Floriana F.C. and FC Ballkani drew 1-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier on August 1st. The Maltese side will be the happier with the result after securing a draw against the Kosovan champions. Floriana, playing at home, took a surprise lead in the first half, capitalizing on a defensive error to stun the visitors. Ballkani, however, showed their quality and experience by patiently working their way back into the match, eventually finding an equalizer in the second half to level the tie. The key moment was a disallowed goal for offside that kept the scores level, while both teams had chances to win it late on. The away goal gives Ballkani a slight edge heading into the second leg in Kosovo. Floriana's manager would have expressed pride in his team's disciplined performance, while Ballkani's coach will focus on finishing the job at home. The Floriana lineup was set up to be compact and hit on the break, a tactic that worked effectively for large periods.