Floriana cancelled out a one-goal deficit to claim a 2-1 win over Haverfordwest County AFC in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round, on Tuesday.
The Greens showed signs of a fresh tactical identity under new coach Daniel Portela, who made his competitive debut since taking over from previous coach Darren Abdilla this summer.
This European encounter provided a first proper glimpse of Portela’s philosophy – one built on offensive intent and positional structure.
Although often associated with a 4-3-3 shape, Floriana appeared to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Malta international Jake Grech operating close to debutant forward Moustapha Jah, highlighting fluidity in the attacking midfield line.
Jah, a lanky and dynamic 21-year-old Gambian striker, proved a handful for Haverfordwest’s defence. He alternated between running into space behind the lines and using his physical frame to shield the ball and link play. His agility and sharp changes of pace won valuable fouls in advanced areas, hinting at his potential as a key attacking outlet.
On the left flank, new signing Federico Varela provided width and skills, using his pace to stretch and his dribbling to manipulate the Welsh side. Completing the front three was Mattia Veselji, back from a stint in Serbia, offering verticality on the left.
Behind them, Floriana deployed Charles M’Mombwa and Dunstan Vella as the midfield pivots. M’Mombwa, previously in Australia’s A-League, was brought to bring strength and composure during build-up, although Haverfordwest clearly singled him out – assigning a midfielder to tightly mark him in a bid to disrupt Floriana’s rhythm.
Defensively, Portela’s backline was comprised entirely of new faces: goalkeeper Guilherme Cioletti, and centre-backs Iago Mendonça and Lucas Lopez. Mendonça, a right-footed defender from Portuguese football, was tasked with initiating long passes from deep – though his distribution was inconsistent, it suggests Portela may view him as a central playmaker against high-pressing opponents.
Haverfordwest lined up in a 3-5-2, aiming to block central channels and cover half-spaces. Their pressing included key man-marking assignments, forcing Floriana to rotate quickly in midfield and increase tempo to create overloads, particularly through Grech and Varela making incisive runs between defenders.
Despite Floriana’s control, the Welsh side took the lead midway through the first half. A direct ball over the top wasn’t dealt with properly, and veteran striker Ben Ahmun capitalised after Cioletti was caught out of position. At 33 and physically imposing, Ahmun remains a major threat heading into the second leg.
Floriana responded just before the break. A well-worked combination on the right led to a smart cross by Varela, met by an underlap run by full-back Gonzalo Gamarra, who converted to make it 1-1.
Floriana took the lead early in the second half after being awarded a penalty. The incident followed a well-executed inswinging corner, where Floriana committed five players inside the box, while two stayed outside to either recover second balls or recycle possession. Haverfordwest responded with a strict man-marking setup, but their structure failed to deal with the movement and physicality of the Floriana attackers. The resulting contact in the area led to the spot kick, which Jake Grech calmly converted to complete the turnaround.
Only one substitution occurred, with summer signing Todor Glosovic replacing Veselji on the 69th minute. The Serbian winger, 24 years, slotted in on the right, continuing the team’s vertical attacking strategy.
Floriana deserved their win, showing technical superiority and glimpses of what Portela’s system might offer this season.
However, they must improve their decision-making in the final third and remain wary of Haverfordwest’s direct and physical approach ahead of a challenging second leg.
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