Balzan 1
Floriana 1
Balzan FC: I. Janjusevic, S. Bezzina, A. Effiong, R. Fenech (J. Grioli), B. De Oliveira, I. Bozovic (S. Arab), B. Kaljevic, P. Fenech, E. Serrano, A. Alves, C. Mendes
Floriana: I. Akpan, S. Nayar, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz (J. Pisani), S. Pisani, J. Cabral, A. Cini, A. Oyama, D. Grima, M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina
Referee: M. Degabriele
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, D. Petrovic
Additional asst.refs: G. Tonna, E. Grech
4th official: W. Debattista
Scorers: M. Fontanella 35, C. Mendes 60
Yellow cards: E. Serrano, A. Alves, E. Marcelina, S. Nayar
Player of the match: A. Effiong (Balzan)
TMI top 3: 1. A. Effiong 2. S. Nayar 3. C. Mendes
Attendance: 747
Despite suffering an early setback, Premier League leaders Balzan fought back to draw level on the hour against Floriana, thus failing to win for the second consecutive week.
This second consecutive draw stretches their unbeaten run to an impressive 17 matches since last August, but their four-point gap over Valletta may be reduced to only one if the Citizens win their game in hand against Lija Athletic.
Balzan looked rejuvenated after the interval, following a tepid first half and created enough chances that could have even won them the match.
The teams repeated the first round score in the corresponding fixture as Floriana, with only two league wins since the turn of the year, stay in fifth place and can be overtaken by Hibernians who play tomorrow.
The game started so promisingly for Floriana who took a deserved lead at halftime through Mario Fontanella. They had the pace and alertness to punish a languid Balzan side in the first half.
Floriana were an unchanged side from the one that beat Hamrun Spartans the previous week, but had Sebastian Nayar playing in a more advanced role behind Fontanella, with Juninho Cabral and Steve Pisani in wide positions.
There were always doubts that Balzan would miss the craft and guile of their two suspended midfielders Uros Ljubomirac and Milos Lepovic and might not be able to dictate the play like they have with them in the side. Ryan Fenech and Alfred Effiong tried to fill that void in midfield, with Bruno De Oliveira starting in defence instead of Johnson and Ivan Janjusevic returning in goal.
Balzan were in trouble within the first quarter hour. An Oyama free kick was well blocked by keeper Janjusevic, who had to tip a long range effort from Nayar over the bar seconds later.
It came as no surprise that Floriana, the more enterprising side in the first half, made the breakthrough after 35 minutes. It was a well executed goal by their forward Mario Fontanella who picked Nayar's through pass inside the Balzan area, floored defenders Serrano and De Oliveira before slotting the ball low beyond keeper Janjusevic.
Balzan, who had looked jaded in the opening 45 minutes, had a livelier look about them in the second half, even after withdrawing Ryan Fenech and introducing Justin Grioli in front of the defence.
Their first menace came shortly after the interval. Bozovic's cross caused panic inside the Floriana area and Effiong's shot was blocked by Akpan's stretched body. On 57 minutes Effiong again persisited inside the Floriana area but his low drive eas again blocked by the grounded goalkeeper.
Three minutes later Blazan restored equilibrium when Effiong turned provider to slide the ball past the Floriana defence and put Carlos Mendes clear to score from inside the area. The goal brought harsh protests from Floriana for an alleged offside position, but television replays showed that Mendes was held onside by a Floriana defender.
That goal looked like deflating the Greens who were unable to produce the same sparkle of the first half.
Balzan continued their search for the winning goal, as they played with more ambition and confidence. They should have had more when Effiong ended a powerful resourceful run down the elft with a low diagonal shot that narrowly missed the target.
On 78 minutes, on an Effiong cross, Kaljevic's goalbound header was cleared off the line by Ruiz, who was stretchered off six minutes from time.
Floriana created a late chance, with Fontanella hitting Cabral's cross wide, but they departed with a point their first half display merited.
Birkirkara keep up the chase with Jake Grech brace
Birkirkara 2
Sliema W 1
Birkirkara: K. Naumowski, T. Agius (R. Scicluna), F. Barbosa, M. Andelkovic, J. Grech, O. Rolovic, K. Zammit, N. Vukanac, C. Concalves (E. Herrera), S. Dimitrov (A. Attard), C. Attard
Sliema W: G. Zammit, M. Muchardi (K. Ameli), S. Biancardi, F. Temile, N. Milinceanu, M. Sansone (A. Azzopardi), E. Agius, P. Xuereb (R. Spiteri), R.Correa, J. Mintoff, K. Shaw
Referee: M. Spiteri
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono
4th official: S. Spiteri
Scorers: J. Grech 25, 72, N. Milinceanu 55
Yellow cards: S. Bianchardi, K. Shaw, F. Barbosa
Player of the match: J. Grech (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Grech 2. M. Andelkovic 3. R. Correa
Jake Grech's clinical finishing, with a goal in each half, kept Birkirkara firmly in third place as they continue their upward path, maintaining their pursuit of a place in European competition next season.
Birkirkara demonstrated their character to fight back, after being caught up by Sliema's equaliser after the restart, and their performance contained enough grit to score the winner and prolong their winning streak to eight matches.
Sliema offered meek opposition in the face of more spirited opponents and lacked guile without Jefferson De Assis and Mark Scerri, the latter sitting the match out on the bench.
Kurt Shaw played as central defender alongside Bianchardi with Edmond Agius starting in central midfield. Milinceanu and Temile were their forwards.
Ognjen Rolovic, the Montenegrin loanee from Kercem, made his first appearance in the Birkirkara attack instead of Ferreira yesterday and provided the assist for his side's opening goal.
Birkirkara took advantage of Sliema's tepid start and after going close with a Grech shot, following an Attard free kick on the quarter hour, they scored ten minutes later. Rolovic played a low pass from the byeline on the left and Jake Grech applied a first time finish past keeper Zammit.
It took more than half an hour for the Wanderers to regain their composure but they convinced when they did. A poor Attrd clearance in the Birkirkara area allowed Muchardi a free shot that missed the target.
On 39 minutes Correa went past three striped shirts as he progressed inside the Birkirkara area, only to be foiled by keeper Naumowski blocking at his feet.
Birkirkara threatened again before the break as Rolovic forced keeper Zammit to turn his shot into a corner.
Both teams effected a substitution at halftime. Sliema introduced Ayrton Azzopardi for Sansone as Birkirkara put in Ryan Scicluna for Agius.
Sliema benefitted most from that move as they hit to draw level on 55 minutes. It was rather some sloppy defending from the Stripes, caught flat footed on an Agius through pass inside the area, with the ball rolling invitingly to the unmarked Nikolae Milinceanu to hit past helpless keeper Naumowski. This was the first time Birkirkara had conceded in eight league matches.
That prompted an immediate response from Birkirkara who regained control, their attacking impetus increased and always carried the greater threat.
Their lead on 72 minutes was a deserved one. Jake Grech picked Andelkovic's pass just inside the area, held possession on Mintoff's block and then avoided the onrushing Sliema keeper to shoot into an unattended goal.
By the end, Sliema had run out of ideas and they never looked likely to come back.