Tre Fiori host Drita in the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round on 6 August, but the visitors leave with a comfortable 1-4 win. The match finished at the stadium with Drita taking control after a quiet opening period. By then the visitors had already shown they meant business.
Andrea Prandelli gave the hosts hope when he found the net in the 56th minute. It was a rare bright spot for Tre Fiori, who had struggled to create anything meaningful. And here's the thing — that goal did not change the direction of the game.
Drita responded quickly. Radde Machelle Hocket Obouka scored in the 61st minute, then Albert Manaj added another three minutes later. The visitors were playing with a freedom the hosts could not match. To be fair, Tre Fiori had little to offer in defence.
Besnik Krasniqi completed the scoring with two goals. He opened his account in the 82nd minute before converting a penalty in 90+3 minutes. The second goal came after a decision was overturned, something that rarely happens in matches like this. By then the result was beyond doubt.
Substitutions peppered the second half. Tre Fiori brought on Federico Benedettini at half-time, while Drita made changes at 59, 69, 77, and 88 minutes. Manaj was taken off after his goal, a tactical shift that made sense. The visitors were managing the game with care.
The statistics tell the story without embellishment. Drita dominated possession at 67 per cent against 33 for the hosts. They registered 93 attacks to 63, with nine shots on target compared to two. Tre Fiori managed only three shots off target and nothing else of note.
The victory puts Drita in a strong position to progress. Tre Fiori's recent form — losses to Forli, Larnaca both times, and draws — suggested this outcome was likely. And here's the thing — matches like this are decided in moments, not over 90 minutes of grinding.