BALZAN FC      2

HIBERNIANS   1

Balzan: I. Janjusevic, B. De Oliveira, D. Grima, C. Brincat, B. Kaljevic, E. Serrano, R. Fenech (A. De Barros), A. Effiong, A. Nafti (T. Agius), P. Fenech, M. Piciollo (S. Cipriott)

Hibernians: A. Hogg, R. Soares, M. Dias, T. Tabone Desira (M. Shaddock), J. Lima, J. Mbong, J. Bezzina, Jorginho, J. Degabriele (A. Cohen), B. Kristensen, A. Agius

Referee: G. Tonna

Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, W. Debattista

4th official: P. Farrugia

Scorers: M. Piciollo 5, Jorginho 8, J. Lima 88 og

Yellow cards: A. Effiong, R. Fenech, E. Serrano, B. Kaljevic, J. Bezzina

Red cards: A. Effiong

Player of the match: J. Bezzina (Hibernians)

TMI top 3: 1. J. Bezzina  2. P. Fenech  3. E. Serrano

Photos Domenic Aquilina

Balzan return to the top of the Premier League standings after dispossessing Hibernians, courtesy of a late own goal by Jackson Lima, despite playing with ten men for a whole 25 minutes plus an added five.

Hibernians, who now drop to second, were undone by an unfortunate own goal from Jackson Lima. It was a deflating moment for a midfielder who contributed so much but the Paolites rarely gave the impression that they might capitalise with an extra man.

Intensity dipped after a bright start as the teams held on to a 1-1 score before Balzan snathced a late victory.

Balzan gave starts to Abdelkarim Nafti, Alfred Effiong, Clive Brincat and Dylan Grima for De Barros, Lydon Micallef, the suspended Samir Arab and the injured Steve Bezzina.

Hibernians were again bereft of the injured Clayton Failla as Andrew Cohen once more started on the bench.

Both teams started steadily after dropping points the previous week. The match warmed up early, on a windy and wintry afternoon at Ta’ Qali, with two goals, one on each side, within the first eight minutes.

Balzan got their noses in front in the opening five minutes. Matteo Piciollo played one-two with Kaljevic to progress inside the Hibernians area and beat keeper Hogg.

Hibernians drew level only three minutes later. Bezzina twisted and turned  inside the Balzan area on the right before playing a square pass to the unmarked Jorginho who beat keeper Janjusevic with an unerring strike.

The teams kept their composure and although there were no further goals, there were half chances at both ends.

On 21 minutes keeper Hogg rushed off his line to reach for the ball before Effiong. Hogg was also alert to save on the ground a Paul Fenech effort. In between, on a Degabriele cross, Mbong anticipated his markers but headed off target.

The Paolites threatened again on the half hour when Lima thumped a free kick, from some 25 metres out, against the post to Janjusevic’s left.

And with halftime looming, Piciollo put Nafti through inside the Hibernians area. The effort was deflected into a corner.

The second half was only a pale shadow of the first as both sides produced precious little in terms of quality and play was often interrupted with several niggling fouls..

Balzan were reduced to ten men on 65 minutes when Effiong received  marching ordersb for an off-the-ball incident with Dias as Balzan were awarded a free kick. Effiong took some time to leave the pitch among protests and confusion.

Hibernians failed to exploit their numerical superiority though and with two minutes of regular time remaining they even fell behind. Nafti played a free kick from the right and Kaljevic’s header towards goal was deflected by midfileder Jackson Lima into his own net.

VALLETTA     0           

FLORIANA    0

Valletta: D. Barktus, J. Caruana, L. Aguirre, Jhonnattann (R. Romao), S. Borg, V. Alihno, L. Cremona ()J. Borg), L. Montebello (U. Uchenna), C. Pani, R. Camilleri, M. Mifsud

Floriana: J. Haber, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg (A. Monticelli), I. Varela, M. Vella, J. Pisani, A. Cini, M. Fontanella, R. Camenzuli

Referee: A.M. Sant

Asst.refs: D. Sultana, P. Apap

4th official: M. Degabriele

Yellow cards: S. Pisani, R. Camilleri

Player of the match: D. Barktus (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. D. Barktus  2. V. Alihno  3. J. Pisani

Attendance: 1419

 This was one of the more sterile encounters between old rivals, with little quality on show and some of the big name performers in both sides failing to enliven the occasion.

Valletta dominated possession in the first half but, in the absence of a finisher like Falcone, they failed to open up a resolute Floriana backline.

Floriana had a couple of flickers also in the first half. Their biggest opportunity fell after only 11 minutes when Chiesa contrived to miss a penalty, well saved by the Valletta shot-stopper Dzjugas Bartkus.

But both teams sought defensive security in a dull and uneventful second period where there was little in the way of clear-cut chances and the stalemate prevailed.

Floriana were missing the services of the injured Pepe and Samb. Besides Falcone, Valletta wer also bereft of Malano in midfield and gave starts to Alihno and Luke Montebello instead.

Heavy rainfall greeted both sides at the start of the match.

Floriana’s more assertive start rewarded them with a penalty after 11 minutes. On a Steve Pisani corner kick from the right, the referee noticed a Steve Borg handling inside the area but Chiesa missed again for the second time in a week. Keeper Bartkus stretched himself to the right side to deny the Floriana midfielder.

Valletta quickly recovered their composure and dominated the opening period. On  18 minutes Jhonnattann avoided the onrushing keeper Haber but could not steer the ball in goal from a tight angle.

His fierce free kick on 39 minutes, from some 25 metres out, was saved in two attempts by Haber.

Then Alihno’s cross from the right was deflected towards Montebello who hit feebly in front of goal.

As the first half wore on, the tide turned on Floriana and they were grateful to make it to halftime with the scoreboard blank.

Valletta kept looking more comfortable on the ball after the restart but rarely threatened. In fact neither goalkeeper was seriously tested until 80 minutes when Valletta keeper Barktus was called to repel a Varela effort off a Steve Pisani corner.

Valletta had already made all their three substitutions when Alihno shot a free kick wastefully over from outside the Floriana area on the left.

By the end the game hads settled into a sedate pattern, with both teams cautious and unadventurous. On this showing neither deserved to win.