debono was adjudged to have tripped the advancing Zongo near the edge of the box.
Referee Marco Borg cautioned the Mosta keeper and then brandished the red card to dismiss left-back Farrugia for swearing.
Obiefule despatched his shot past the diving Debono despite the latter getting a hand to the ball. This came on 69 minutes. Barely three minutes later, Mosta were also reduced to 10 men when Aboulezz was red carded (also for swearing).
Agius, the Mosta captain, prevented Floriana reducing the leeway with a goal-line clearance from Verma’s header following a corner by Cilia.
Eight minutes from time, Wasiu pulled one back for Floriana when he beat Haber with an angled shot from inside the box.
In the closing stages, Wasiu’s grounder was warded off by Haber.
Mosta
J. Haber-6.5, M. Micallef-6, B. Agius-6.5 (82 S. Bezzina), L. Dimech-6, F. Apap-6, C. Campagnoli-6, R. Grech-6 (60 J. Bajada-6), O. Zongo-7, F. Aboulezz, D. Mitev-7, O. Obiefule-7.5 (78 D. Maia Dos Santos).
Floriana
J. Debono-6, T. Farrugia-5, D. Pisani-6.5, O. Bugeja-6, K. Farrugia, C. Tremarco-6, V. Alhinho-5, A. Verma-6.5, T. Cilia-7, S. Wasiu-5.5, R. Darmanin-6.
Referee: Marco Borg.
Yellow cards: Tremarco; Debono; Bugeja. Red cards Farrugia (F) 68; Aboulezz (M) 71.
BOV player of the match: Danail Mitev (Mosta).
Attendance: 780.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Valletta | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 15 |
| Hibernians | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 7 | 15 |
| Birkirkara | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 12 |
| Mosta | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 12 |
| Sliema W. | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 10 |
| Floriana | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Tarxien | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| Qormi | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 6 |
| Ħamrun | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 6 |
| Balzan | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 4 |
| Rabat Ajax | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 1 |
| Melita | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 1 |