Floriana 3
Caruana 64; Farrugia 87; Darmanin 89
Balzan Youths 0
The scoreline might indicate a straightforward win for Floriana but in reality they only managed to make sure of the points with two quick goals in the dying minutes to strengthen their grip on third place.
Floriana coach Joe Brincat rang the changes following the upset to Hibs with Tyrone Farrugia back to the starting line-up for the first time since October and Pablo Doffo also in the fray after suspension.
Goalkeeper Patrick Jansen and John Mintoff were also in the starting XI at the expense of Manuel Bartolo and Duncan Pisani.
Ivan Zammit, the Balzan coach, effected two changes from the team that drew against Sliema as Roderick Farrugia and Yessous Camilleri were recalled in lieu of the suspended Pedrinho and Dylan Grima, sidelined with injury.
In a low-key opening, Floriana were marginally the better side but their efforts failed to yield a tangible reward.
Early on, Matthew Camilleri punched Doffo’s free-kick to safety.
Having repelled Floriana’s initial efforts, the Youths relied on their work ethic to gain a foothold.
On the quarter-of-an-hour mark, a fine run by Glenn Bonello had the few hundred spectators on their feet. He dashed into the box but his shot was too weak to trouble Jansen.
Floriana’s reliance on set-pieces was again evident on 24 minutes when another free-kick by Doffo from the right, caused havoc inside the Balzan box but with no positive outcome for the Greens.
When ends were changed, goalmouth action again came at a premium.
Caruana missed a glorious opportunity to put Floriana ahead on 55 minutes. He exchanged passes with Sodje who freed him in front of keeper Camilleri but he miscued his shot badly and the ball rolled the wrong side of the upright.
Two minutes later, Sodje failed to make a meaningful connection with an inviting ball from the right by Mintoff.
Floriana finally broke the deadlock on 64 minutes when Doffo’s ball paved the way for Woods to shoot at goal. Camilleri could only half-parry the shot as it fell in Caruana’s path and this time he sent his effort arrowing into the net.
After 72 minutes, Floriana nearly doubled their lead but Camilleri produced a miraculous save to tip Sodje’s point-blank header over the bar.
Balzan may have been rocked by the goal but after 78 minutes they worked out a superb move which nearly knocked out their opponents. However, Martin Deanov saw his volley saved by Jensen to preserve his team’s slim lead.
Then, Brincat’s men punished Balzan’s flat-out approach with two goals in the last three minutes.
First, Mintoff slipped a through-pass to Farrugia who ran into the box to beat Camilleri with a diagonal grounder. Then, in the very last minute, Sodje burst down the right flank and his cross was turned home by substitute Ryan Darmanin.
Balzan Youths: M. Camilleri-6.5, R. Forace-5, B. Guga-6, J. Francica-5, N. Tasic-6, B. Bondin-6, J. Pace-5 (90 M. Borg), Y. Camilleri-5, G. Bonello-6.5 (81 N. Zammit), M. Deanov-6, R. Farrugia-5 (73 M. Ciantar).
Floriana: P. Jansen-6, P. Doffo-6.5, M. Micallef-6, E. Akoto-5, O. Bugeja-6, I. Woods-6.5 (83 R. Darmanin), T. Paris-5, T. Farrugia-6.5, J. Mintoff-7.5, O. Sodje-7, C. Caruana-6.5 (90 B. Farrugia).
Referee Chris Lautier.
Yellow card Mintoff.
BOV Player of the match Christian Caruana (Floriana).