Valletta 0
Floriana 1
Woods 88;
Floriana are in dreamland.
Forced to live in the shadow of their neighbours from the capital for much of the past two decades, the Greens enjoyed a reversal of fortunes yesterday as they eked out a 1-0 victory over Valletta to lift the FA Trophy for the 19th time.
A combative encounter looked to be heading for extra-time as, with only two minutes left, the score was still goalless. As all inside the stadium readied themselves for an additional 30 minutes and possibly a penalty shoot-out, Floriana procured a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the semi-circle and Ivan Woods let fly a stinging drive that grazed Ian Azzopardi’s face and wrong-footed Andrew Hogg in goal.
As the ball whizzed into the net, the delirious Floriana players ran towards their supporters who were in a state of ecstasy. With only added time left, the Greens knew that their painful 17-year wait for a major honour was coming to an end.
There was an anxious moment for Floriana at the death as Valletta mounted one final raid but the resolute Greens defused the danger before referee Paul Caruana brought the hostilities to an end.
A predominantly clean, incident-free final ended on a somewhat sour note as tempers boiled over after the final whistle but nothing was going to tarnish Floriana’s delight.
This was the day the Greens finally emerged from the doldrums as their victory over the erstwhile unbeaten champions not only ended their trophy drought, it also confirmed the club’s resurgence as a major force in local football.
Knowing that their success had ruined Valletta’s treble dream and halted their unbeaten run this season can only have added to Floriana’s delight. Their celebrations reached a crescendo when captain Manolito Micallef lifted the FA Trophy amid scenes of indescribable joy on the pitch and in the stands.
“I’m living a dream,” Micallef said.
“Valletta were favourites but our aim was to stay concentrated throughout the 90 minutes and give our 100 per cent. Our efforts have been rewarded and I want to thank our fans for showing faith in us.”
Expectations that this final would draw a bumper crowd materialised with thousands of supporters making their way to the National Stadium hours before kick-off.
The ferocious rivalry between these two clubs indubitably enhanced the allure of the final.
The FA Trophy was paraded by two former captains of these two heavyweights of Maltese football, Carlo Seychell, of Valletta, and ex-Floriana stalwart Anton Camilleri before the two teams entered the pitch.
A series of abrasive challenges in the opening stages attested to the determined mindset of the two sets of players. Valletta defender Steve Borg, yesterday deployed in the heart of defence alongside Jonathan Caruana, became the first player to go into the referee’s book after hauling down Micallef.
Valletta were first to settle. Denni’s jinking run set the alarm bells clanging in the Floriana defence but the Brazilian’s low shot was too weak to trouble goalkeeper Matthew Towns. This came after 12 minutes. Moments later, Denni advanced through the middle before passing to Gilbert Agius who fired wide from an angled position.
Danger loomed for Valletta when Pablo Doffo slipped a clever pass to Christian Caruana who whipped in a dangerous cross-cum-shot which Andrew Hogg did well to fist away.
Ryan Fenech then unleashed a rising shot that sailed over the bar and, at the other end, Christian Cassar’s deflected shot almost became an assist for the unmarked Caruana but the ball just eluded the Floriana playmaker.
Floriana coach Michael Woods stayed loyal to his attacking philosophy as he opted for two-pronged attack of Daniel Nwoke and Ivan Woods with Caruana and Cassar encouraged to break forward from midfield.
Striker Terrence Scerri was the focal point of Valletta’s attack as coach Jesmond Zerafa stuck with 4-4-1-1. Perhaps, the only surprise about City’s tactical configuration was the deployment of captain Agius, back after seeing off a hamstring strain, in the proverbial hole behind the striker while Denni and Fenech were granted freedom to switch flanks.
The sight of Caruana running unimpeded into the Valletta box to reach a pass heightened expectations among the Floriana fans but Caruana dashed across the penalty box to deflect the ball away for a corner.
As the first half progressed, Valletta’s passing grew increasingly sloppy, resulting in a dearth of scoring chances as Floriana gained in confidence.
Nine minutes from half-time, Floriana screamed ‘penalty’ when Woods went down under the weight of Borg’s challenge but the referee was unmoved.
Valletta threatened five minutes from the end of the opening half. Roderick Briffa’s cross from the right dropped to Agius whose attempt at an overhead kick was foiled by Tyrone Farrugia but the ball flew to Fenech who volleyed wide from an inviting position.
In the closing stages of the first half, Fenech’s cross-shot from a corner was smothered away by Towns. The champions worked up a head of steam as the end of the opening half drew closer. A prolonged City raid saw Gilbert Agius cross towards the six-yard box where Caruana rose highest but his header was high.
Scerri squandered a golden chance to put Valletta ahead 10 minutes into the second half. Chasing a long ball from Fenech, he outmuscled Tyrone Farrugia but failed to get enough power behind his shot which rolled into the grateful hands of Towns.
Valletta now poured forward with renewed zest. Agius picked out Scerri who rifled a shot that flashed against the side-netting.
Towns then came to Floriana’s rescue when sprinting off his line to repel Scerri’s close-range drive after the latter had again been set up by Agius. Not much was seen of Floriana in the opening 20 minutes of the second half but when Caruana, thriving in a more offensive role, dispossessed Pace in the centre-circle, they had their opponents on the backfoot.
Caruana maintained his stride, taking the ball close to the edge of the box before releasing Nwoke whose diagonal effort was wide.
As the two teams toiled for fluency, the supporters also found it difficult to raise their voice. With 17 minutes remaining, Denni twisted this way and the other to throw his chasers off balance as the Brazilian accelerated into the box from the left but his low effort was easily blocked by Towns.
Caruana again showed his dexterity when gliding past Borg but his cross-cum-shot was cut out by Hogg.
The Greens improved as the minutes ticked away. Duncan Pisani’s marauding run down the left unsettled the back-tracking City players as the flank defender tricked his way past Azzopardi only to shoot straight at Hogg.
Having brought on Omonigho Temile for Fenech, Zerafa made his second substitution eight minutes from time as Andrade replaced Gilbert Agius.
The Brazilian almost left an instant imprint on the game as he pounced on a loose ball and guided his shot past the on-rushing Towns but Pisani was on hand to hook the ball off the line.
Tension increased as the match moved into the final five minutes. Valletta defender Caruana headed the ball into Towns’s hands from a Temile corner.
Apprehension gripped the City fans when Floriana were awarded a free-kick just outside the D after Azzopardi was harshly adjudged to have tripped Caruana. Their worst fears were realised when Woods’s piledriver took a deflection and sailed past Hogg.
Floriana’s hopes increased when fourth official Adrian Azzopardi surprisingly signalled only two minutes of added time.
On the cusp of time, Hogg went up after Valletta were awarded a free-kick. Edmond Agius’s set-piece cross triggered a melee but Floriana snuffed out the danger and belted the ball upfield.
As the Valletta goal lay unguarded, Cassar ran forward to try and reach the ball but Briffa outpaced the Floriana midfielder to avert the danger.
The final whistle came soon after but that was not the end of the story as the referee red-carded two Valletta players, Scerri and Pace, for their part in an altercation with Floriana’s Cassar.
Valletta
A. Hogg, R. Briffa, J. Caruana, I. Azzopardi, S. Borg, G. Agius (82 Andrade), E. Agius, J. Pace, Denni, T. Scerri, R. Fenech (74 O. Temile).
Floriana
M. Towns, D. Pisani, M. Micallef, O. Bugeja, T. Farrugia, P. Doffo, T. Paris (63 J. Borg), C. Cassar, C. Caruana, I. Woods, D. Nwoke.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Borg; Paris; G. Agius; Pace; Azzopardi; Doffo.
Red cards: Scerri (V) 90+; Pace (V) 90+.
Attendance: 8,405.
The winners
20 times: Sliema Wanderers
19 times: Floriana
12 times: Valletta
8 times: Hibernians
6 times: Ħamrun Spartans
4 times: Birkirkara
Once: Melita
Once: Rabat Ajax
Once: Gżira United
Once: Żurrieq