SLIEMA WANDERERS: 3
Farrugia 23, Wisdom 30, Potezica 39
FLORIANA: 1
Fontanella 11
Sliema Wanderers defeated Greens to take the old-firm derby honours.
After a somewhat slow start, Floriana opened the scoring in the first notable foray inside Sliema's half. Floriana were playing exclusively on the break and one long punt forward caught the Sliema’s defence nappaing, sending Mario Fontanella scampering clear, as the striker drifted inside before despatching a low shot past the onrushing Glenn Zammit.
Sliema were looking good when breaking swiftly into attack, although they would not have expected to be handed an equaliser by their opponents. In the 23rd minute, Mathias Muchardi whipped in a teasing header for Jean Pierre Farrugia who flicked a feeble header that never looked like troubling Justin Haber. However, the Floriana goalkeeper let slip the ball under his feet.
The goal came at the right psychological moment for Sliema as they started to breath freely. The second goal was not long in coming. Salomon Wisdom was on the end of an inviting low cross from Muchardi and hit low in the corner of the net. It was only Wisdom’s first effort on goal. But that was worth its weight in gold!
The blitz on the Floriana’s fort was completed six minutes from the break. John Mintoff’s measured cross from the right had Marko Potezica connecting to it. The Serbian defender sprinted through the defence before chipped the ball over Haber.
Yet Floriana were given a lifeline three minutes into the second half when Potezica was shown a red card after hauling down Maurizio Vella just outside the box. The game took an interesting turn now as Floriana threw caution to the wind. John Buttigieg, the Sliema coach opted to whittle down their frenetic tempo and administer their advantage. At the same time, he brought in the newcomer Denni dos Santos in a bid to punish Floriana’s flat-out approach.
But Floriana could not pick up the broken pieces and the huge gaps in midfield kept showing. In the 54 minute, Haber looked to have regained his composure with a stunning diving save to keep out Farrugia’s effort.
Any hopes Floriana had of regaining hold in the match disappeared ten minutes later when Enzo Ruiz’s free-kick finished on the crossbar.
If anything, Sliema could have added to their lead but Denni’s drive from outside the box was well-tipped over by the Floriana goalkeeper on 67 minutes.