Balzan-Floriana 2-0
Balzan: S. Sultana, J. Grioli, D. Camilleri, N. Sljivic, A. Da Paixao (N. Frendo 93'), A. Effiong, U. Ljubomirac, E. Serrano Valero, R. Correa Duarte (G. Camilleri 94'), A. Majdevac (S. Arab 84'), M. Lepovic.
Floriana: I. Akpan, M. Saleh, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg (D. Agius 69'), I. Varela (P. Wleh 60'), J. Cabral, C. Failla, J. Pisani, A. Oyama (A. Cini 85'), E. Marcellina.
Referee: Glen Tonna
Ass.referees: Luke Portelli, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Philip Farrugia
Scorers: A. Effiong 52', A. Da Paixao
Yellow cards: J. Cabral 28', E. Ruiz 74',
Player of the match: Alex Da Paixao (Balzan)
TMI best three: 1. A. Da Paixao, 2. A. Effiong, 3. S. Pisani
Attendance: 382
Balzan returned to winning ways after their drubbing against champions Valletta, beating Floriana with an Alfred Effiong strike early in the second half and with a late Paixao goal. Floriana's defeat comes after two successive wins against Qormi and Senglea.
The victory lifts Balzan to third place on the fifteen point mark joining Valletta and Hibernians, behind league leaders Gzira and second placed Sliema. Floriana remain with nine points, just in the lower half of the standings.
The match was a scrappy one with only some flashes of decent football mainly from Balzan in the second half. Both teams must and can surely do better, as both have the potential to do so.
Floriana had the edge in the first thirty minutes but Balzan gradually took the upper hand. After taking the lead early in the second half, Balzan controlled the match with Floriana only coming close just before Balzan's second goal, but Balzan goalkeeper Sultana was outstanding with a brilliant save off Ruiz.
Floriana had the first chance of the match when from a Cabral corner, Ljubomirac miskicked the ball and almost committed an own goal with the ball hitting the base of the upright and with Ruiz just failing to tap the ball home.
On 21 minutes Balzan's first attempt at goal when Paixao's cross from the right was missed by Marcelina, but Alfred Effiong failed to take full advantage with his grounder well saved by Akpan. Four minutes later a Failla freekick was brilliantly saved by Sultana.
Minutes later Cabral failed to connect in front of goal and on the other end a Correa attempt was easy prey for Akpan. On 35 minutes a Correa freekick was met by Serrano Valero, but his header went just wide.
Balzan completely took the upper hand in the last phase of the first half and a Paixao effort sailed over the bar and just before the break a Cabral shot went well over the bar.
Three minutes into the second half Lepovic failed to connect in front of goal, with the cross coming from Ljubomirac. On 52 minutes Balzan broke the deadlock when following a series of rebounds inside the Greens' area, the ball came to Alfred Effiong who made no mistake with a low shot from an ideal position.
Floriana almost drew level two minutes later Sultana missed the flight of the ball, but Varela failed to capitalise. The same Varela limped off on the hour and was substituted by Patrick Wleh.
Balzan were now waiting for their opponents in their own half and ready for the kill with their breaks. Balzan had some good opportunities with the Floriana defence caught on the wrong foot, but Micovic's side failed to take advantage.
On 76 minutes Balzan missed a great opportunity following a good run by Paixao, with Ljubomirac hitting wide from an ideal position. Two minutes from time Steven Sultana saved Balzan's victory with an outstanding save off a point blank effort from Ruiz following a Failla freekick.
In stoppage time Balzan sealed their victory with Alex Da Paixao crowning a good performance firing into the net following an Effiong pass.