Balzan Y 4

Pieta H 3

Balzan recovered from a three goal deficit in dramatic fashion to beat Pieta Hotspur 4-3 and finich the first round on top of the standings.

Newcomer Campos gave Pieta Hotspur a second minute lead, and at the start of the second half Bandeira doubled the score with a first time beauty, with Quilin refalo adding a third on 50 minutes.

Balzan looked dead and buried, but Balzan’s substitutes had other ideas as they scored the goals that mattered.

On 52 minutes Steve Meilak caught the Msida defence napping to score past Montfort.

Six minutes later Aaron Agius one of his side’s best scored a stunning goal from over 35 meters to put Balzan back in the game.

On 74 minutes Renato Conceicao scored the equaliser direct from a freekick with the ball hitting the post before finishing at the back of the net.

And it was not over yet as two minutes later Balzan scored their winner when Aaron Agius did all the running on the left flank before crossing towards Lyden Micallef who headed home from close range.

Pieta pushed desperately forward in the dying minutes of an ill-tempered match, but Conceicao saved his side when he cleared off the line a Grech header.

Balzan Y – F. Tabone, D. Agius (R. Conceicao), J. Francica, B. Bondin, S. Pace, M. Buttigieg (S. Meilak), C. Ciantar, D. Fenech, M. Sciortino (L. Micallef), A. Agius, U. Anywanna.

Pieta H – M. Montfort, D. Owio, C. Spiteri (L. Mallia), R. Mifsud, B. Sciberras, C. Grech, Q. Refalo, R. Bandeira (J. Azzopardi), S. Grech, D. Campos (I. Grech), Z. Muscat.

Referee – Mario Apap