Meridianbet FA Trophy 2024/25
Victoria Hotspurs…….1
Floriana………………..4
Floriana overcame an early scare against Victoria Hotspurs, conceding a goal within the first two minutes, before rallying back to score three second-half goals and secure a 4-1 victory, advancing to the FA Trophy quarterfinals. The result also brought an end to Victoria Hotspurs’ impressive 32-match winning streak.
The Gozitan side shocked last season’s FA Trophy runners-up almost immediately after kickoff. Following a corner delivered by Shaun Attard, Victoria’s captain Ferdinando Apap powered home a strong header to give the Hotspurs a 1-0 lead within two minutes.
Floriana responded quickly and found the equalizer inside the first quarter of the match. Aleandro Garzia’s delivery from the right created confusion in the Hotspurs’ defence, allowing Fernandinho to capitalize and slot the ball into the net.
Victoria Hotspurs managed to hold their own for the rest of the first half, keeping Floriana’s dangerous attacks at bay. However, the Greens emerged after the break with a renewed sense of purpose and determination, applying heavy pressure on their opponents. That pressure paid off as they scored three more goals, all from players netting their first-ever goals for Floriana.
In the 52nd minute, January signing Elvis Mashike put Floriana ahead with a low shot that deflected into the net. The former Ħamrun Spartans player’s goal shifted the momentum firmly in Floriana’s favor.
Around the 70th minute, Floriana extended their lead through debutant Gabriel Sotomayor, a Bolivian acquisition who calmly found the back of the net.
With a two-goal cushion, Floriana coach Darren Abdilla took advantage of the situation, bringing on four young players to gain valuable first-team experience. One of them, Antiago de Flavia, made an immediate impact. In the 82nd minute, after a well-placed pass from Mashike, De Flavia struck a low shot from a central position to score his first senior goal for Floriana.
Match Officials
Referee: Daniel Portelli
Lineups:
Victoria Hotspurs:
Adrian Parnis, Lawrence Grima, Ferdinando Apap, Dejan Bogdanovic, Daniel Farrugia, Dylan Mercieca, Shaun Attard, Wellington de Souza, Emmanuel Mbong (Martin Buttigieg 58 min), Kurt Borg (Etienne Xiberras 87 min), Rondinely Monteiro (Matthias Said 73 min)
Floriana:
Yann Fillion, Owen Spiteri, Oualid El Hasni, Cedric Yameogo (Christopher Junior Buttigieg 84 min), Aleandro Garzia (Carlo Zammit Lonardelli 46 min), Gonzalo Gamarra (Tristan Vella 84 min), Jork Becerra (Gerrard Cann Rodgers 84 min), Matias Garcia, Fernandinho Gomes (Antiago de Flavia 76 min), Gabriel Sotomayor, Elvis Mashike
Floriana’s convincing victory now sees them move closer to a shot at FA Trophy glory, while Victoria Hotspurs will reflect on a hard-fought campaign that came to an end despite their early heroics.
