ST ANDREWS 2
GZIRA UNITED 3
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, E. Beltre', A. Borg (L. Grech), M. Gauci, R. Martin, J. Farrugia, D. Jackson (J. Walker), M. Davis, K. Butler (M. Miranda Gomez), A. Friggieri, K. Atkinson
Gzira U: A. Curmi, G. Muir, C. Gatt Baldacchino, S. Diamoutene (S. Kamana), K. Pulo, M. Avila Perez, R. Briffa, A. Cohen (N. Muscat), N. Okoye (Z. Scerri), S. Tounkara, A. Samb
Referee: M. Apap
Asst.refs: C. Francalanza, R. Vella
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: A. Friggierti 14, S. Tounkara 32, 50, A. Samb 56 pen, J. Farrugia 72 pen
Yellow cards: A. Samb, M. Gauci, S. Kamana, E. Beltre'
Player of the match: S. Tounkara (Gzira U)
TMI top 3: 1. S. Tounkara 2. A. Cohen 3. R. Martin
Gzira United maintained their 100 per cent record and cemented their place at the top with this fifth consecutive win of the season against strugglers St Andrews. It was always expected to be a straightforward afternoon for the leaders but finally they had to work hard for victory.
Despite the bullying presence of their forward line, Gzira first struggled to break down a flimsy St Andrews defence, after falling behind to Friggieri's goal and wasting a hatful of chances.
It took them more than half an hour to level matters. But with the leaders having more physicality, more pace and technical ability, there was only going to be one winner when the match opened up after a tight first half.
They went on to score two more goals before St Andrews reduced the arrears with a late penalty.
Gzira had Diamoutene starting in defence instead of Kamana, in the coach's only change from the previous match.
St Andrews gave a start to Aiden Friggieri, who scored their opening goal towards the first quarter hour. The nippy forward ran inside the Gzira area for Martin's through pass and turned quickly to beat keeper Curmi with a low diagonal drive.
That early goal must have disrupted Gzira's rhythm.
They wasted a series of good chances and were at times almost comically poor, summed up by three glaring misses within seven minutes.
Samb ran through the Saints area but was blocked by the onrushing keeper. Another good Gzira move followed when, on a Tounkara low cross from the right, Cohen played the dummy but Samb hit wastefully wide.
Tounkara again went round keeper Calleja Cremona from the left but failed to hit the ball with enough power and defender Gauci could clear.
An equaliser looked almost inevitable and Gzira drew level past the half-hour mark. Gauci lost possession cheaply to Samb outside his area and the latter crossed low for the unmarked Samba Tounkara to steer the ball past the Saints' keeper.
Gzira should have gone in front five minutes before the break, when awarded a controversial free kick from the edge of the area. Briffa's delivery was ably held out by Calleja Cremona and Okoye's shot was blocked by Cohen before St Andrews cleared the danger.
The Maroons had more purpose after the break and soon began building up a head of steam. It took them only five minutes to take the lead, courtesy of some sloppy defending from the Saints.
Borg was late to track down Cohen's run down the left and when he crossed towards the far side, Samba Tounkara was on hand to beat the Saints' keeper.
Six minutes later, Gzira were awarded a penalty for Gauci's late tackle on Amadou Samb, who took the spot-kick's responsibilities and stretched his side's lead.
St Andrews' hopes of salvaging a point were rekindled 20 minutes from time, when awarded a penalty after Atkinson was bundled by substitute Kamana inside the area. Joseph Farrugia reduced the arrears.
Suddenly Gzira were forced to hold their nerves and their keeper Curmi denied Friggieri, turning his rasping shot into a corner.
Gzira controlled the proceedings for the remaining minutes and they held their breadth when Farrugia's free kick finished wide in added time.
Balzan grab a much-needed win
BALZAN 2
VALLETTA 1
Balzan: I. Janjusevic, S. Bezzina, M. Johnson, A. Effiong, U. Ljubomirac, R. Fenech, S. Arab, M. Lepovic, E. Serrano, C. Mendes (J. Borg), A. Alves (J. Zerafa)
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, S. Malano (D. Dos Santos), M. Piciollo, J. Borg, U. Uchenna, J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, N. Asceric
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst.refs: J. Spiteri, W. Debattista
4th official: M. Degabriele
Scorers: S. Malano 5, A. Alves 21, U. Ljubomirac 55
Yellow cards: E. Serrano, N. Asceric, U. Ljubomirac, M. Johnson
Player of the match: A. Alves (Balzan)
TMI top 3: 1. C. Mendes 2. A. Alves 3. H. Bonello
Attendance: 979
Balzan condemned Valletta to their first Premier League defeat of the season, beating them with goals from Alex Alves and Uros Ljubomirac, after Valletta had taken an early lead through Santiago Malano.
This much-needed win lifts Balzan into fifth place, on equal points with Sliema Wanderers and Senglea Athletic while Valletta stay one place and two points above them.
It was a lacklustre Valletta display that saw them also concede the first goals after four previous clean sheets.
The real problem for Valletta was a lack of creativity, something really evident yesterday in the absence of both Michael Mifsud and Claudio Pani. Their replacements, Matteo Piciollo and Jean Borg, failed to remedy that. Balzan were always technically better.
There were other times when Valletta were grateful to Bonello's goalkeeping.
In fact this was a more imposing Balzan performance than that which drew with Hamrun Spartans the previous week.
Balzan went into this match with only one win from their opening four league matches, as they keep struggling for consistency. Yesterday they were handicapped by key absences of the suspended Paul Fenech and Bojan Kaljevic. Alfred Effiong and Alex Alves shared attacking responsibilities.
Balzan creaked under Valletta's first real threat after only five minutes. Keeper Janjusevic repelled Saleh's low drive, but as the ball fell to Santiago Malano on the edge of the area, he scored with another low strike.
It was precisely the start Balzan coach Micovic would have dreaded.
But both sides' early pace and tempo, always promised to be an exciting encounter.
The goal failed to repress Balzan's determination as they began to make hay on the flanks and Valletta looked unable to deal with their opponents' wide play. The deliveries of Carlos Mendes continued to cause Valletta some worries before Balzan restored equilibrium on 21 minutes. Effiong played a short pass to Alex Alves, who darted inside the Valletta area through the middle and beat Valletta keeper Bonello for the first time this season.
Saleh and Piciollo both thrumming dangerously, combined slickly to create Valletta's chances.
But the Citizens lacked enough creativity and keeper Janjusevic performed tidily rather than heroically.
Saleh shot Zerafa's cross over and it remained tied up at halftime.
Balzan continued to play their part well after the interval. They found their attacking groove on 55 minutes. Alves lobbed his cross from the byeline over keeper Bonello and when Borg headed it out, Alves sent a cut-back cross to Uros Ljubomirac to hit low beyond the keeper's reach.
Valletta put in Denni Dos Santos for Malano, and later Kyran Nwoko took Camilleri's place as they probed for an equaliser, albeit with little conviction.
Although less thrilling, the outcome remained unknowable.
Balzan almost put the match to bed ten minutes from time. Effiong was blocked inside the Valletta area by Bonello, the ball rolled loose to Mendes, whose effort was again footed out by the Valletta shot-stopper.
But as Valletta remained mostly sluggish, Balzan held out to a deserved win.