NAXXAR LIONS 3
ST ANDREWS 1
Naxxar L: C. Nicht, S. Fenwick, R. Grech, M. Micallef (J. Debono), M. Fenech, D. Bonnici, D. Bustos, A. Buhagiar (R. Cassar), A. Cascaval, A. Mendy, Y. Messias
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, E. Beltre', A. Borg (D. Jackson), A. Friggieri, J. Farrugia, K. Atkinson, M. Gauci, J. Walker, T. Grant, R. Martin (M. Miranda), K. Butler(M. Grima)
Referee: M. Spiteri
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono
4th official: S. Pace
Scorers: J. Walker 7, S. Fenwick 40 pen, Y. Messias 53, D. Bonnici 90+
Yellow cards: A. Cascaval, K. Butler, M. Gauci, T. Grant
Player of the match: Y. Messias (Naxxar L)
TMI top 3: 1. A. Mendy 2. J. Farrugia 3. S. Fenwick
Attendance: 126
Naxxar Lions recovered from an early setback to claw their way into the game and hit back with three goals to beat other strugglers St Andrews and register their first Premier League win of the season in an entertaining fare at the Centenary Stadium.
The Lions get some respite as they catch up with the Saints on a six-point mark.
The pressure was on Naxxar to show some signs of improvement, the side still winless after seven league matches. Coach Stuart Watkiss made three changes to his starting line-up, following defeat by Tarxien Rainbows, dropping Jurgen Debono and Darren Falzon to the bench to be replaced by Mark Fenech and Arnaud Mendy, while Yuri Messias started for the suspended Ndaye Ousseynou.
St Andrews coach Marko Glumac again made no less than six changes from the previous outing. Beltre', Matthew Gauci and Adrian Borg were back in defence as there were starts for Aiden Friggieri, Jacob Walker and Kyle Butler.
Wholesaale rotation can backfire at times but the Saints started well and were on the front foot within the first seven minutes. A Farrugia direct free kick had already forced Naxxar keeper Christoph Nicht to save smartly into a corner and a Friggieri sailing cross ended narrowly over before St Andrews took the lead. Jacob Walker lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper from the edge of the Naxxar area.
Soon the Saints were gaining the upper hand, with Ricardo Martin thriving with his through passes from midfield.
At times they were almost overenthusiastic, as they bounded into the Naxxar box but Mendy was a pillar in the Lions' defence.
On 38 minutes, St Andrews could have increased their lead when Atkinson beat the Naxxar offside trap and ran clear inside the area, only to be thwarted by keeper Nicht, as he rushed out of his line.
Naxxar tried to move out of their defensive shell as often as they could, but were betrayed by a lack of precision in the final third, for all the running of Micallef and Bustos.
Five minutes before the break though, following a corner from the right, the referee spotted an infringement, probably a handling inside the Saints' area, and awarded the Lions a peanlty which Scott Fenwick tucked away to restore equilibrium.
Naxxar picked up where they had left in the second half and eight minutes after the restart they turned the tables on their opponents as Yuri Messias' powerful drive from outside the area had keeper Calleja Cremona picking the ball out of his net.
The Saints effected a double substitution with Miranda and Marcus Grima going in for Martin and Butler.
On 65 minutes Naxxar were forced to withdraw the injured Micallef. Six minutes later, captain Buhagiar was also stretchered off following a blocking tackle on Atkinson.
But the Saints could not wrest possession back from their opponents. They put in Degran Jackson in attack for the final 12 minutes but never looked as threatening again and by the end, the Saints had surrendered the initiative to their opponents.
The Lions were also wasteful in the late stages. Bustos messed a good opportunity after rounding the keeper on a Fenwick pass, but too too long to conclude and Callejha Cremona could recover, until Duane Bonnici score the assuring goal in added time with a low finish that gave Naxxar victory.
Kaljevic gives Balzan dramatic last gasp win
Gzira U. 1
Balzan 2
Gzira U: A. Curmi, G. Muir, C. Gatt Baldacchino, S. Diamoutene, S. Borg (K. Pulo), M. Avila Perez, R. Briffa, A. Cohen, J.Corbolan (Z. Scerri), N. Okoye, A. Samb
Balzan: I. Janjusevic, S. Bezzina, E. Serrano Valero, A. Da Paixao (A. Effiong), U. Ljubomirac, R. Fenech, B.Kaljevic, B.Gilio de Oliveira, P. Fenech (J. Zerafa), CE De Fiori Mendes, S. Arab (J.Grioli)
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst refs: J. Spiteri, P. Apap
4th official: E. Mangion
Scorers: B. Kaljevic, NE Okoye
Yellow cards: P. Fenech, S. Diamoutene, R. Briffa, K. Pulo
Red cards: S. Diamoutene
Player of the match: CE De Fiori Mendes
TMI Top 3: 1. CE De Fiori Mendes, 2. R. Briffa, A. Cohen
Attendance: 585
League leaders Gzira United suffered their second defeat of the season yesterday going down 2-1 to Balzan in yesterday's second match at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.
The result seemed to have matured early in the second half when two goals were scored in the space of two minutes. It was Kaljevic who struck for Balzan, but almost immediately afterwards, Okoye equalised for the Maroons. But when all appeared that a draw would ensue, Balzan were awarded a penalty which was converted by Kaljevic.
The result means that Gzira remain at the top on 19 points, three points ahead of Valletta who will be facing Tarxien Rainbows today. Balzan moved into third place on 15 points, while Hibernians occupy fourth place with 14 points.
It was a match in which neither side showed dominance and a draw might have been a fair result. But Balzan made the most of Diamoutene's sending off 15 minutes from the end to earn that penalty which provided them the opportunity to win the game.
The first half was equally balanced. Both teams had their fair number of chances, but no goals were registered.
Balzan appeared to be more methodic with Ryan Fenech, Paul Fenech and De Fiori Mendes serving their team-mates with innumerable passes. On the other hand, veteran internationals Andrew Cohen and Roderick Briffa worked hard to set Amadou Samb, but the Balzan defence was well organised.
The match roared back to life at the start of the second half when first Balzan took the lead and then the Maroons responded with an equaliser in the space of two minutes.
Everything pointed to a draw till Balzan finally scored that last gasp penalty which gave them all the three points.
The game had a quiet start, but in the 8th minute, Gzira had the first opportunity when off a Cohen cross, it was Samb who dived to head wide of the upright.
In the 14th minute, at the other end, De Fiori Mendes who hit wide after receiving a good ball in the Gzira area. A minute later, as Balzan insisted, Ljubomirac sent in an inviting cross for Kaljevic, but the latter's flick hit the bar and was cleared to a corner.
At the other end, it was Cohen who tested goalie Janjusevic, but the Balzan giant punched the ball away.
Gzira missed a glaring opportunity on 25 minutes when Corbolan hit wide when well placed. Moments later, at the other end, it was Ljubomirac who shot just wide.
Soon after the start of the second half, Ryan Fenech combined well with De Fiori Mendes, but the former hit well over the bar after receiving a return pass.
Gzira responded immediately and Roderick Briffa brought the best out of Janjusevic who tipped the ball onto the upright before it was cleared.
Balzan opened the scoring on the 51st minute. It was De Fiori Mendes who set Effiong in the Gzira area. From the latter's low cross, it was Kaljevic who hit home from close in.
Gzira retaliated and two minutes later, they levelled matters. It was Roderick Briffa who crossed for Ndubisi Okoye to head home.
In the 66th minute, it was again De Fiori Mendes who presented a good opportunity for Effiong, but the latter's low effort just missed the target with the goalie beaten.
Fifteen minutes from the end, Gzira had central defender Souleymane Diamoutene dismissed following a second yellow card.
Balzan pushed forward and were awarded a penalty on the 89th minute when Gzira defender Karl Pulo appeared to have handled the ball in a melee that ensued in front of the Maroons' goal. From the spotkick, Kaljevic made no mistake to give his side a dramatic last gasp win.
Birkirkara return to winning form
Lija Ath. 0
Birkirkara 2
Lija Ath.: L. Bonnici, P. Babic, L. Muscat, D. Scerri, E. Beu (J. Martinelli), LJ Schembri, R. Kooh Sohna, A. Bello Osagie, C. Cassar, M. Clinch (A. Galea), D. Leeflang (JL Varela)
Birkirkara: D. Cassar, C. Attard, N. Vukanac, L. Maia, K. Zammit, M. Andelkovic, M. Guillaumier, R. Scicluna, J. Grech (R. Camenzuli), CA Da Silva Concalves (E. Herrera), L. Montebello (F. Montero)
Referee: Emm. Grech
Asst refs: A. Camilleri, R. Aquilina
4th official: AM Sant
Scorers: L. Montebello, E. Herrera
Yellow cards: D. Scerri
Red cards: L. Bonnici
Player of the match: R. Scicluna
TMI Top 3: 1. R. Scicluna, 2. E. Beu, 3. M.Andelkovic
Birkirkara returned to winning form yesterday evening as they defeated bottom club Lija Athletic by two goals to nil.
Luke Montebello gave them a first half lead and substitute Edward Herrera scored the second on the 90th minute.
The victory brought Birkirkara some relief after two consecutive defeats at the hands of Valletta and Sliema.
Despite winning the three points, the Stripes failed to convince. In fact, after Montebello's goal in the first half, it was Lija who created the best chances. And in the second half, it was their turn to miss some good chances, before they eventually piercd the Lija defence a second time after goalie Bonnici was given marching orders.
In the first half, the Stripes were in command taking control of midfield from the start, but after Montebello gave them the lead, Lija came out of their defensive shell and provided the Stripes defence with several anxious moments. Had they taken the chances which came their way, they would have been in the lead!
In the second half, Birkirkara appeared more solid at the back and Lija never really tested goalkeeper David Cassar. Up front the Stripes created much more than they did in the first half, but they missed some good opportunities before they eventually ascertained themselves of the three points near the end with a second goal.
Birkirkara took the initiative right from the first minute, but it was on 16 minutes that they threatened first through a Da Silva Concalves low shot which was turned to corner with difficulty by goalie Bonnici.
At the other end, on 17 minutes, Lija missed a gilt-edged chance to take the lead when first Kooh Sohna and then Beu failed to conclude when ideally placed.
Lija paid dearly for this lapse as from the clearance by a Stripes defender, the ball went upfield where Luke Montebello outsped a Lija defender, advanced and hit home past Bonnici soon after entering the area.
On 21 minutes, it was Jake Grech who seriously tested goalie Bonnici from a direct freekick, but the goalie turned to corner in style.
Two minutes later, the Stripes - and Montebello - could have scored a second, but from Grech's fine cross, the striker headed over the ball from five metres.
In the 27th minute, off a Beu cornerkick, it was Kooh Sohna who headed wide.
At the other end, on 33 minutes, off a Da Silva Concalves cross, Montebello headed wide with only Bonnici to beat.
In the 42nd minute, Lija went close to an equaliser when a Leeflang overhead kick hit the upright and from the rebound, Beu hit wide from the angle.
A minute later, Lija missed another sitter, when off a perfect Beu cross, Kooh Sohna anticipated Cassar, but his header went just wide.
Soon after the start of the second half, it was Lija goalie Bonnici who denied Montebello a second goal saving a humdinger from the edge of the area.
In the 57th minute, the same goalie turned to corner a Grech freekick, before Ryan Scicluna cleared from over the line a Muscat header.
Birkirkara also hit the post with a good effort from Ryan Scicluna on 75 minutes.
In the 78th minute, Lija finished in 10 men when goalie Bonnici ran out of his area to stop Da Silva Concalves from advancing towards an unguarded goalpost.
Seven minutes from the end, from an Herrera cross, it was Camenzuli who hit wide from the angle.
But in the 90th minute, Birkirkara made sure of the three points when a fine move by Montero ended with a good cross to Herrera who made no mistake with a first timer.