Balzan drift off course and lose primacy
Balzan were knocked off the perch by Floriana as they suffered a damaging defeat against Floriana who played with spirit throughout and grew in belief as the game went on.
Balzan’s flaws at the back were exposed yesterday and the prospects had already looked bleak by halftime when going in a goal and a man down.
The first half was characterised by Florian Varela ‘s half hour lead and Alan Souza’s dismissal before halftime. Floriana scored two more goals soon after the break to take a three-goal lead but when Balzan hit back through Bojan Kaljevic the Greens started to lose a bit of their assertiveness, although the damage had been done.
Floriana had arrived on the back of six unbeaten games and there were flashes from them, including a first-half purple patch in which Varela had given them the lead.
Balzan coach Spiteri made two changes, giving starts to the returning Bruno De Oliveira in defence and Alfred Effiong in attack instead of Steve Bezzina and Matteo Piciollo respectively. Justin Grioli and Paul Fenech are still injured.
Floriana had Mario Fontanella and Maurizio Vella both suspended.
Both teams looked tactically well drilled in the initial stages. Balzan’s back four were in commanding form and started to look like a tough nut to crack for the Floriana forward line, composed of Ignacio Varela and Amadou Samb.
Kaljevic troubled Floriana with his aerial dominance and on 11 minutes he won an aerial duel with Pepe inside the area, headed the ball down to the unmarked Effiong whose3 shot was deflected into a corner.
But apart from that effort, Balzan had nothing to show for themselves in the first half.
They cracked towards the half hour. Floriana won a series of corners which none proved productive until one taken by Steve Pisani for Ingancio Varela to head Floriana in front.
Predictably the Greens began playing with more confidence and authority after that. Balzan were struggling to make an impact.
To make matters worse for them, Souza hit Camenzuli in the face and was rightly expelled two minutes before the break.
From that moment only one team looked like nicking the points. The Greens had the bit between their teeth and they pushed hard.
Balzan put in Ryan Fenech on the hour but they were offering precdious little
The delivery of their set pieces, especially the corner kicks always caused embarrassment to the Balzan rearguard and so it proved five minutes into the second half. From another Steve Pisani corner, Amadou Samb scored with a firm header.
The game was effectively over when Floriana struck again.
The Greens demonstrated all their superiority when seven minutes later they won a freekick outside the Balzan area on the right. Steve Pisani effected the delivery and Jurgen Pisani shot in to take the wind out of Balzan’s sails.
Balzan put in Ryan Fenech on the hour and they hit a consolation goal five minutes later . Grima’s low cross from the right was met by Bojan Kaljevic who struck it past the helpless keeper Haber.
With Floriana becoming a little complacent, Balzan suddenly jerked into shape. Fenech played a quick free kick to Effiong who hit the ball across the face of the Floriana goal but found nobody to connect to it.
On 72 minutes substitute Micallef had his effort blocked by keeper Haber.
Although by the end they were being bullied on teh ball, Floriana remained totrally committed and won with plenty of merit.