Floriana 0

IF Elfsborg 4

IF Elfsborg kept piling up the goals against a poor Floriana side, hitting four more in the second leg yesterday, to progress to the next round of the Europa League on an impressive 12-0 aggregate.

Inept Floriana were again humiliated and put to the sword by superior opponents, once again demonstarting the gulf between Maltese and foreign clubs when it comes to European competition.

Floriana were lucky to go in only one goal down at halftime. Elfsborg completely dominated the proceedings, especially after breaking the deadlock with 20 minutes played.

They added three more in the second half and were denied on at least three other occasions by the smart goalkeeping of young Jurgen Borg. For long stretches, Elfsborg kicked the ball around between them, with Floriana only bystanders.

Despite the 8-0 lead from the first leg, a few scores of Swedish fans made the trip to Malta, but, quite understandably, most of the Floriana followers stayed at home.

Elfsborg dropped eight players from the team that started the match in Sweden the previous week, including goalkeeper Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard and Niklas Hult, who scored a hat trick in the first leg.

On the contrary, Floriana’s choice was limited. With Tyrone Farrugia suspended and Jospeh Borg injured, Sascha Borg and Ryan Darmanin were given starts, with only three players on the bench, namely John Agius, Jermain Brincat and Mark Spiteri.

Guzman and Micallef were the two central defenders, with Pisani and Sacha Borg the wide backs. Paris was the anchor man but Caruana, Brooke Farrugia and Clyde Borg were always back pedalling when Floriana lost possession.

Floriana resisted the onslaught for the first 20 minutes, although they fluffed a good opportunity after nine minutes when, on a poor clearance by the Elfsborg keeper on a Darmanin effort, the ball rolled towards Caruana who hit wide with a gaping goal at his mercy.

Elfsborg’s wing play, especially down the right, with crosses and through passes, always caused head aches for the Floriana rearguard, which caved in on 20 minutes. Abdulrahmann’s cross from the left was missed by Jawo but Daniel Mobaeck ran in unhindered to knock the ball over the line.

Floriana showed signs of wilting under pressure and Elfsborg created two more good chances inside the half hour. Jawo ran inside the Floriana area with alarming ease but the grounded keeper Borg managed to flick the ball off his feet and then block Abdulrahmann’s effort.

The Floriana keeper produced an elastic save as he turned Holmen’s goalbound shot into a corner. On 38 minutes, the Swedes should have doubled their lead. Jawo back-heeled pass put Hedlund clear inside the area but the player failed to put his shot on target. But it took Elfsborg only four minutes into the second half to score their second. Jawo cut through the middle from the right and his short pass found Oscar Hiljemark to flick the ball past keeper Borg.

Elfsborg continued to expose Floriana’s frailties. The Greens conceded another sloppy goal on 67 minutes. Per Frick chased a long pass from Molbaeck inside the area and although challenged by Guzman, he managed to flick the ball past the keeper who had rushed off his line to block. Elfsborg did not need to put any more effort, but even after lowering a gear or two, they still held the initiative. Keeper Borg blocked at Abdulrahmann’s feet inside the area before substitute Viktor Claesson slotted in a through pass that had cut the static Floriana defence and beat the offside trap.

Chasing a lost cause, Floriana looked a really pitiful side at the end. Their keeper denied Hedlund witha another one-handed save nine minutes from time to avoid further derision, even if the locals were well in the abyss by then.

Floriana: J. Borg, S. Borg, M. Micallef, F. Guzman, D. Pisani, T. Paris, B. Farrugia, C. Borg, C. Caruana (J. Brincat), I. Woods, R. Darmanin

IF Elfsborg: A. Andersson, M. Andersson, D. Mobaeck, S. Holmen, O. Hiljemark (S. Ishizaki), P. Frick, M. Abdulrahman, S. Hedlund, A. Jawo, C. Wede, M. Rohden (V. Claesson)

Referee: N. Popcv (Bulgaria)

Scorers: D. Mobaeck 20, O. Hiljemark 49, P. Frick 67, V. Claesson 77