Floriana vs Drita

The first half was a cagey affair with few clear chances. Drita's Kristal Abazaj was booked early (20') for a late challenge, while Besnik Krasniqi followed him into the referee's notebook on 34'. Floriana's Paul Mbong also saw yellow in the 52nd minute. The sides went in goalless at the break.

Floriana manager Daniel Portela made his first change on 62 minutes, replacing Robert Muric with Kenan Dervisagic. A triple substitution followed on 73 minutes — Tomislav Gudelj, Zachary Scerri, and Chapi Romano all entered the fray — and Drita responded by sending on Liridon Balaj for Arb Manaj.

As the match crept towards a goalless stalemate, the fourth official signalled 13 minutes of added time. Drita struck first. In the 94th minute, Blerim Krasniqi teed up Balaj, who finished from the centre of the box to put the visitors ahead.

Floriana threw bodies forward. Alen Kurtalic was replaced by Amar Drina in the 97th minute. Two minutes later, Drina received the ball in the centre of the box and fired home with his right foot to spark wild celebrations and secure a share of the spoils.

The 13 minutes of added time completely transformed the match. Drita had controlled the game's tempo after going ahead and looked set to take a slender lead to Kosovo. But Floriana's refusal to settle for a 1-0 home defeat — and Portela's decision to introduce Drina with minutes remaining — paid off spectacularly. The substitute required just two minutes to make his mark.

• Amar Drina (Floriana) — Entered the match in the 97th minute and scored the equaliser with his first involvement. A textbook impact substitute cameo.

• Liridon Balaj (Drita) — The substitute striker showed composure to finish from Krasniqi's assist in the 94th minute, appearing to have won the game for Zekirija Ramadani's side.

• Blerim Krasniqi (Drita) — The creative hub of Drita's attack, providing the assist for Balaj's goal and causing problems throughout from his attacking midfield role.

• Guilherme Cioletti (Floriana) — The Floriana goalkeeper made several routine saves to keep the score at 0-0 during a tight first half and was well-positioned throughout.

Player of the match: Amar Drina (Floriana)

Both sides registered modest shot totals in a match that was defined by defensive organisation rather than attacking fluency. The 0-0 half-time scoreline reflected a first period in which neither goalkeeper was seriously tested. Drita's discipline was an issue — three yellow cards (Abazaj, Besnik Krasniqi, Salihu) compared to Floriana's one (Mbong). The substitutions tilted the momentum: Drita's Balaj scored within 21 minutes of coming on, but Floriana's Drina needed only two minutes. The 13 minutes of added time, partly a product of multiple second-half substitutions, ultimately decided the outcome.

Floriana preserved their unbeaten start to the tie and will travel to Kosovo for the second leg on 28 July with everything to play for. A 0-0 or 1-0 win for either side in the return leg would be enough to progress, while any score draw beyond 1-1 would send Drita through on away goals. Drita will feel they let a winning position slip, but the away goal gives them a clear path to the third qualifying round.

Floriana's next fixture is the second leg away to Drita on 28 July 2026. Drita host the return fixture at the same date.

A match that lurched from stalemate to drama in the space of five astonishing stoppage-time minutes. Drita will rue not seeing out the additional period, but Floriana's refusal to accept defeat — epitomised by Drina's instant impact — keeps the tie perfectly balanced. The second leg in Gjilan promises to be tightly contested.