Balzan FC 1 Mosta 3
Balzan: D. Martinez, J. Grioli, A. Agius (L. Fernandez), A. Scicluna, S. Bezzina, F. Aboulezz, L. Sciberras, D. Grima, G. Calabretta, M. Spiteri (R. Darmanin), J. Armaro Negrin (L. Micallef) Mosta: O. Borg, A. Cini, T. Farrugia, M. Brincat, M. Micallef (K. Zammit), R. Grech, L. Duriska, Y. Messias, R. Ekani (I. Grech), R. Faria, B. Kaljevic (D. Pereira) Referee: C. Pisani Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, W. Debattista Additional refs: A. Arciola, M. Apap 4th official: L. Portelli Scorers: B. Kaljevic 17 pen, R. Grech 24, R. Darmanin 49, D. Pereira 83 Yellow cards: M. Spiteri, B. Kaljevic, L. Sciberras, L. Duriska, R. Grech Player of the match: R. Faria (Mosta) TMI top three: 1. Y. Messias 2. R. Ekani 3. A. Scicluna
Well drilled in defence, creative in mid- field and hungry to move forward at every opportunity, Mosta obtained their third win of the season as they prevailed against ten-man Balzan, showing that they are capable of beating the teams below them in the table, after previous victories against Rabat Ajax and Vittoriosa Stars in the process. They now move into fifth place on nine points. Balzan, who played so well against Sliema Wanderers the previous week, were supposed to be boosted by the re- turn of Firas Aboulezz but the mid- fielder was sent off short of the hour for a reckless tackle on Ekani and left his side playing with ten men. Balzan also had to do without de- fender Rodrigo Pereira, injured during the warm-up and replaced by Aaron Agius at the very last minute. Italian midfielder Fabio Vignaroli was suspended.
They created nothing clear all after- noon, their lack of ambition merely inviting pressure and making defeat feel inevitable. Mosta had defender Kane Farrugia serving a one-match ban, with Mark Brincat filling the centre back role alongside Tyrone Farrugia. Allying work-rate with creation and bite, has established Brazilian Yuri de Jesus Messias as Mosta’s playmaker, who was highly involved in many of his side’s moves yesterday.
The game itself was more functional than flamboyant. After a tepid first quarter hour, du ing which neither side managed a d cent shot on target, Mosta made the breakthrough when awarded a penalty after Spiteri pulled down Mano Micallef as he tried to connect on a high ball inside the Balzan area. Bojan Kaljevic tucked it away to put Mosta in the driving seat. Mosta doubled their lead on 24 minutes as Ryan Grech rose high to meet Cini’s cross from the right and head the ball beyond keeper Martinez’ reach. A lull in proceedings followed with very little action of note. A Faria sailing free kick inside the Balzan areamissed by all.
On the other end, Spiteri put his curling shot narrowly off target and Messias tested the Balzan keeper with a tame central shot. Shortly before the break, Mosta squandered two good opportunities. Cini’s cross from the right was cleared in the path of Ekani who shot over. Then Kaljevic picked Ekani’s pass but shot wide.
Balzan substituted Spiteri with Ryan Darmanin before halftime and the sub- stitute pulled one back four minutes after the restart, beating keeper Borg with an overhead low kick on Cal- abretta’s long ball forward, to briefly raise some hopes for his side. But these were soon rattled as Aboulezz received his marching orders on 56 minutes, with Englishman Levi Fernandez making his debut for Balzan, replacing Agius on the hour. Despite their numerical superiority, Mosta did not threaten much and a Messias scorching shot went over.
Mosta’s keeper Borg dived to his right to hold out Darmanin’s header before Mosta sealed the issue with the third goal seven minutes from the end. Substitute Diego Pereira finished off a good choral move, running into space to connect to Messias’ testing cross from the left as Balan’s rearguard was completely out of sorts. Pereira was injured in the process and had to be withdrawn. Mosta had already effected all three substitutions and also ended up with ten men on the field.