Floriana 4
Caruana 9, 62; Woods 25; Mintoff 74;
Marsaxlokk 0
The last two weeks have not been easy for Floriana as reports abound that a host of committee members, including president Johan Said, have stepped down.
This uncertainty may have distracted the Floriana squad ahead of their clash with Marsaxlokk but to their immense credit, the players kept their focus to maintain their positive start to the season with a straightforward victory.
Determined to sustain the remarkable improvement they showed last season, the Greens taught Marsaxlokk a lesson in tactical discipline and clinical finishing as they plundered four goals to secure their fourth victory in five games and move alongside rivals Valletta on the 12-point mark, albeit the latter have a game in hand.
Christian Caruana’s ninth-minute opener was pivotal to Floriana’s success as, besides settling his team’s nerves, it knocked Marsaxlokk off their stride after the latter had shaded the early exchanges.
Indeed, Floriana’s committed performance was in stark contrast with Marsaxlokk’s insipid display as the Blues were outfought and outwitted by their superior opponents.
Coming from a 2-2 draw with Sliema Wanderers, Marsaxlokk will have had high hopes of getting something from their duel with the Greens but a combination of dismal defending and a lack of flair in the final third ruined their chances.
Pablo Doffo shook off the knock that threatened his participation in yesterday’s game. The Argentine was deployed in his usual station in the centre of midfield where he was flanked by Christian Cassar in Floriana’s 4-3-1-2 formation.
Marsaxlokk coach Winston Muscat opted for 4-1-3-2 with Obinna Obiefule and Dylan Kokavessis taking up the two attacking roles. Midfielder Trevor Templeman was restored to the starting formation after serving a two-match ban but regular goalkeeper Reuben Gauci was surprisingly dropped as the young Christian Cassar got Muscat’s nod.
The Blues had the better of the early exchanges but their pressure hardly unsettled Floriana. Templeman tested waters with a shot from outside the area but Manuel Bartolo, confirmed as Floriana’s no.1 despite the return from suspension of William Amamoo, saved with relative ease.
A rare breakaway by Floriana paid instant dividends after only nine minutes. Marsaxlokk were found wanting at the back as Ivan Woods made good progress down the left before guiding a cross towards Caruana in the six-yard box.
The chance looked to have been lost when Caruana, under pressure from Sunday Eboh, slipped but somehow, the nippy playmaker twisted his body and flicked the ball past Cassar to give his side the lead.
The presence of a rookie goalkeeper in Marsaxlokk’s goal invited Woods to hit a drive from the distance but Cassar was equal to the task.
Floriana’s unexpected opener jolted Marsaxlokk but they came close to an equaliser when Kokavessis curled a dangerous cross into the area and Florent Ramy’s close-range attempt was deflected just past the near post.
Marsaxlokk’s evening took a turn for the worse when, 25 minutes into the game, Floriana doubled their lead. Once again, Marsaxlokk were made to pay for their lack of concentration at the back as Joseph Borg’s long throw-in from the right was flicked on towards the centre and Woods dashed through a host of static players before blasting home from routine distance.
Two-nil down despite enjoying their fair share of possession, Marsaxlokk were finding it hard to create clearcut chances. By contrast, the well-drilled Floriana side were dangerous every time they ventured forward.
This was evident 10 minutes from half-time when another Floriana foray had the Marsaxlokk defence in a tangle as Caruana crossed the ball across the face of goal but Eboh averted the danger with an acrobatic clearance.
Marsaxlokk needed their most creative elements, the likes of Emiliano Lattes, Martin Deanov and Obiefule, to find their touch and rhythm but this was not forthcoming. Late in the first half, Floriana broke on the counter as Woods won a knockdown in midfield and expertly released Cassar on the left but the latter’s cross was poor.
Floriana left the field at half-time to a warm applause from their fans while those of Marsaxlokk looked dejected as they walked towards the tunnel.
Six minutes into the second half, Cassar kept Marsaxlokk in the game when he pushed away Woods’s grounder after Muscat’s men had failed to deal with Cassar’s corner. The Greens continued to look the likelier side to score.
Doffo’s cross prompted Cassar to dash out of his box and cut out the danger but his short clearance fell to Woods who tried to direct the ball towards the untenanted goal but his effort went wide.
Marsaxlokk’s reprieve was temporary as, two minutes past the hour, Floriana wrapped up their win. The gaping holes in the Marsaxlokk defence were there for all to see as Borg made his way into the box from the right and his skewed effort became the perfect assist for Caruana who tapped home at the far post.
Muscat had tried to address his team’s defensive shortcomings by switching Carlo Mamo from left-back to the centre of defence and moving Carlos Campagnoli to midfield but Floriana’s third goal killed any hopes Marsaxlokk might have had of making a comeback.
They suffered further humiliation when, 15 minutes from time, Floriana moved four goals up, the incoming John Mintoff, who had just replaced Borg, tapping Cassar’s cross into the net.
Three minutes from the end, Woods was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet again as his angled effort took a deflection with the ball rolling just wide. Doffo then released Ryan Darmanin, a second-half substitute for Caruana, but the lanky striker’s shot was too central to trouble Cassar.
At the other end, Sacha Borg, who joined Marsaxlokk on a season-long loan from Floriana, sent his shot wide of the near post.
Floriana: M. Bartolo-6, D. Pisani-6, O. Bugeja-6.5, T. Farrugia-6, M. Micallef-6, C. Cassar-7, C. Caruana-7.5 (75 C. Borg), J. Borg-6.5 (66 J. Mintoff-6), I. Woods-7.5, B. Odwong-5.5 (78 R. Darmanin), P. Doffo-7.
Marsaxlokk: C. Cassar-4, C. Mamo-4, S. Eboh-5.5, M. Licari-5 (82 J. Xerri), F. Ramy-4, C. Campagnoli-4, T. Templeman-6, E. Lattes-4 (76 M. Valeriani), M. Deanov-5, O. Obiefule-4, D. Kokavessis-4 (57 S. Borg).
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Ramy; Eboh.
BOV player of the match: Christian Caruana (Floriana).