Floriana-Balzan 3-1

Floriana: T. Warner, K. Farrugia, T. Cilia (T. Paris), A. Verma, M. Spiteri (B. Farrugia), T. Farrugia, I. Coronado (V. Alhinho), S. Waisu, D. Pisani, C. Borg, S. Borg

Balzan FC: F. Tabone, J. Borg (M. Licari), M. Mendy, S. Giglio (B. Bondin), Y. Camilleri, R. Forace, J. Pace (C. Caruana), D. Grima, R. Conceicao, P. Calcado, E. Da Silva

Referee: M. Borg

Asst. Refs: M. Scerri, L. Portelli

4th official: G. Tonna

Scorers: S. Waisu 13, 35, I. Coronado 48, C. Caruana 84

Yellow cards: P. Calcado, C. Borg, A. Verma, Y. Camilleri

Player of the match: S. Wasiu (Floriana)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Verma  2. S. Wasiu  3. T. Farrugia

Balzan met their waterloo, succumbing to defeat after nine unbeaten competitive matches. Yesterday, their general play was unimpressive, their passing and movement was utterly scrappy and their finishing awry.

Floriana fully deserved to win  on the balance of play, in a match too one-sided to be called a contest.

The Greens had their opponents reeling in the opening minutes and Sunday Wasiu, who  started the match in attack instead of the injured Ryan Darmanin, was the tormentor-in-chief, scoring a brace within the first 35 minutes.

Another goal by Coronado in the opening minutes of the second half, consolidated the Greens’ win as they remained by far the superior side.

Both sides went into this game in some vein of good form. Balzan had been the most consistent side, unbeaten in eight successive league matches, three points above Floriana before kick off. They have now been caught by the Greens who have collected nine points from their last four league matches as they push further for a top-six finish.

Floriana, who also replaced defender Celestino with Tyrone Farrugia at the back, made the break through towards the qurter hour. Pisani’s cross from the right rebounded off the upright, putting keeper Tabone off balance. Sunday Wasiu’s first effort on the loose ball was blocked by the Balzan defence but he scored with his second.

The goal failed to lift the tedium though. Balzan, who had the likes of Caruana, Deanov, Francica and Licari on the bench, did not panic but were unable to take the initiative off their opponents, who showed more fluidity in their play.

Forace volleyed Borg’s cross wide and Calcado shot his free kick from outside the are horrendously over.

Balzan’s deficit doubled on 35 minutes. From Coronado’s corner from the right, the unmolested Waisu rose high to beat keeper Tabone with a free header.

Floriana remained totally in command and before the break, they went close again. Coronado’s shot from a distance took an awkward bounce but grounded keeper Tabone somehow redeemed himself and palmed the ball away.

Not surprisingly, Balzan made two changes for the second period, with Christian Caruana and Bjorn Bondin replacing Pace and Giglio and retreated Conceicao in central defence. But keeper Tabone gifted Floriana the third goal within three minutes as he failed to grasp Igor Coronado’s free kick from the left from some 25 metres out, with tha ball finishing behind his back.

That killed all of Balzan’s flickering hopes. Floriana were able to defend their comfortable lead with minimal difficulty, also making all three substitutions. as Balzan’s frustration grew with every passing minutes. Elton, a peripheral figure in Balzan’s attack, despite the support of Malcolm Licari, who went in for Borg, shot wide when finding some space on 78 minutes.

And after Wasiu failed to put his header on target, Balzan hit a consolation goal six minutes from time. Christian Caruana picked Elton’s pass and beat keeper Warnere with a low strike. But that served only for statistical purpose.