ST ANDREWS -               0

BALZAN FC-                    1

 

St Andrews: J. Galea, E. Beltre, D. Camilleri (N. Belacevic), K. Kesinovic, B. Che, M. Johnson, F. Udoh, G. McKay (J. Walker), J. Farrugia, Z. Kastrevec (A. Bakmaz), K. Nwoko

Balzan: C. Cassar, B. De Oliveira, B. Kaljevic, S. Arab, L. Micallef (T. Agius), D. Grima, A. Effiong, A. De Barros, E. Serrano, P. Fenech (S. Cipriott), M. Piciollo (A. Souza)

Referee: T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs: J. Spiteri, T. Debono

4th official: F. Zammit

Scorers: B. De Oliveira 24

Yellow cards: K. Kesinovic, D. Grima, P. Fenech

Player of the match: E. Beltte’ (St Andrews)

TMI top 3: 1. G. McKay  2. A. De Barros  3. E. Beltre’

A solitary goal scored by centre back Bruno De Oliveira midway through the first half, was enough for Balzan to beat St Andrews and stay at the top of the BoV Premier standings at least for another week.

It was that kind of game, crying out for a flash of inspiration, at the end of which Balzan took the points they needed.

Although they were the dominant team, the leaders were disjointed, playing in fits and starts and offering only flashes of the fluency they have shown of late.

Perhaps they were feeling the strain of their Trophy match against Valletta in midweek.

Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri rotated his players, making five changes from the side that drew against Birkirkara in the league the previous week, dropping regular keeper Janjusevic, defender Clive Brincat, Alan Souza, Abdelkarim Nafti and Ryan Fenech.

But their start suggested those absences might not hinder them as they quickly took charge.

Yet they were playing a side who pride themselves on being obdurate opponents.

St Andrews are anything but naive these days and coach Doncic’s more streetwise team discomforted their opponents in the second half, but failed to make anything tangible of it. This was the Saints’ first defeat after five positive outings.

St Andrews were not at full strength. Their key striker Ivan Paz was suspended while Ante Bakmaz was exiled to the bench. Bong Che returned after suspension while Godwin McKay was called up in midfield.

The only noteworthy episode of a mundane first half, played in strong winds at Ta’Qali, was Balzan’s opener after 24 minutes. They won a free kick, for Kesinovic’s foul on Piciollo, from outside the area on the right. Defender Bruno De Oliveira stepped up to drill an unstoppable shot at the top corner of the keeper’s right.

The match somehow burst into life in the second period, thanks to St Andrews’ willingness to move  more forward. On 51 minutes McKay tested the Balzan keeper Cassar for the first time in the match. Towards the hour Cassar ran off his line to foot the ball upfield before Nwoko could connect to McKay’s through pass.

And on 64 minutes Kastrevic headed an inviting cross by Beltre’, inches wide.

Balzan effected two substitutions, putting in Alan Souza and Terence Agius for better creativity. They showed some urgency and on 68 minutes Souza crossed for Kaljevic to hit strongly, but keeper Galea saved well.

But as St Andrews looked devoid of energy and ideas in the late stages, Balzan needed only to defend their slender lead with minimal difficulty.

BIRKIRKARA-  0

VALLETTA -     1   

Birkirkara: H. Bonello, C. Bubalovic, G. Sciberras, M. Guillaumier (R. Scicluna), M. Andelkovic, S. Dimitrov, G. Malan, V. Plut, N. Vukanac, C. Attard, G. Muir (J. Zerafa)

Valletta: D. Bartkus, J. Caruana, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano (N. Pulis), T. Radzinevicius (L. Montebello), L. Cremona, C. Pani, U. Uchenna (J. Borg), L. Aguirre, R. Romao

Referee: M. Spiteri

Asst.refs: L. Portelli, C. Azzopardi

Additional asst.refs: P. Farrugia, E. Grech

4th official: P. Abela

Scorers: S. Malano 27

Yellow cards: G. Muir, C. Pani, G. Malan, L. Aguirre

Player of the match: S. Malano (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. S. Malano  2. C. Attard  3. L. Cremona

Attendance: 1,228

Valletta found their goalscoring touch at just the right time, showing a great deal of personality yesterday and were rewarded by Santiago Malano’s strike short of the half hour, enough to beat rivals Birkirkara in the top match of the weekend.

Thanks to this win, Valletta keep up their push in the title chase in third place and coach Paul Zammit can reflect on a hugely satisfying evening’s work.

Birkirkara were trailing Valletta by three points before kick off and with Balzan winning again, they needed to keep the pace with the leaders.

Still unbeaten in this calendar year before yesterday, this damaging defeat, against one of the teams they find particularly difficult to lose to, might impact the Stripes’ title ambitions now.

Birkirkara threatened but without creating too much of clear-cut note and very rarely tested Dziugas Bartkus in the Valletta goal although they were denied by tghe woodwork in the late stages.

Birkirkara coach Nikola Jaros gave starts to Christian Bubalovic and a debut to new signing Gary Muir in defence. Joseph Zerafa was exiled to the bench but replaced Muir in the second half.

Valletta started with Lithuanian Tomas Radzinevicius in attack as Llywelyn Cremona started in midfield for the suspended Rowen Muscat.

Valletta wanted to bounce back form their upset in the FA Trophy against Balzan in midweek.

The champions started quite securely, if a little cagily, as Birkirkara struggled to control the high tempo in midfield.

Valletta had already gone close short of the quarter hour, following a deep cross from the right and Romao’s close header being held out by keeper Bonello, playing against his former team for the first time since joining Birkirkara.

Valletta went ahead on 27 minutes. Santiago Malano pounced on a moment of defensive hesitation from Muir, who took long to clear inside his area, and the Valletta player could advance to beat Bonello with a low strike.

Photos Domenic Aquilina

Birkirkara’s prospects of an equaliser had looked remote in this firts half but they twice went close just before the break.

A Plut cross fell to Guillaumier, who had all the time to arrange the ball from inside the area, but he sent his effort off target.

Then Malan advanced inside the Valletta area but his shot only skimmed the side netting.

Ryan Scicluna took Guillaumier’s place for Birkirkara at halftime as the mildly interesting rather than magical tone continued well into the second half.

Malano continued to be the most threatening for Valletta, with his surging runs from midfield, as the champions continued to show more attacking initiative, holding back their opponents.

Valletta threatened to widen the gap short of the hour when Uchenna made his way inside the Birkirkara area from the left but failed to put his final shot on target.

Valletta replaced Radzinevicius with Luke Montebello. They missed the chance to close the game on 73 minutes. On a Malano cross, Uchenna skied the ball.

It was strangely meek for Birkirkara who failed to show enough effort when in need of some extra inspiration. They almost clinched a surprise equaliser five minutes from the end when Malan laid the ball in the path of Dimitrov who struck against the upright.

Conceding at that moment would have been harsh on Valletta though.