FLORIANA-  1

BALZAN FC-  1

Floriana: T. Warner, C. Tremarco, K. Farrugia, G. Roberts, T. Cilia, T. Paris, C. Borg, B. Farrugia, U. Nwoko, S. Pisani (M. Spiteri), I. Coronado

Balzan: D. Martinez, J. Borg, S. Giglio, A. Agius (Y. Camilleri), R. Conceicao( F. Aboulezz), C. Caruana , M. Mendy, D. Grima, J. Pace, R. Darmanin, E. Moises N’Dekra (R. Forace)

Referee:  K. Azzopardi

Asst.refs:  I. Spiteri, A. Camilleri

4th official: A. M. Sant

Scorers: I. Coronado 66, R. Darmanin 72

Yellow cards: G. Roberts

Player of the match: I. Coronado (Floriana)

TMI top 3:  1. M. Mendy  2. S. Pisani  3. R. Conceicao

Floriana made the best of a purple 20-minute patch at the start of the second half to score a goal and burgle a point in this encounter against superior opponents. Floriana were second best for long patches against Balzan but avoided ending a match, their opponents dominated, empty handed.

This contest always struggled to spark into life, but the second half eclipsed the first in terms of excitement, producing both goals and slightly better football.

Balzan’s committment from the start and their tactical imposition should have yielded better rewards and they could have bagged full points were it not for a piece of individual artistry by Igor Coronado in execution of the goal for Floriana past the hour and the woodwork that denied Ryan Darmanin a second goal four minutes from time.

Following their win over Hamrun Spartans, Balzan made two changes in their starting line-up. Jamie Pace and Renato Conceicao replaced Aboulezz and Bondin. Ryan Darmanin and Christian Caruana were both former Floriana players.

Floriana had also won their first match in the Relegation Pool against Melita and had Gary Roberts returning from suspension, deployed as central defender, alongside  Kane Farrugia, replacing the suspended Owen Bugeja.

After a cagey first half hour, during which neither side managed to take control, Balzan started gradually to take a grip in midfield with Grima, Pace and Conceicao dictating the procedures via an exhibition of vision and passing that continually troubled the opposition and  and cut most of the supply towards Floriana’s most productive player Coronado.

A couple of half chances for Balzan kept Warner the busier of the two goalkeepers as he saved Darmanin’s tame header on Pace’s cross and then blocked at Darmanin’s feet on another N’Dekra testing cross. With halftime looming, Warner stretched himslef to tip Borg’s grounder into a corner with some diffulty.

If Balzan lacked invention, Floriana were even less imaginative and seriously troubled the Balzan rearguard, except for a feeble Pisani ball contact, as he ran in well in front of goal for Tremarco’s cross, and a Pisani low delivery from the right which went across the Balzan goal with nobody able to connect.

Floriana started the second half in more lively fashion. On 55 minutes, Cilia surged past Borg on the right but his powerful drive was repelled by Balzan keeper Martinez. Past the hour, Nwoko twisted and turned on the edge of the Balzan area, cut towards the middle before unleashing a shot narrowly off target.

That heralded the Greens’ best patch that brought them the goal on 66 minutes. Igor Coronado chased a Pisani through ball inside the Balzan area, steadied himself despite the marking of Giglio and Borg, and left the onrushing keeper standing like a statue as he coolly lobbed the ball at the top corner.

To their credit, Balzan did not throw away the towel. Farrugia needed a sliding tackle to halt N’Deka’s progression on a Conceicao pass.

Balzan’s leveller on 72 minutes had a Floriana trade mark about it. Caruana played the ball to Ryan Darmanin who chsted it and hit it on the turn at the top left hand corner.

Balzan should have won the match, going very close on two occasions in the final 12 minutes. Grima’s cross shot from the byeline on the right was cleared by the Floriana defence and Caruana’s goal bound effort on the loose ball was also blocked.

Four minutes from time, Darmanin thumped his firm header against the bar from a corner by substitute Aboulezz, with Caruana’s effort on the rebound blocked away to deny Balzan a win.