GZIRA UNITED- VALLETTA-        1-1 

Gzira U: A. Curmi, J. Borg,  C. Gatt Baldacchino, S. Diamoutene, K. Pulo, J. Corbolan, A. Cohen (A. Machedo Neto), M. Avila Perez, C. Reyna (L. Zome), Z. Scerri, G. Conti

Valletta: D. Bartkus, J. Caruana, M. Mifsud, R. Briffa (L. Cremona), L. Montebello, J. Borg, C. Pani, L. Aguirre, M. Velasco, V. Alihno (J. Cruz), R. Romao

Referee: M. Degabriele

Asst.refs: L. Portelli, T. Debono

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

4th official: P. Apap

Scorers:  L. Montebello 27, G. Conti 38

Yellow cards: A. Cohen, J. Corbolan, C. Pani

Player of the match: M. Mifsud (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. M. Mifsud  2. S. Diamoutene  3. M. Avila Perez

 

Valletta dropped two precious points in their fight for the title when held to a 1-1 draw by Gzira United at Ta’Qali yesterday afternoon. They missed the chance of going at the top and the psychological boost that the primacy brings with it.

They remain temporarily one point behind leaders Hibernians, who have today’s game in hand, and keep the Premier League title race bubbling.

In the first half there was little difference between the two sides. There was ample energy but little finesse. Gzira responded well to Valletta’s opener with a well crafted equaliser.

Valletta were the better team in the second half and created some scoring opportunities, without suitably pressurising the Gzira fort.

Gzira sought more defensive security and managed to hold on to a point that mathematically guarantees them safety in the Premier League.

Valletta coach Paul Zammit made three changes from thes side that beat Hibernians in midweek. Steve Borg and Umeh Uchenna were suspended and Romeu Romao and Roderick Briffa replaced them in defence and midfield. Santiago Malano was omitted from the squad, which included Juan Cruz among the substitutes. Luke Montebello started in attack.

Following defeat against Balzan, Gzira were boosted by the return from suspsension of Souleymane Diamoutene in defence and Andrew Cohen in midfield, with Antonio Machedo Neto and Ige Adeshina making way. Karl Pulo started instead of Ian Azzopardi.

Valleta enjoyed more of the possession, but for all their eagerness, Gzira’s defence denied them any space.

The Maroons had two early chances before Valletta took the lead. Short of the quarter hour, Cohen took possession inside the Valletta area, after Jean Borg took too lobg to clear a high ball, but his low diagonal shot went wide.

A controversial episode on 21 minutes went Valletta’s way after Jean Borg looked to have made contact with Cohen from behind inside the Valletta area but claims for a Gzira penalty went unheeded.

Valletta’s opener on 27 minutes came in a fortuitous manner. Mifsud’s cross from the right was deflected by Montebello towards Velasco who miskicked his shot completely but the ball fell freely to the unmarked Luke Montebello to shoot in from close range.

Valletta should have made them two five minutes later. Aguirre played a through pass to Alihno who crossed low from the left but Velasco arrived fractionally late.

Photos Domenic Aquilina

The champions paid for that miss. On 38 minutes Jacob Borg delivered a cross from the right. Gianmarco Conti controlled the ball well and beat keeper Bartkus at the top left hand corner to level matters.

Before the break, Mifsud carved another good chance for Valletta when he got the better of Pulo on the right but his low shot was blocked by keeper Curmi with his feet.

Valletta showed more urgency after the restart and played with more aggression. Alihno’s cross from the left was cleared towards Pani who shot over. Mifsud was a constant nuisance on the right flank. His cross caused panic inside the Gzira area but Montebello failed to find the target.

With Briffa making way for Cremona, Valletta threatened again on 70 minutes. From a Pani corner, after Montebello was blocked inside the area, Caruana headed the ball wide.

An Aguirre low drive was saved by teh Gzira keeper.

Valletta probed as they tried to unlock the well-organised opposition.

But as the minutes ticked away and the goal failed to come, frustration started to creep in the Valletta players.

Gzira also put in Zome in the late stages and won a series of corners, with Avila Peres going close.

The frantic final four minutes of added time provided more excitement as Jean Borg headed Aguirre’s cross wide and, after Alihno limped off for Valletta following a clash with Scerri, Valletta could have pinched victory when a Romao shot from a distance rebounded against the bar, with keeper Curmi beaten.

 

 

BIRKIRKARA -   3

BALZAN -          1       

 

Birkirkara: H. Bonello, E. Herrera, C. Bubalovic, G. Sciberras, M. Andelkovic, M. Guillaumier (E. Agius), N. Vukanac, J. Zerafa, G. Malan (J. Brincat), C. Attard, S. Dimitrov (V. Plut)

Balzan: I. Janjusevic, D. Grima (P. Lapira),  A. De Barros, B. De Oliveira, B. Kaljevic, R. Fenech (L. Micallef), S. Bezzina,  A. Effiong, E. Serrano, A. Souza, M. Piciollo (T. Agius)

Referee: G. Tonna

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, P. Abela

Additional asst.refs:  S. Spiteri, E. Grech

4th official: R. Aquilina

Scorers: S. Dimitrov 36, B. Kaljevic 57, G. Malan 63 pen, V. Plut 84

Yellow cards: R. Fenech, G. Malan, B. De Oliveira

Player of the match: S. Dimitrov (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3: 1. S. Dimitrov  2. M. Andelkovic  3. A. Souza

Attendance: 1,248

 

Birkirkara followed up their win against Pembroke in midweek with another accomplished performance against Balzan yesterday. This was their third consecutive victory and extends their unbeaten streak to seven league matches as they keep their push for a top-three finish.

They have now reduced the gap between Balzan above them to only three  points.

After a balanced first half, in which they had taken a narrow but deserved one-goal lead, the Stripes showed some swagger after the interval and reacted to Balzan’s equaliser, scoring twice to secure the points.

Balzan were second best for long periods. There was nothing fluent or refined about theire play yesterday and at times they looked devoid of ideas as they struggled to break down Birkirkara.

Despite wins, both coaches effected changes from the previous midweek matches.

Balzan had Ivan Janjusevic back in goal and introduced Anderson De Barros, Alan Souza and Bojan Kaljevic from the start. Christian Cassar and Lydon Micallef had to settle for substitute berths while Paul Fenech and Abdelkarim Nafti were not included in the squad.

Birkirkara meanwhile dropped James Brincat, Predrag Jovic and Miguel Alba and gave starts to Edward Herrera, Nikola Vukanac and Joseph Zerafa.

In the opening half, Balzan were forced back by a team attacking through their full backs.

The first 20 minutes provided nothing noteworthy until Fenech put a free kick wide and , on the other end, a Dimitrov free kick was held out by the stretched Balzan keeper.

On 34 minutes Souza back-heeled pass found Piciollo, whose effort was blocked into a corner.

Birkirkara broke the deadlock two minutes later as Srdan Dimitrov controlled the ball inside the Balzan area and beat keeper Janjusevic witha shot on the turn.

Balzan’s response came two minutes before the break. Effiong spurned a good chance when he shot Kaljevic’s cross wide.

Birkirkara started the second half brightly. On 55 minutes keeper Janjusevic tipped Malano’s drive into a corner.

But as the Stripes were enjoying their brightest patch, Balzan hit them with an equaliser on 57 minutes. Bojan Kaljevic connected to De Barros’ cross from the right to score from close range.

Birkirkara took five more minutes top restore their lead. Dimitrov was felled by Serrano inside the Balzan area as he tried to reach for Malan’s cross. The latter stepped up to beat keeper Janjusevic from the penalty spot.

Dimitrov was forced to leave the pitch with some muscle problem after that and was replaced by Vito Plut.

Balzan tried to regroup and probed for an equaliser although they remained disjointed in their build-ups. On 80 minutes the Birkirkara keeper Bonello was called to effect a superb save off a Kaljevic effort.

But Balzan were caught woefully open as the Stripes struck on the counter six minutes from time. Herrera galloped down the left, played a through pass that beat the Balzan offside trap for Vito Plut to slide the ball past the helpless keeper.

Balzan were completely deflated.