Floriana conceded an early goal and had Eric Akoto sent off after just 23 minutes but they showed great fighting spirit to overturn the deficit as they beat Qormi 2-1.
Qormi had made the better start but they switched off after Akoto’s dismissal while Floriana drew strength to strike two goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half and then held off their opponents’ confused efforts in the second period.
The Greens’ win lifted them to second place on 36 points, one ahead of Hibs who will meet neighbours Tarxien in today’s second match.
It was Floriana who threatened first after nine minutes. Mano Micallef’s cross from the left sailed into the six-yard box and Christian Caruana leapt to head the ball but his effort was saved by Matthew Farrugia.
At the other end, Owen Bugeja broke down a dangerous Qormi attack when he dispossessed the advancing Jorginho.
Floriana were struggling at the back and Qormi took full advantage. Just over 13 minutes from the start of the game had passed when Stuart Duff crossed into the box and Abubakar Bello-Osagie hit a powerful shot past Manuel Bartolo.
The Floriana goalkeeper saved a long-range effort from Bello-Osagie and, at the other end, Ivan Woods was close for the Greens but his low strike ended wide of the far post.
Floriana looked to have suffered a further blow when defender Akoto was shown a straight red by referee Chris Lautier for a two-footed challenge on Matthew Bartolo in a wide position.
Yet, the tactical changes effected by Michael Woods to try and compensate for his team’s numerical disparity boosted Floriana who levelled matters on the half-hour, Clyde Borg scoring with a powerful drive from just inside the box.
Floriana stayed on top. Caruana’s close-range flick was parried away by Matthew Farrugia who saved Qormi again with successive saves on Pablo Doffo, from a free-kick, and substitute Thomas Paris’s long-range effort.
The danger refused to go for Qormi as Micallef’s dipper was deflected away for a corner. Doffo’s cross from the ensuing corner was met by Woods whose header was blocked but Caruana profited from the following scramble to hit home from close in.
The start of the second half was short on constructive football but Qormi went close to an equaliser through debutant Triston Caruana whose low effort finished just wide of the post.
Qormi took control as the second half moved on. Bartolo supplied a fine cross from the right but Bello-Osagie’s drive was blocked by Duncan Pisani.
For all their possession, Qormi hardly threatened the Floriana defence as Woods’s men stayed compact.
With six minutes left, Bello-Osagie headed Duff’s cross into the net but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for a foul on a Floriana player.
In stoppage time, Qormi forward Jorginho was dismissed for kicking out at Floriana goalkeeper Bartolo as the two challenged for a high ball.
Qormi winger Bartolo was named BOV player of the match.