Floriana skipper Nicolas Chiesa trying to keep his balance against Qormi, yesterday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Qormi 0
Floriana 1
Fontanella 20;

Mario Fontanella put Floriana back on track after scoring the all-important goal that saw the Greens edge past lowly Qormi yesterday.

It was far from straightforward for Floriana who were looking to bounce back from their upset to Hibs in midweek.

After taking a first-half lead they failed to score a second goal that would have settled the match.

Instead, Qormi remained in contention but in the end Floriana held on to a useful win to keep the pace with the front-runners.

Floriana made just one change as Steve Bonnici was thrown in the fray in the absence of the injured Jurgen Pisani.

Billy Berntsson was back for Qormi to replace the suspended Noah Ojuwola.

Floriana dominated the early proceedings and scored in their first real raid on 20 minutes.

The enterprising Nicolas Chiesa chipped the ball towards Fonta-nella who chipped the ball over keeper Jean Mathias Vella.

Qormi’s response was rather weak as despite increasing urgency in their play their poor distribution in the final third hampered any hopes they might have had of drawing level before half-time.

Five minutes from the break Kurt Magro hit a grounder that was blocked by Floriana keeper Tyrone Gauci and, at the other end, Vella failed to hold a cross in his box but Steve Pisani blasted his shot into the side netting.

Floriana took to the second half looking determined to grab a second goal.

Chiesa hit a low drive that flashed just wide and the woodwork came to Qormi’s rescue when Piciollo burst through and squared the ball back to Emanuel Briffa but his effort came off the upright.

Floriana maintained their attacking stance and Piciollo was again the provider when he picked Chiesa whose header finished over.

Qormi almost made Floriana pay for those missed opportunities as on 70 minutes Pietro Viggiani latched on to a long pass but he was denied by the quick-thinking Gauci.

Qormi had an even better chance soon after but the unmarked Magro failed to connect from inside the penalty area.

Floriana were playing a dangerous game and on 87 minutes Sidibe reached Clifford Gauci’s cross but his header just missed the target.

In time added on, substitute Mauricio Villa almost killed off Qormi but his drive finished over.

Qormi
J.M. Vella-6, A. Cassar-5, O. Sidibe-6.5, B. Berntsson-6, Y. Yankam-5, D. Leeflang-5.5, C. Gauci-6, K. Magro-6.5 (88 E. Falzon), C. Monti-5 (38 T. Gusman-6), E. Vella-6, P. Viggiani-5 (81 J.C. Viera).

Floriana
T. Gauci-6, A. Monticelli-6, E. Pepe-6.5, S. Pisani-6 (73 M. Villa), Clyde Borg-6 (70 Conor Borg), A. Scozzese-6, M. Picciollo-7 (88 F. Aboulezz), S. Bonnici-6, E. Briffa-6.5, N. Chiesa-7.5, M. Fontanella-7.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Yellow cards: Vella, Monticelli, Gusman, Briffa, Scozzese.

BOV player of the match: Nicolas Chiesa (Floriana).