MARSAXLOKK 1
Tanque 25
FLORIANA 1
Vella 65
MARSAXLOKK
M. Drobnjak, K. Micallef, N. Muscat, Y. Messias (90 P. Nonato), J. Arias (82 D. Bonniċi), J. Quitongo (67 R. Holzhauser), A. Tanque, E. Pena Beltre, L. Aguirre, N. Raden, R. Scicluna.
FLORIANA
C. Mafoumbi, J. Grech, D. Vella, O. Spiteri, M. Garcia, K. Nwoko (58 K. Reid), F. Sasere, A. Kouro, Fernandinho, G. Yameogo, Emerson (58 Thiaguinho).
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Yellow cards: Raden, Quitango, Arias, Micallef, Garcia.
Floriana made a strong comeback in the second half as Dunstan Vella cancelled out Alex Tanque’s opener but yet they lost further ground to runaway leaders Birkirkara in the title race.
Floriana were the fastest out of the blocks with Kyrian Nwoko taking just 51 seconds to test Marko Drobnjak into a looping shot which the Marsaxlokk goalkeeper tipped over.
Marsaxlokk did not get a look-in for the opening 20 minutes but then they roused slowly after that.
Tanque swept them ahead after 25 minutes as he clinically finished off Emny Pena Beltre’s cross after cleverly lifting the ball over Owen Spiteri’s head.
Enzo Potenza’ side then set about proving their opener was no fluke.
On 35 minutes, Leonardo Aguirre sliced open the defence with an inch-perfect ball over the halfway line which Jai Quitango collected before he shot straight at the onrushing Christopher Mafoumbi.
Marsaxlokk should have had a second when Tanque pulled the ball back for Yuri Messias but he blazed it over from a good position.
Few moments later Floriana fans were on their feet when Spiteri’s low drive appeared to glance off Nikola Raden’s arm, but referee Malcolm Spiteri waved off their protests.
Marsaxlokk still forced Mafoumbi into another smart save when the sprawling goalkeeper had to push away a Pena Beltre’s pile-driver.
Darren Abdilla made a double substitution shy the hour mark, introducing Kemar Reid and Thiaguinho as Floriana switched to a 4-3-3 configuration with both striker playing either side of Franklin Sasere.
The pace of the match intensified and Reid himself came within inches of scoring soon after his introduction, hooking the ball from Sasere but shot just wide after a lightning break from the Nigerian striker had caught Marsaxlokk short at the back.
The Greens were not to be denied however, four minutes later, Sasere controlled the ball with his back to goal and shield the ball from several defenders before teeing up Dunstan Vella who smashed the ball home.
Marsaxlokk thought they had won it at death when substitute Duane Bonniċi hit the ball into the low corner but the referee controversially annulled the goal for an offside position of the Marsaxlokk winger.
Bonniċi spread his arms to protest against the referee’s decision and television replays justified his pleas as he was clearly onside.
At the other end, Matias Garcia hit a rasping shot which was smothered away. All in all, a draw was a fair result as neither side deserved to leave the Tony Bezzina Stadium empty-handed.
