RABAT AJAX 0

FLORIANA 4

Coronado 10, 53 82; Bogdanovic 64

Igor Coronado scored a hat-trick to steer Floriana to a 4-0 win over Rabat Ajax yesterday.

The victory allowed the Green to chip away all the six points they imposed by the MFA Licensing Board before the start of the season.

Floriana were fastest out of the blocks and in the tenth minute, the nippy Igor Coronado profited from the Magpies’ lax marking to direct a header past Pavle Velimivoric from Daniel Bogdanovic’s corner.

Rabat’s troubles to cope with the slick movement of Coronado was evident on 16 minutes, smacking a long-range shot against the bar.

The Ajax had been subdued in attack in the initial stages but they threatened to draw level in their first dangerous raid on Floriana’s rearguard after 41 minutes. Daniel Pelaez’s teasing cross from the left arced towards the centre of the box and in the direction of Moises Availa Perez but the latter’s volley flew wide.

Having been the brighter side throughout, Floriana regained their focus immediately and Gary Roberts was prominent with an angled drive that was saved into corner by Velimivoric.

Coronado’s show continued after the break to put his side 2-0 after 53 minutes. It was Bogdanovic’s pass to Roberts that initiated the goal. From Roberts the ballwas ferried swiftly to Coronado, who belted the ball past Velimivoric.

Then, after 64 minutes, Bogdanovic lifted the crowd with a wonderful solo down the right channel. Picking up the ball on the right flank just outside Floriana’s box, the Malta striker swooped through the Rabat midfield, powered into the box and then evaded the challenge of a defender before rounding the keeper to put the game beyond Rabat’s reach.

More misery befell Rabat eight minutes from time when Coronado stooped to tap in Gary Muir’s low cross into the net and complete his hat-trick as the Brazilian striker left the pitch few moments later to a round of applause.