Floriana 1
Samb 53;
Balzan 1
Serrano 70;
The sight of club president Riccardo Gaucci remonstrating with the match officials after Floriana had two late penalty appeals turned down summed up his team’s growing frustrations.
Regardless of whether Floriana’s claims were legitimate or not, the bottom line is that, for the third game in a row, the Greens had to settle for a point after surrendering the lead.
Their latest draw came against the high-flying Balzan who only flickered sporadically during the match but did just enough to earn a point and consolidate third place in the table.
While Floriana felt hard done by those late calls from the referee, the draw was arguably a fair result as both teams created chances.
After an even first half, the Greens enjoyed their most productive spell in the first 20 minutes of the second period but they stuttered as Balzan, led by Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza and Edison Bilbao Zarate, rallied.
Vito Plut was the central cog in Floriana’s three-man attack with Amadou Samb and Matteo Piciollo on the wings in a 4-3-3 formation.
Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri rewarded Mifsud Triganza with a starting place after the experienced striker’s influential cameo in the 3-2 victory over Tarxien Rainbows.
There were no changes in Balzan’s tactical strategy with Gianmarco Piccioni taking up a central position in attack and Mifsud Triganza and Oscar Guerrero pushing up the wings.
Floriana almost stunned Balzan with an early goal. Piciollo drifted infield from the left before serving Plut but the Slovenian’s effort was deflected away for a corner.
The most creative stuff in the early stages came from Floriana. On 13 minutes, Plut advanced menacingly through the middle but his progression was stopped by Elkin Serrano’s body charge. Balzan’s Colombian defender was cautioned for his foul and Diego Felipe lifted his shot over the bar from the ensuing free-kick.
Balzan came close when from a Guerrero corner, the ball was deflected into the path of Serrano but his flick was cleared off the line by Steve Bonnici.
A diagonal run by Samb had the Balzan defence on the ropes but the Senegalese’s piledriver drew a fine save from Steve Sultana, the Balzan goalkeeper.
When Steve Pisani surrendered possession in midfield, Balzan capitalised as they broke forward on the counter. Mifsud Triganza slipped the ball to Zarate who produced a series of feints to put the Floriana defenders off balance before releasing Piccioni who hit the post.
On the restart, Floriana ought to have taken the lead when Samb was unguarded in the box but he hesitated and his tame effort came off the grounded Sultana.
Pisani then went close with a rising shot that whistled past the post.
The Greens got their reward for their improved efforts as, on 53 minutes, Pisani’s cross from a corner was headed in by Samb.
Another Pisani delivery, this time from a left-wing corner, almost undid Balzan again as Bonnici’s header was flicked goalwards by Plut but Balzan cleared.
The erstwhile lacklustre Balzan stirred as the second half reached the halfway point. Diego Felipe was relieved to see the ball graze the crossbar after he cut out Mifsud Triganza’s cross-shot but, in their next attack, the Reds equalised.
Substitute Michael Borg was the provider as his cross from the left soared towards the far post and Serrano stooped to head the ball home.
It was now Balzan’s turn to up the tempo and Piccioni looked set to put Balzan ahead but his effort was fisted away by Senatore.
Floriana’s unexpected decline prompted coach Giovanni Tedesco to bring on some fresh legs as Emerson Marcelina replaced Samb and Conor Borg came on for Clyde Borg.
The double change helped Floriana regain composure but Balzan remained the more dangerous side.
Piccioni blasted over from a free-kick while, a minute from time, Floriana thought they had won a penalty when Plut went down under Clive Brincat’s challenge but Pisani awarded a free-kick to Balzan and cautioned the Slovenian for simulation, much to the dismay of the Greens players and Gaucci.
The Italian was further incensed when Pisani rejected another penalty claim after substitute Giovanni Galea ended on the turf after coming in contact with Serrano.
Floriana
V. Senatore-7, A. Scicluna-5, D. Felipe-5, S. Pisani-6.5 (88 G. Galea), C. Borg-6 (76 C. Borg), V. Plut-6.5, M. Piciollo-6, M. Briffa-6, A. Samb-6.5 (74 E. Marcelina), B. Farrugia-6.5, S. Bonnici-6.
Balzan
S. Sultana-7, J. Grioli-6 (87 F. Odebe), S. Bezzina-5.5, E. Serrano-6, E. Bilbao Zarate-7, O. Guobadia-6, C. Brincat-6.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-7, O. Guerrero-5 (66 M. Borg-6), L. Sciberras-5 (53 L. Micallef-6.5), G. Piccioni-5.
Referee: Clayton Pisani.
Yellow cards: Serrano; Sciberras; Felipe; Plut; Samb.
BOV player of the match: Edison Bilbao Zarate (Balzan).