Floriana 0
Birkirkara 3
Cilia 55 pen; Zerafa 58; Vella 78;

A slow-burning first half offered no indication of what was to come after the change of ends.

Birkirkara had been the brisker side in the opening period only for Floriana to tear out of the blocks after the restart. If Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit was hoping that the signing of Serbian goalkeeper Aleksandar Canovic would spur Jorge Mora to greater efforts, his decision was vindicated yesterday.

The Spaniard pulled off three successive saves, the last of which was spectacular, to thwart Floriana before a debatable penalty decision and a red card to mercurial Floriana goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo turned the game on its head.

The improving Stripes duly took advantage to score two quick goals as the shell-shocked Greens struggled to defy the adversity that engulfed them.

A late goal by man-of-the-match Terence Vella secured Birkirkara’s second win on the trot as the Floriana fans were left to rue their team’s ill-luck and the referee’s game-defining penalty decision.

Their frustration culminated in loud booing as Fyodor Zammit headed for the dressing room at the end of the match.

Floriana’s on-going quest to strengthen their squad with the addition of foreign players shows no signs of abating. Coach Michael Woods yesterday handed debuts to Swedish midfielder Andrew Grabowski and Brazilian forward Lucas Pessanha.

Pessanha took up the lone striker’s role in Floriana’s 4-5-1-cum-4-3-3 formation with Grabowski deployed on the left of midfield.

Injuries deprived Woods of Tyrone Farrugia, who could miss the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate injury, and forward Christian Caruana who is recovering from an ankle problem.

Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, recalled right-back Angus Buhagiar who came on for Andrew Decesare.

The Greens were first to threaten. After two minutes Christian Cassar’s corner from the right sparked a goalmouth scramble as the ball was diverted into the path of Ivan Woods whose effort was blocked by Mora.

Zammit kept faith with 4-3-3 which had Spanish striker Moises Avila Perez as the focal point in attack with Trevor Cilia and Terence Vella deployed on the wings.

Birkirkara squandered an excellent chance to open the scoring on 20 minutes. Cilia’s run into the box induced Bartolo to rush out of goal only to collide with Mano Micallef who had tried to close down the Birkirkara winger. Amid the ensuing confusion, Cilia pounced on the loose ball and drove it back into the six-yard box but Vella hit over from an inviting position.

At the other end, Mora fisted away Cassar’s cross-shot from a corner but Floriana were struggling to put together coherent moves.

The Stripes continued to show the better ideas. They should have forged ahead when, six minutes from half-time, Cilia curled in an excellent cross towards the unmarked Avila Perez who glanced his header over the bar.

Woods’s half-time talk appeared to revive Floriana as the Greens began the second half more aggressively. Four minutes after the restart, Cassar wafted his free-kick past the defensive wall but Mora fisted the ball away.

When Clyde Borg intercepted Rodrigo Pereira’s pass from the back, Birkirkara found themselves on the backfoot. Borg quickly released Woods who in turn passed to the advancing Pessanah but the Brazilian shot straight at Mora.

Floriana would have taken the lead were it not for Mora. The Spanish goalkeeper produced a magnificent save as he dived full length to his right to keep out Pessanha’s goalbound volley. Pessanha then rifled wide from the rebound.

The Greens’ rising optimism was cut short when Pablo Doffo’s late challenge on Joseph Zerafa led to a Birkirkara penalty. As Fyodor Zammit pointed to the spot, he was surrounded by angry Floriana players who claimed that the foul had occurred outside the box but the referee was unmoved.

Cilia drilled his penalty into the left-hand corner and as Birkirkara celebrated their goal Bartolo hit Vella as he kicked the ball away in anger. Having already been booked for dissent, Bartolo was sent off by Zammit.

Jurgen Borg, Floriana’s reserve goalkeeper, came on for Borg.

More misery befell Floriana three minutes later as Birkirkara increased their lead, Zerafa scoring with a volley from a Cilia cross.

Floriana were unlucky not to narrow the deficit 20 minutes from time as Doffo’s swerving free-kick cannoned off the crossbar.

Mora came off after sustaining an injury. His place was taken by Canovic who was making his debut.

Birkirkara made the points safe 12 minutes from time. Leighton Grech, who had replaced Buhagiar, roared clear on the left before picking out Vella who shot goalwards and the sliding Owen Bugeja could only divert the ball into his own net.

Floriana
M. Bartolo, O. Bugeja-4, T. Paris-5, P. Doffo-6, M. Micallef-5, I. Woods-5, D. Pisani-5, C. Cassar-6, C. Borg-6.5 (57 J. Borg-5), A. Grabowski-5 (81 J. Mintoff), L. Pessanha-4 (75 R. Darmanin).

Birkirkara
J. Mora-8 (74 A. Canovic), R. Muscat-6, D. Perisic-6.5, J. Zerafa-6.5, G. Sciberras-6, P. Fenech-6, M. Avila Perez-7 (82 S.H. Shodija), A. Buhagiar-5 (66 L. Grech-6), T. Vella-7.5, T. Cilia-6.5.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Yellow cards: Borg; Fenech; Bartolo; Sciberras; Pereira; Doffo; Mintoff;

Red card: Bartolo (F) 56.

BOV player of the match: Terence Vella (Birkirkara).

Attendance: 733.

Standings