PAOLA, Malta (Interstat) — Zabbar held off host Floriana for a 2-1 victory Monday at Tony Bezzina Stadium, using goals from Tobias Moriceau and Milos Jovicic to secure the result after Myles Beerman had equalized for Floriana. The visitors scored in the eighth and 45th minutes, while Floriana’s answer came in the 24th. All three goals were scored in the first half, and Zabbar took a 2-1 lead into halftime. Zabbar was the visiting team, and Floriana was the home team.

Moriceau put Zabbar ahead in the eighth minute. Floriana responded and drew level in the 24th minute when Beerman scored. Jovicic restored Zabbar’s lead in the 45th minute, and that goal proved decisive. Moriceau played the full match, scored once and was booked, while Beerman also played the full match and scored. Jovicic scored before being replaced in the 78th minute. No further goals were scored after the 45th minute. Zabbar finished with two goals total, and Floriana finished with one goal total.

The key performances included Beerman of Floriana with one goal in 90 minutes, Jovicic of Zabbar with one goal in 78 minutes and Moriceau of Zabbar with one goal and a yellow card in 90 minutes. Beerman’s goal was Floriana’s only goal of the match. Moriceau’s goal opened the scoring, and Jovicic’s goal gave Zabbar the lead for good.

Zabbar’s J. Micallef was shown a yellow card in the 40th minute. Moriceau was booked in the 56th minute, and Zabbar received another yellow card in the 88th minute. Floriana introduced Kauan in the 51st minute, K. Dervisagic in the 61st and S. Odey in the 76th. Zabbar brought on T. Melillo in the 56th minute, replaced Jovicic in the 78th and introduced P.F. Gouhon and Vinicius Kanu in the 81st. The substitutions continued a busy second half after three first-half goals had set the score.

Zabbar entered the match after a 3-2 home loss to Sliema, a 2-1 road win at Balzan and a 2-1 road loss at Marsaxlokk. Earlier this season, Zabbar also lost 2-0 at home to Birkirkara, drew 0-0 on the road at Gzira, lost 2-1 at home to Hamrun, drew 1-1 on the road at Hibernians, won 1-0 at home over Birzebbuga and lost 4-2 on the road at Valletta.

Floriana had drawn 1-1 on the road at Birkirkara, 3-3 at home with Mosta and 1-1 at home with Balzan. Floriana also beat Hibernians 4-0 at home, lost 5-2 on the road at Marsaxlokk FC, beat Marsaxlokk FC 5-2 at home, beat Gzira 4-1 at home, drew 1-1 on the road at Hamrun, beat Sliema 2-0 at home and beat Birzebbuga 3-0 on the road.

Zabbar’s competition record is now 3 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws, and its record across all competitions stands at the same mark. Floriana is now 5 wins, 2 losses and 4 draws in the competition and across all competitions. Zabbar next faces Mosta at home in the Malta Premier League, while Floriana next hosts Valletta in the Malta Premier League. The result was a home loss for Floriana and a road win for Zabbar. The game was a league fixture in the Malta Premier League and was played on Monday. The result counted in the competition standings and across all competitions.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Floriana 2, Zabbar 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Floriana with a 98 percent probability to win. Floriana had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.