QORMI-1, FLORIANA-1
Qormi and Floriana extended their unbeaten run after sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw in today's opening Premier League game.
The result was fair as both teams had their good moments in a balanced match that confirmed their recent improvement.
Four minutes into the game, Christian Caruana headed wide from Pablo Doffo's corner.
Qormi protested for penalty when Tyrone Farrugia's attempt to clear Joseph Farrugia's free-kick hit Boris Odwong but referee Clayton Pisani saw nothing wrong.
From the ensuing scramble, Abubakar Bello-Osagie's header soared past the diving Manuel Bartolo in Floriana's goal but the ball dropped just wide of the near post.
Both teams showed an attacking mindset in the early stages. Floriana should have gone ahead when Caruana released Ivan Woods inside the box but the latter's grounder was inches wide.
On another occasion, Woods fired wide from a free-kick as Floriana kept pushing forward. Caruana showed excellent poise as he turned before taking the ball past Jeffrey Chetcuti and Roderick Sammut but his diagonal strike was repelled by Farrugia.
The stalemate was broken around the 25th minute mark but it was Qormi who took the lead. Nigerian striker Daniel Nwoke, who was facing his former Floriana team-mates, looked to have mishit his shot from an angled position but the ball took a deflection off Mano Micallef and sailed past the hapless Bartolo.
Qormi's opener unsettled Floriana who until then had looked the likelier side to score. Christian Cassar came close to an equaliser for the Greens but his rising shot from the edge of the box flew over the bar.
Abubakar Bello-Osagie did likewise for Qormi.
Early in the second half, Mintoff pounced on Matthew Bartolo's miscued backpass but the Floriana winger fired against the side-netting.
Floriana had the ball in the net close to the hour when Woods set up Caruana who advanced before hitting pas Farrugia but the 'goal' was disallowed for a dubious handball by the Greens livewire.
The Greens quickly regained their attacking verve to put their opponents under pressure. They levelled with 21 minutes remaining, Farrugia prodding past the Qormi goalkeeper from Cassar's dipping corner.
Nwoke should have put Qormi back in front when, in a goalmouth scramble, the ball came off three Floriana players and fell to the Nigerian but his flick from inside the six-yard box flashed against the post.
In the dying stages, Clyde Borg, who had replaced the injured Doffo, sent his shot over the bar after Qormi had partially cleared Cassar's corner.
At the other end, Jorginho's effort was deflected away for a corner by Farrugia.
Floriana's Caruana was named BOV player of the match.