Emphatic win for Floriana

Balzan Youths 1
Floriana 5

Judging by their first ever competitive performance in the top flight, a long and hard season is looming for Balzan Youths. The newcomers found the going tough against an average Floriana side eager to make amends for last season's disappointing campaign.

Following a bright start during which the Youths enjoyed the upper hand, Floriana's first spell of ascendancy procured three quick goals which put the issue beyond their opponents' reach.

Stalwart Jonathan Holland, who seems to have fallen out of favour with his club, was left on the substitutes' bench as the striking prowess of the squad was left in the hands of Eduardo Do Nascimento and Nicolò Baldacchino. The Brazilian relished the challenge as he scored a brace and was a constant torment for the Balzan defence.

Jimmy Briffa could do little to halt his side's slump midway through the first half. Jaroslav Marx marshalled his side well but there was a limit to what he could achieve on his own.

Up front, Kurt Coleiro and Stefan Zahra did all the running but they had very few serious attempts which troubled a steady Camilleri in goal.

Balzan kicked off in sprightly fashion and troubled the Greens' rearguard in the first 10 minutes as Coleiro darted in to meet a corner and his header was blocked off the line by Clifton Ciantar.

Marx was undoubtedly the Youths' mastermind as he rallied his team forward whenever the shirts in red soldiered upfield. At times, however, the former Birkirkara midfielder must have felt frustrated as his new colleagues were too slow to carve an opening that could reap dividends.

Close to the half hour, Michael Valenzia floated a good cross inside the penalty area and Zahra flashed a header wide as the Floriana defence enjoyed a siesta in the afternoon sun.

The Youths were left to rue this missed chance as Ziya Yildiz's lads went in front with their first decent attempt at goal. A long clearance was controlled by Do Nascimento, Bizu, who had the better of a jittery Tom Maric before rounding off goalie Stoyan Simeonov and fired the ball home.

Moments later the Greens were knocking again at Simeonov's fort. Baldacchino did well to race down the left flank as he flicked a low pass towards goal only for Caruana to deflect the ball to a corner.

Seven minutes from half-time, Floriana doubled their tally. Shaun Bajada picked out Trevor Cilia who ran past a crowd of red shirts to hammer the ball beyond Simeonov's reach.

The Youths wilted under this unexpected pressure and it was no surprise when Floriana notched another goal before half-time. Brazilian Bizu was proving a handful on the left flank. He outsmarted Caruana and his powerful shot stunned the Balzan guardian.

A three-goal lead in the space of 15 minutes threatened to sweep the newcomers off their feet but Briffa's boys found the courage to pull themselves together and bridge the gap before the end of the first half.

Tellus's persistence paid off as the defender somehow served Zahra in the centre of the area after the ball had taken a wicked deflection off a defender. The striker was quick to react, unleashing a scorcher which gave Camilleri no chance.

Balzan's comeback was a flash in the pan however, as their opponents increased their lead on 53 minutes. Bajada executed the harmless of freekicks but Simeonov fumbled the sortie and diverted the ball into his own net.

The Youths' guardian may have been at fault in their fourth goal but he did earn the plaudits with a point blank save as he dived frantically to his right to block Baldacchino's drill after Bizu had inflicted damage in the penalty area.

Ten minutes from time, substitute Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza added gloss to his team's victory as he was left unmarked at the far post and headed into the net an inch-perfect cross from Cilia.

The harm had long been caused and Floriana could afford to loosen their grip with maximum spoils tucked under their belt. As for Balzan, this baptism of fire was simply a learning curve which they need to address if they want to avoid a quick return to first division football.

Balzan Y.: S. Simeonov, N. Gatt (C. Brimmer), S. Capitta, S. Tellus, T. Maric, M. Caruana, M. Valenzia, J. Marx, K. Coleiro (S. Mizzi), S. Zahra (G. Scerri), M. Martin.

Floriana: M. Camilleri, R. Gango-Rtsa, C. Ciantar, J.C. Schembri, I. Azzopardi (S. Wellman), S. Zammit Fava (K. Formosa), T. Cilia, C. Mattocks, E. Do Nascimento (J. P. Mifsud Triganza), S. Bajada, N. Baldacchino.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Scorers: Do Nascimento 28, 40; Cilia 38; Zahra 45; Bajada 53; Mifsud Triganza 80.

Yellow Cards: Tellus; Do Nascimento.

Mia Player Of The Match: Eduardo Do Nascimento (Floriana).