Piciollo is City hero in derby win over Floriana

VALLETTA 1FLORIANA 0 Matteo Piciollo was Valletta’s hero as the Italian striker scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over derby rivals Floriana in the top BOV Premier League match this weekend.  In front of a crowd of over 3,600 at the National Stadium, Piciollo punished his former club with a pulverising shot 10 minutes from time after receiving from Santiago Malano. It was a deserved win for Valletta as they were the more enterprising team throughout, stepping up the pressure in the second half as Floriana struggled to make an attacking impact. With this win, Valletta have rejoined Balzan at the top of the standings while Floriana suffered their first defeat of the season. A slow-burning first half  saw Floriana going close to forging ahead in the 32nd minute but Mario Fontanella’s low shot from the right was repelled by Henry Bonello. In the second half, the Citizens upped the tempo, threatening with a Kyrian Nwoko header midway into the second half after the Malta striker met Claudio Pani’s free-kick from the right. Two minutes later, a header from Juan Cruz Gill was turned away for a corner by Ini Akpan following a corner by Pani from the left. Valletta’s pressure was rewarded 10 minutes from time when Malano teed up Piciollo on the left and the latter rifled past Akpan. Argentine midfielder Cruz Gill was named BOV player of the match. HIBERNIANS               3TARXIEN RAINBOWS 0 Hibernians stayed in touch with the pace-setters after beating beleaguered neighbours Tarxien Rainbows 3-0 in Sunday’s opening match.  The Paolites took the lead midway into the first half when Marco Sahanek’s right-wing corner rolled to Jurgen Degabriele who beat goalkeeper Christian Cassar from close range. The champions had to wait until 11 minutes from time to seal their win with a second goal. Marcelo Dias’s cross from the right was headed on by Jorge Elias dos Santos and Marco Antonio Morgon Filho was on hand to hit low past the Tarxien custodian. Johann Bezzina completed the scoring four minutes from the end with a diagonal effort. Sahanek was voted BOV player of the match.