Sliema Wanderers 1 Floriana 1

In a drab encounter, Floriana and Sliema cancelled out each other in 1-1 draw.

Both Floriana and Sliema could find reasons to feel cheerful, Floriana for the way they performed, Sliema for the way they reacted.

The result may ultimately matter little, with both sides displaying enough to suggest they could well this season.

In the 33rd minute, Henry Bonello made a difficult save to push Alhinho Valdo's free-kick over the bar.

Almost soon after Valdo gave Floriana the lead. Christian Caruana's run and perfectly weighted cross from the left found the Brazilian unmarked in the box and he headed past Bonello.

The Wanderers had already created little chances in the opening exchanges but their reaction was swift. Alex Muscat adjusted the ball on the right flank before he unleashed a powerful ball which goalkeeper Jurgen Borg did well to block his effort. From the ensuing corner, the former Floriana player-coach Ivan Woods met an inswinging cross from Pablo Gonzalez and powerfully headed past Jurgen Borg into the roof of the net.

This had become an enthralling, open, almost wild game. In fact, Woods rattled the bar with a vicious free-kick, two minutes from the break.

Involved in most of Floriana's best moments, Christian Caruana set up Ryan Darmanin with a clever, nimble turn set up but the latter' shot rolled out of the far post after 55 minutes. Two minutes later, Darmanin combined with Valdo but the Brazilian's final shot was ultimately easy for Bonello.

In the 74th minute, Gonzalez had Sliema's clearest opportunity in the second half. Muscat, having robbed substitute Trevor Cilia, he then slowed up and allowed Thomas Paris to catch him, before he shot straight at Borg's hands. The ball fell on the path of Valdo who erroneously served the Argentine midfielder who shot well off the target.

Floriana, too had their chances later on. The best of them fell toValdo when Bonello pushed away a last-gasp free-kick to deny them.