Qormi-Balzan 1-2
Qormi: M. Farrugia, A. Effiong, G. Bellucci, L. Grech, R. Bajada, G. Nucera (D. Pirotta), O. Bugeja, D. Pisani, J. Bondin, R. Innocenti, L. Gabrieli (C. Terribile)
Balzan: D. Martinez (J. Cipriott), J. Grioli, S. Bezzina, R. Pereira (A. Agius), A. Scicluna, F. Vignaroli, D. Grima, L. Sciberras, M. Spiteri, G. Calabretta (L. Micallef), J.L. Negrin
Referee: C. Lautier
Asst.refs: W. Debattista, L. Portelli
4th official: S. Spiteri
Scorers: A. Effiong 23, M. Spiteri 45+, L. Sciberras 65
Yellow cards: O. Bugeja, M. Spiteri, A. Effiong
Player of the match: M. Spiteri (Balzan)
TMI top three: 1. J. Grioli 2. M. Spiteri 3. R. Bajada
Balzan tasted victory after five winless matches, as they got the better of Qormi to join Tarxien Rainbows and Vittoriosa Stars on the eight-point mark.
They reaped rewards for their display, and it was perhaps the presence of Mark Spiteri that proved the catalyst for their attacking vim, although both Dylan Grima and Fabio Vignaroli made a commanding presence in their midfield. Justin Grioli also gave a valid contribution with his forages and delivery from the right flank .
It was a woefully inept performance from Qormi that gifted their opponents a foothold in the match although they had gone in front midway through the first half.
Qormi can have no complaints about the result and their coach Tommaso Volpi would have been aghast with his side’s display, littered with errors, yesterday. They now lie second from the bottom, overtaken in the standings by Floriana this weekend.
With only one win each before yesterday’s fixture, both sides had suffered bruising defeats so far this season but both were coming from draws in the previous matches. Balzan, under new coach Jesmond Zerafa, played a goalless draw with Floriana while Qormi drew 1-1 against champions Birkirkara. Qormi had Jorginho missing as Gianluca Nucera was given the nod in an otherwise unchanged line-up.
Balzan made the better of a slow start and looked more likely to score within the first 20 minutes.
A Pereira free kick from the edge of the Qormi area went just over. Towards the quarter hour, Grioli delivered a testing cross from the right which fell to the unmolested Negrin inside the Qormi area but the Spanish forward hesitated too long and was eventually blocked.
Then keeper Farrugia rushed off his line to block the advancing Negrin into a corner.
The goal however came on the other end for Qormi, after 23 minutes, against the run of play. Alfred Effiong chased a long ball, shrugged off the challenge of Balzan defender Pereira and beat keeper Martinez at the far post with a low angled shot.
Balzan remained superior in possession but their build-ups from midfield, through Vignaroli, Grima and Sciberras, were often slow and too predictable.
Their equaliser, in the half’s added time, however was more than they deserved. Grioli again provided the cross from the right for Mark Spiteri to nip in and head past keeper Farrugia.
Qormi were exposed six minutes into the second half and keeper Farrugia had to stretch himself to hold out Spiteri’s shot from inside the area, the ball rolled out towards substitute Lydon Micallef and hit the outstretched arm of defender Gabrieli but Balzan’s claims for a penalty were turned down.
Balzan were forced to substitute their injured defender Rodrigo Pereira on 56 minutes and a minute later, Micallef should have finished off when he possessed himself of a Spiteri cross from the left, but his shot narrowly missed the target.
Qormi were unable to move out of their defensive shell and both Effiong and Innocenti remained starved of service. On the hour, Bajada shot his free kick over.
Balzan still showed signs of resourcefulness and scored again on 56 minutes, what proved a spectacular winner from their midfielder Luke Sciberras, drilling in first time Spiteri’s corner past the helpless Farrugia.
Balzan retreated deep after that and defended in numbers as Qormi tried to exert some belated sustained pressure, but could hardly make the direct route.
On 75 minutes Scicluna and keeper Martinez combined to block the advancing Effiong inside the area. The Balzan players got the worse of the situation and the goalkeeper was forced to leave the pitch, substituted by Jacob Cipriott.
In the late stages, Qormi went close when Effiong ran down the right but shot against the side netting. By then, however, any chance of a comeback had vanished.