Sliema Wanderers and Floriana take point in Old Firm derby

SLIEMA WANDERERS  0

FLORIANA       0

Sliema Wanderers

T. Aquilina-7, J. Morales-6 (88 M. Freitas), K. Shaw-7, Y. Uchida-6 (88 S. Grech), J. Mintoff-6 (55 O. Elouni-5.5), E. Agius-5.5 (72 D. Holla), G. Aquilina-6.5, G. Inters-5.5 (72 C. Flores), M. Beerman-6, R. Kooh-Sohna-5, D. Vukovic-5.5.

Floriana

G. Kitanov-6, A. Magri Overend-6.5, C. Rutjens-6, O. El Hasni-6, Z. Cassar-6, K. Keqi-5.5, J. Arias-6 (90 B. Paiber), N. Garcia-6, A. Garzia-6, R. Camenzuli-6.5 (52 J. Busuttil-7), D. Agius-5 (52 A. Caseres-5).

Referee Glen Tonna.

Yellow cards Mintoff, Beerman.

BOV Player of the match Jan Busuttil (Floriana).

Floriana and Sliema Wanderers took a point each in a hard-fought Old Firm derby at the National Stadium.

The clash brought against each other two teams who were seeking to pick up their first win of the season and the match turned out to be a balanced affair with scoring chances few and far between with the final stalemate coming as little surprise.

Surely, Floriana will feel hard-done not to have taken all points as they showed the better ideas and had some clear-cut chances which they failed to make most of to end up with their second consecutive draw this season.

On the otherhand, Sliema put up a battling display but lacked the necessary punch to hurt their opponents and in the end will be pleased to finally break their duck this season.

There was little separating either side in the early stages with Floriana holding a slight edge with the swift movement of their forwards.

In fact, it was the Greens who should have taken the lead on 13 minutes when Daniel Agius’ cross found Ryan Camenzuli unmarked inside the area but the Malta wing backfired over.

Floriana continued to hold the initiative with the Wanderers showing excellent defensive organisation to close all avenues to the Greens forwards.

Chances remained a rarity with Camenzuli trying his luck from the distance but his effort finished high and wide.

Just before the half-time whistle, Floriana had another glorious chance to take the lead when Camenzuli fed Magri Overend on the right and the young wing back quickly found the unmarked Agius who incredibly fired over in front of a gaping goal.

After the break, Gianluca Aztori withdrew the excellent Ryan Camenzuli and Daniel Agius to bring on Jan Busuttil and Augusto Caseres in a bid to boost their forward line.

But it was Sliema who finally had their first shot on target on 56 minutes when Myles Beerman sped past two defenders but his low shot was blocked by goalkeeper Georgi Kitanov, the Floriana goalkeeper.

Floriana came close on 62 minutes when in a quick break, Jan Busuttil raced past his marker but his angled drive just missed the upright.

A minute later, Timothy Aquilina had to be alert to palm away Uri Arias’ free-kick before the Blues cleared the danger.

Busuttil again came close on 68 minutes when he turned in a flash past his marker but his thumping drive was somehow palmed away by Timothy Aquilina.