FLORIANA-4, ĦAMRUN SPARTANS-2
Floriana came back from a goal down to beat Ħamrun Spartans 4-2 in a pulsating match at the Hibs Stadium.
With the two teams setting out to attack, the game offered non-stop excitement but it was Floriana who had the final word as second-half goals by Nigerian debutant Onome Sodje and Swedish winger Andre Grabowski gave them their ninth victory and reduced their gap on the second-placed Hibs to four points.
Floriana and Ħamrun stormed into each other from the outset. The early stages were balanced with the Spartans going close after 11 minutes when captain Rupert Mangion passed to Dene Shields whose low effort was saved by Manuel Bartolo, the Floriana goalkeeper.
The Greens protested vociferously when the advancing Sodje appeared to have been obstructed by Nikica Gacesa but referee Marco Borg allowed play to continue.
At the other end, Ħamrun protested for a penalty for an alleged handball by Owen Bugeja but the match officials saw nothing wrong.
The Spartans took the lead after 25 minutes. A good interchange between Anderson Ribeiro and Shields opened up the Floriana defence as the latter passed to Gianluca Calabretta who cut in from the left and chipped the ball into the far corner of the net.
Floriana were back on level terms after only two minutes, Micallef tapping home after Clyde Borg had flicked Pablo Doffo's free-kick towards the far post.
The Greens would have opened the scoring but for a good save by young Spartans goalkeeper Andrea Cassar from Sodje's drive. Picking up the loose ball, Caruana crossed for Grabowski but the latter hit over.
The non-stop action showed no signs of receding. Floriana should have forged ahead when Micallef ran towards the byline down the left and put in a cross for Andre Grabowski who blasted over.
Five minutes from half-time, Floriana went 2-1 ahead. Doffo sent in an inviting cross from a central free-kick and Christian Caruana beat Cassar with an excellent half-volley.
Floriana's joy was short-lived as two minutes later the Spartans equalised when Polli's speculative effort took a deflection off Owen Bugeja whose intervention sent the ball swirling into the air and over the hapless Bartolo.
Three minutes into the second half, a good Ħamrun move saw Mangion loft the ball in the direction of Calabretta but the latter's effort was pushed away by Bartolo.
At the other end, Sodje left Grima in his wake as he sped through on the right before releasing Woods whose grounder was deflected away for a corner.
A good run by Mangion took him into a good shooting position but his effort was deflected away for a corner.
Caruana headed over from Doffo's cross as the two sides continued to attack.
Ribeiro had a weak flick effort from Grima's free-kick blocked by Bartolo and Kevin Sammut drove his shot over the bar as the game edged past the hour mark.
A Floriana counter-attack saw Woods pass to Sodje who sped past the on-rushing Cassar but his shot from a tight angle was cleared away by Steve Bonnici.
Midway into the second half, Sodje atoned for his miss as he headed Grabowski's excellent cross past Cassar.
Ħamrun missed a great chance to level matters when Ribeiro sent Shields through but the latter git wide with only Bartolo to beat.
The Spartans paid for this miss as Floriana moved 4-2 ahead 19 minutes from time thanks to the dynamic Grabowski, the BOV player of the match, who raced into the box from the right, swept past his marker and volleyed past Cassar.