Balzan Y.-Valletta 1-1

Balzan FC: M. Falzon, J. Grioli, S. Bezzina, A. Scicluna, G. Calabretta, F. Vignaroli, L. Sciberras, Joselito (R.Darmanin), D. Grima, L. Micallef, J. Armario Negrin (G. McKay)

Valletta: Y. Cini, J. Caruana, R. Fenech, E. Agius (S. Borg), R. Briffa, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (A. Nafti), A. Nyang, S. Bajada, D. Dos Santos, J. Vandelannoite, L. Dimech

Referee: T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs:  W. Debattista, P. Apap

Additional asst refs: K. Azzopardi, A. Arciola

4th official: P. Abela

Scorers: J.P. Mifsud Triganza 27, J.Negrin 48 pen

Yellow cards: J. Vandelannoite, Y. Cini, F. Vignaroli, R. Fenech, G. McKay

Red cards: J. Vandelannoite

Player of the match: L. Armario Negrin (Balzan)

TMI top three: 1. F. Vignaroli  2. R. Fenech  3. L. Micalllef

Attendance: 787

With Hibernians and Birkirkara winning on Saturday, the pressure turned on Valletta who could not afford to slip against Balzan and started as favourites to collect full points and keep up with the leading trio. But yesterday they faced resilient opponents who made life difficult for them, especially after Valletta had Jason Vandelannoite sent off on 52 minutes.

Valletta now go down to third place, one point adrift of champions Birkirkara, who are second, three points off leaders Hibernians.

The former Valletta coach, Jesmond Zerafa, plotted the game well for Balzan against opponents he knows well. Balzan were well-drilled and diligent, very hard working in midfield, with Fabio Vignaroli his side’s inspiration. They took advantage of the extra man for a whole half hour and defended their draw well as Valletta at times looked disappointingly devoid of inspiration.

This result brought reward for a resolute performance that frustrated Valletta and suggested that Balzan cannot be written off as yet, despite a disappointing first round in which they have obtained only two wins and three draws.

Balzan had keeper Michael Falzon and Justin Grioli back after suspension. Jose Luis Negrin was preferred to Ryan Darmanin in attack.

They were tactically well disciplined and did not allow Valletta much comfort on the ball. In fact they also had a threat of their own when Vignaroli’s high free kick was cleared by the Valletta defence in the path of Joselito, whose shot was blocked.

Following four consecutive wins, the Citizens were in a vein of some good form and started as favourites to beat inferior opponents. Forward Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza was provided with good service from Ryan Fenech, playing in an advanced role behind the forwards.

Twice within eight minutes, Valletta had close shaves through Mifsud Triganza and Agius, both missing

narrowly the target.

Valletta managed to make the breakthrough towards the half hour. Nyang provided the cross from the

left for Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza to flick past the keeper, the ball taking a deflection off Balzan’s Bezzina.Denni ran the show for Valletta after that. He ran inside the Balzan area on Fenech’s pass, went past Calabretta but his shot was footed out by keeper Falzon. On the stroke of halftime, Denni had an effort going just inches off the post. But Balzan were a transformed side after the break and earned a penalty within three minutes of the restart. The Valletta keeper Cini was late with his challenge on Lydon Micallef inside the area and Jose Negrin converted from the spot to restore equilibrium.Visibly rattled, Valletta suffered another setback on 52 minutes as their midfielder Jason Vandelannoite received a second yellow card and was dismissed.That left Valletta struggling, as Balzan’s counter attacks started to alarm the citizens. They made a double substitution towards the hour, putting in Steve Borg and Nafti for Agius and Mifsud Triganza and regained some control after that.With a man less, they still looked potent going forward. A Vignaroli apparent handling on a Briffa cross went unnoticed. Denni failed to make contact on Nafti’s cross, the ball fell to Borg who hit wide. Valletta increased the pressure and won a couple of corners but could not breach Balzan’s organised defence.Balzan looked menacing on the break. On 77 minutes, Negrin ran in from the right, went past thekeeper but his pass to the unmarked Darmanin, who had gone in for Joselito, was cleared by Borg.

With 12 minutes to go, it was still anybody’s game as both sides scented that victory was there for the taking. Bajada played a low freekick square for Nafti, whose powerful shot was headed out by Darmanin.

On the other end, Valletta keeper Cini denied Negrin, who ran inside the area from the right, with a smart save into a corner.

Balzan ended the game on the offensive, with Darmanin’s near miss as his shot was deflected into a

corner.