Floriana 1 Mosta 2
Floriana surrendered their 100 per cent record when they tasted the first defeat in the year 2012 after five consecutive victories. The game was a lesson for Michael Woods's team, who looked unable to muster the necessary energy to press for the winner after Andrè Grabowski equaliser. Instead the game had a sting in the tail and Obinna Obiefule pounced on some Floriana hesitant defending to run on to a Kurt Magro clearance, round Manuel Bartolo and slot home.
It was Floriana, however who dominated possession in the opening stages but Mosta looked dangerous on the break through Ian Zammit and Obiefule and it was a quick one-two combination that undid the Greens rearguard as the Nigerian broke the deadlock after 26 minutes.
Obiefule received Zammit's return pass, skipped past Owen Bugeja and slammed a shot across the bows of goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo into the low corner. Jonathan Bajada in particular looked menacing down the right as he gave Restuccia, Floriana's weakest link a torrid start.
His influence dictated the tempo of their attacks with Floriana struggled to pick him up as he had a hand in all three first half clear cut chances for Mosta. On the half hour mark, the midfielder slipped the ball to the overlapping Adrian Borg, the defender created some space on the flank but shot wide.
Two minutes later, Kurt Magro sliced open the Floriana defence with a lovely passing move that ended with onrushing Bartolo saving smartly from Obiefule.
Floriana will surely look back on the moment, just before halftime, when Pablo Doffo thumped a 20-metre effort against the post.
After the break, it was Floriana's turn to dominate. On the hour mark, Micallef swivelled to hit Grabowski's low left-wing cross just wide of Jonathan Debono's left hand post.
Floriana's pressure ensured Mosta struggled to get out of their own territory in the second half and allowing the Greens to enjoy a lengthy spell of possession that concluded with Grabowski's levellers after 67 minutes. A free-kick from the right flank by Doffo sparked a chaotic goalmouth scramble with the Swedish striker's initial header blocked by Debono but coolly finishing his second attempt.
Mosta's fans had gone from elation to anxiety, but Grabowski should have heaped more misery when he was played in by Woods but he was unable to apply the finishing touch after 82 minutes.
Five minutes from time, Grabowski could not stretch enough to head in Licari's cross into an open goal, thus leaving the stage clear for Obiefule to write another chapter into this short but glorious Mosta story.
With just injury-time to be played, the striker pounced on some hesitant Floriana defending to run on to a Magro clearance, nipped past Owen Bugeja and kept his cool to beat Bartolo.