Floriana 1
Balzan 1
Floriana: I. Akpan, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg, I. Varela, M. Vella, A. Cini, A. Oyama, N. Chiesa (D. Grima), M. Fontanella
Balzan FC: I. Janjusevic, S. Bezzina, M. Johnson, A. Alves (J. Grioli), U. Ljubomirac, R. Fenech, B. Kaljevic (A. Effiong), B. De Oliveira, P. Fenech, C. Mendes, S. Arab (M. Lepovic)
Referee: F. Zammit
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, S. Attard
4th official: G. Tonna
Scorers: B. Kaljevic 55, M. Vella 73
Yellow cards: S. Pisani, M. Vella, R. Fenech, S. Arab, E. Pepe, C. Borg
Player of the match: C. Mendes
TMI top 3: 1. U. Ljubomirac 2. C. Mendes 3. E. Ruiz
Attendance: 617
Floriana avoided defeat thanks to a Maurzio Vella late equaliser yesterday against a spirited Balzan side that provided a tricky hurdle.
Floriana might have been subdued in the first half but they dug deep and put up a creditable showing in the second, after falling behind to preserve their invincibilty this season.
That was a fair assessment on an afternoon when Balzan played with spirit throughout and grew in belief as the game went on. But Floriana showed that they are clearly determined that this season should be all about regeneration as potential title winners.
Balzan did not struggle for chances in either half, but a combination of poor finishing and good defending, kept Floriana in the match.
The return of Steve Pisani, Clyde Borg and Nicholas Chiesa was meant to give the Greens a fresh impetus in midfield.
Still they struggled to come to terms with the industry of Paul Fenech, Ryan Fenech and Ljubomirac as well as the vibrancy of Carlos Mendes for Balzan.
Balzan had Bruno de Oliveira starting in defence for the suspended Elkin Serrano.
Floriana were looking unusually nervous as Balzan dominated the early procedures and for the first part of the half, the match was not lacking in intensity.
Balzan won a free kick from the edge of the area after five minutes when Pisani blocked Ryan Fenech's shot with his hand. Mendes' free kick went inches wide.
On 11 minutes Floriana keeper Akpan dropped the ball, on a high Ljubomirac cross, but as Kaljevic was about to capitalise, the Floriana custodian made amends by blocking into a corner. The referee turned a blind eye as Kaljevic fell inside the Floriana areav when coming into contact with Cini from behind.
Mendes' effervescence and Ljubomirac's combative efforts, as well as Kaljevic's physical presence, created problems to the Floriana rearguard.
The Greens' first real threat came midway through the half. Fontanella's good work from the byeline on the left ended with a cross for Varela, whose goal bound effort was headed into a corner by de Oliveira.
Balzan remained in control though, with Mendes ploughing a productive furrow on the left. Before the break, he made progress inside the Floriana area but keeper Akpan repelled his shot.
Balzan's dominance continued into the second half and it took them only ten minutes to take the lead they richly deserved. That came from an individual initiative by Bojan Kaljevic who advanced insde the Floriana area from the right and beat keeper Akpan at the near post from a very tight angle.
The goal demanded a reaction from Floriana and Vella had his shot saved by the Balzan keeper Janjusevic.
Balzan, looking confident enough went close again past the hour. A Ljubomirac cross from the right fell to Ryan Fenech whose shot was deflected into a corner.
Floriana suddenly started to compete in the final quarter hour. On 67 minutes a Ruiz free kick from outside the area had already forced keeper Janjusevic to stretch himself and turn into a corner.
Six minutes later, they punctured Balzan's mood as they drew level. From a Pisani corner from the elft, Ruiz's firm header was held out by Janjusevic but he was rendered helpless on Maurizio Vella's strike on th erebound.
Suddenly the game had entirely changed complexion.
Floriana responded straight away with another wave of attacking. Oyama's shot on a Johnson defensive clearance, was saved into a corner by the Balzan keeper.
By the end, Balzan were being bullied off the ball and had lost control of possession but in the final analysis, a draw was a fair result although that leaves both sides at some distance from the top two teams.
Mosta 1
St Andrew's 0
Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, D. Mansi, T. Veronese, Z. Brincat, D. Nworah (D. Fenech), T. Farrugia, D. Xuereb, E. Zarate, C. Martins Fernandes (G. Blessing) (K. Frendo), K. Magro
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, M. D'Alessandro, T. Azian, J. Farrugia, K. Atkinson, T. Grant, M. Davis (J. Walker), R. Martin, M. Grima (A. Friggieri), D. Jackson, T. Blagrove
Referee: A. M. Sant
Asst.refs: R. Vella, P. Apap
4th official: D. Agius
Scorers: L. Ferreira 68 pen
Yellow cards: D. Jackson, Z. Brincat, M. D'Alessandro, T. Azian
Player of the match: L. Ferreira (Mosta)
TMI top 3: 1. L. Ferreira 2. E. Zarate 3. M. Davis
Mosta interrupted a two-match losing streak with a narrow win over other strugglers St Andrews, courtesy of a second half penalty by Leonardo Ferriera, who also missed another.
A more determined Mosta side clinched a much-needed victory that gives them optimism for the future, as they climb up temporarily to seventh place in the standings.
It was they who showed the urgency, consistently first to the second ball all afternoon in a game they never looked like losing.
Mosta were trying to bounce back from defeats against Hibernains and Hamrun Spartans. They welcomed back central defender Tyrone Farrugia after suspension and included Zac Brincat from the start, with Ivan Maric and Kyle Frendo making way.
Despite beating Senglea Athletic before the international break, Saints' coach Marko Glumac made a complete overhaul to his team. Only Calleja Cremona, Joseph Farrugia, Martin Davis and Jackson Degran retained their places yesterday.
Although clearly the better team, Mosta failed to capitalise on a sluggish opening by St Andrews.
After a Magro dipping shot that landed on the roof of the net, Mosta produced the first opening after 19 minutes. An awkward bounce on a Brincat long clearance surprised D'Alessandro who missed his kick, but running clear, Nworah failed to make the best of the chance.
Then Martins Fernandes cut back from the byeline with his dribble inside the Saints area but keeper Calleja Cremona saved on the ground.
St Andrews, who looked often liable to capitulate at the back, were hardly ever in it in the first half. Their only chance came on 37 minutes when an Atkinson shot from a distance was ably held out by Mosta keeper Andrea Vella.
The Saints tried to show more attacking initiative after the interval, even putting in Aiden Friggieri, but Mosta still showed greater ambition.
Towards the hour, Ferreira's cross from the right cut the entire Saints' defence for Zarate to reach but the Mosta midfielder lacked composure and skied the ball.
A Magro rising shot from outside the area ended narrowly over.
On 68 minutes Mosta finally broke the deadlock, thanks to a penalty award after St Andrews defender D'Alessandro felled Ferreira inside the area and the same Mosta player tucked it away.
St Andrews had threatened only sporadically, although Mosta keeper Vella did make a decent save on 81 minutes to turn Friggieri's blistering shot into a corner.
Mosta, however, kept coming back for more and could have scored a second assuring goal seven minutes from time when they were awarded another penalty. Ferreira was again fouled by Grant inside the area, but after taking responsibility for the second time, he placed his effort wide.
It was a deflating moment for a player who had contributed so much, but luckily it mattered little as Mosta still won the match.