Hibernians-Balzan 1-3

New champions Hibernians were finally beaten yesterday, just one week after claiming the title and 31 matches into the seaon, by a highly motivated Balzan side. By virtue of this win, Balzan make sure they finish in fourth place, with an unassailable seven-point lead above Floriana.

It was an impressive display from Balzan, who not only played with industry and togetherness, but also showed self belief from the start of an enthralling match.

Balzan did much as they pleased from the outset, with Dylan Grima, Luke Sciberras  and Gianmarco Piccioni providing energy and inspiration.

Hibernians looked flat and unusually subdued in other periods. There was nothing fluent or refined about their play yesterday, and at times they looked devoid of ideas as they struggled to break Balzan down despite putting pressure on their opponents in the secfond half.

A notable absentee for Balzan was their top striker Bojan Kaljevic, rumoured to be injured, with Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza playing instead. Midfielders Edison Zarate and Luke Sciberras were given starts but there was no place for Lydon Micallef, Justin Grioli or Oscar Guerrero in the initial line-up.

Coach Branko Nisevic continued with his rotation of the newly-crowned champions. Jean Paul Farrugia, Marko Rajic and Johann Bezzina wera all dropped, to be replaced by Marcelo Dias, Jurgen Dagbriele and Andrew Cohen back from suspension.

Balzan started brightly. Bezzina was the first to test keeper Bonello with a low shot after ten minutes. Two minutes later, Piccioni scampered up the right flank, went for goal but shot over.

Hibernians, under some pressure, responded  with a Kristensen header going over off a Failla cross.

Balzan’s threat had been growing when they forged ahead after only 19 minutes. On Piccioni’s cross from the right, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza hit in a powerful shot which keeper Bonello could only hold from behind the goal line.

Hibernians continued to endure nervous moments at the back and on the half hour a Grima shot was repelled by keeper Bonello.

The champions only threatened in the half’s  late stages with a Failla curling shot narrowly missing the target.

Hibernians seemed to have found heart and more aggression after the restart. Agius found some favourable rebounds inside the Balzan area as he cam face to face with keeper Cassar who blocked him into a corner. From the resultant corner, Degabriele’s effort was again blocked by Cassar, only for Lima to hit wide.

Forced to absorb sopme sustained pressure, Balzan amassed their area and refused to buckle. And when their midfield was often overrun, their backline and goalkeeper stood firm.

As frustration seemed to be creeping in, Hibernians put in Andre Lima Di Melo for Degabriele after 66 minutes, with Balzan replacing Mifsud Triganza with Lydon Micallef.

On 70 minutes, a Failla diagonal shot was deflected inches wide by Lima Di Melo.

The game’s defining moment came on 73 minutes. Balzan broke down the right flank through Piccioni who played the ball in open space for Sciberras to advance inside the Hibernians’ area but was felled under Bonello’s challenge to win a penalty. The Hibernians’ custodian was sent off as resereve keeper Jurgen Borg was rendered helpless by Gianmarco Piccioni’s shot from the spot.

Staring at defeat in the face, Hibernians’ response had Lima clipping the Balzan bar and with seven minutes remaining they even pulled one back  when Clayton Failla capitalised to head in the rebound after a Kristensen header, on a Cohen free kick, hit the post.

There was nothing left for Hibernians to do but press forward in the hope of a comeback during a frantic seven minutes of added time. But Balzan’s defence, with Elkin Serrano imperiously dominant inside the area,  stood firm and in the dying minutes caught their opponents on yet another break, as Luke Sciberras advanced clear from midfield to beat the onrushing keeper Borg and send the Balzan fans in ecstacy.

Balzan looked good value for their win as Hibernians were left deeply frustrated.

Floriana-Naxxar 4-1

With hopes of finishing in the top four looking slim after two consecutive defeats, Floriana were back in the groove yesterday against Naxxar Lions, recovering well from a goal down and a sloppy first half to win comfortably at the end.

Floriana were looking scrappy and tame until they restored parity soon after the half hour and after that they completely dominated their opponents, with Brazilian Igor Coronado scoring a hat-trick and Matteo Piciollo adding a fourth.

Some woeful defending and excessive wastefulness played a major part in Naxxar’s heavy defeat.

Naxxar were in front and creating enough decent chances to wrap up the game by the opening half hour, but then they completely ran out of ideas after they were caught up by their opponents to suffer a heavy defeat that puts some lingering doubts about their outcome.

Floriana were an understrength side yesterday, hit hard by suspensions to regular keeper Calleja Cremona, midfielder Steve Pisani and forwards Amadou Samb and Vito Plut.

Valerio Senatore started in goal, with Igor Coronado and Conor Borg given the nod. Giovanni Galea again played in attack to partner the returning Matteo Piciollo as Gary Muir was dropped to the bench.

Naxxar’s striking force was dented, without Demba Toure,’ and Terence Vella starting on the bench.

The Lions, however, seemed to be settling quicker, most of the danger coming from the incursions through the middle of Gilmar Ribeiro, with Frank Temile and Jorge Silva operating from the flanks.

The deadlock was broken after 19 minutes as Naxxar, already more threatening, scored a beautifully-crafted goal. Jorge Silva, just in line with the Floriana defence, pinged a low cross from the right to Ribeiro who laid it short for Daren Falzon to shoot in from close range.

With Floriana all very sloppy and wide open at the backi, Naxxar fluffed two glaring opportunities to increase their lead within as many minutes soon after the half hour. Ribeiro, put clear by Jorge Silva’s cross, blazed the ball wastefully over. On another Naxxar counter, Jorge Silva again presented Temile with a sitter from an ideal position, but the Naxxar forward lofted the ball.

Naxxar paid a hefty price for such profligacy. On 38 minutes, when Piciollo played a cut-back pass to Igor Coronado, he beat Naxxar keeper Azzopardi with a defiant strike at the roof of the net to restore parity.

Suddenly the match had fizz and, with halftime beckoning, Floriana even scored their second. Conor Borg raked a high ball that caused a scramble inside the Naxxar defence and Igor Coronado reacted quickest to shoot in past the goalkeeper.

The second half belonged to Floriana as they scored two more goals before the hour that reflected their improvement in the match, even if Naxxar’s defence was again deficient.

On 55 minutes, keeper Azzopardi allowed the ball to slide beneath his stretched body on Igor Coronado’s harmelss shot from outside the area. Four minutes later Matteo Piciollo went past Buhagiar on the right to beat the Naxxar keeper from a tight angle.

Naxxar put in Terence Vella soon after but had to do without the injured Ribeiro for the last half hour. The damage had already been done and the closest Naxxar could go was with a Jorge Silva shot, repelled by  Senatore on 67 minutes.

On 72 minutes, the Floriana goalkeeper was cuaght out of place on a Vella cross. Jorge Silva’s goalbound efffort was blocked on the line by Micallef to keep the Lions at bay.

Floriana could have inflicted more damage in the late stages as Piciollo advanced unhindered towards the Naxxar goal but was thwarted by Azzopradi’s timely block at his feet.