Hamrun-Balzan 0-1
Hamrun S: D. Cassar, M. Micallef, L. Sciberras (B. Paiber), L. Grech (S. Nanapere), J. Grech, L. Rodriguez, I. Misan, K. Micallef, M. Giusti (S. Arab), S. Raphael, M. Manset
Balzan: I. Janjusevic, B. De Oliveira, B. Kaljevic (M. Lepovic), S. Arab, A. Souza (C. Brincat), D. Grima, A. Nafti (L. Micallef), R. Fenech, E. Serrano, P. Fenech, A. Effiong
Referee: M. Degabriele
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, C. Francalanza
4th official: E. Mangion
Scorers: A. Souza 23
Yellow cards: D. Grima, I. Misan, B. De Oliveira, K. Micallef, L. Micallef, B. Kaljevic
Red cartd: D. Grima
Player of the match: P. Fenech (Balzan)
TMI top 3: 1. P. Fenech 2. A. Souza 3. K. Micallef
Attendance: 679
SILVIO VELLA
With Hibernians scraping to a narrow win earlier in the afternoon, the spotlight turned on Balzan to win against Hamrun Spartans and regain the primacy.
For a whole hour they looked comfortable enough, showing superiority and enjoying a one-goal lead, scored midway through the first half.
Things turned a bit dour for the leaders though after the hour when Dylan Grima was sent off for two cautions.
Balzan had the mix of Kaljevic’s power, Souza’s nimble running and a player in midfield, Paul Fenech, who did not give his opponents a minute’s peace.
Balzan also looked stronger physically and mentally and managed to hold their nerve to win a tricky and consolidate top spot.
There was never any part of the match when the Spartans put their opponents under concerted pressure. Although belatedly they tried to raise the temperature, they seldom troubled keeper Janjusevic in the Balzan goal even when enjoying numerical superiority for a whole half hour.
As expected, Hamrun’s starting line-up carried some changes following a disappointing defeat against Pembroke. With Jorge Neto suspended, Patrick Texeira and Brandon Paiber were relegated to the bench. Karl Micallef and Luis Rodriguez were given starts in defence but the most interesting inclusion was that of 27-year old French striker Mathieu Manset for the first time this season. Mostly starved of service, he hit an overhead kick slightly over that had the Hamrun fans on their feet at the start of the second period.
Balzan started with Alfred Effiong instead of Matteo Piciollo in attack but Abdelkarim Nafti stayed only 15 minutes on the pitch and was forced to leave his place to Lydon Micallef.
The first half was shoddy and there is no point dressing it up as anything else, except for the goal that gave Balzan the lead after 23 minutes. The delivery came from Effiong from the right for Alan Souza to connect well and hit past keeper David Cassar.
Photos Domenic Aquilina
Hamrun were forced to make a reaction in the second half. That came in the form of Saturday Nanapere going in for Luke Grech and a Jake Grech free kick on 52 minutes that clipped the upright.
Balzan had already squandered a good opportunity through Effiong who, after having been served by Kaljevic, shot straight on the goalkeeper.
On the hour, the match took a defining twist. Dylan Grima, yesterday again deployed as wide back, was dismissed for a second bookable offence, leaving his side exposed at the back. Coach Spiteri sent in Clive Brincat for Souza, the most mobile and threatening player on the pitch.
But, although putting in more impetus, Hamrun never showed enough threat, with their raking of crosses that served little purpose.
Balzan even put in Milos Lepovic for Kaljevic in the dying minutes as they retreated deeper.
The newcomer’s contribution was a rising shot that missed the target as Balzan survived four minutes of added time to preserve their win.
SLIEMA WANDERERS – 1
PEMBROKE ATHLETA- 1
Sliema W: G. Sarao, A. Muscat, F. Temile, G. Aquilina (J. Mintoff), A. Tarlaziz, J. Pearson, D. Dos Santos, R. Correa, M. Scerri (S. Wisdom), L. Incorvaia, J.P. Farrugia (R. Spiteri)
Pembroke: A. Roppas (M. Calleja Cremona), D. Falzon, A. Dhrami, M. Attard, R. Kooh Sohna, B. Farrugia (S. Eboh), A. Scozzese, S. Racic, A. Djeljilj, P. Barbetti, A. Borg
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, C. Azzopardi
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: F. Temile 49, R. Kooh Sohna 85
Yellow cards: M. Attard, L. Incorvaia, B. Farrugia
Player of the match: D. Dos Santos (Sliema W)
TMI top 3: 1. D. Dos Santos 2. A. Tarlaziz 3. M. Attard
SILVIO VELLA
Sliema Wanderers might have thought they had done enough to win this game, after dominating for long stretches and were leading Pembroke Athleta, with a deserved Frank Temile goal, until five minutes from normal time.
Towards the end though, having even squandered the chance to make the points safe earlier, they simply wilted to concede an equaliser that, not for the first time this season, denied them victory.
Pembroke can take heart from a point won with yet another diligent performance and a late equaliser that keeps them much alive in the relegation struggle.
When pegged inside their own half for long spells, they tried to hogg the ball but did not have the ingenuity to do much with it and were at times expensively sluggish.
Kooh Sohna’s late goal earned them a point that looked beyond them for most of the game.
The teams went into this match in contrasting fortunes. Pembroke had surprisingly beaten Hamrun Spartans with a Daren Falzon goal while Sliema Wanderers were beaten by Mosta the previous week.
Pembroke coach Artim Shakjiri made four changes to his side. Argyrs Roppas was back in goal while Paltemio Barbetti, Brooke Farrugia and Adrian Borg were all given the nod ahead of Owen Bugeja, Jawad and Levnaic.
Sliema gave a debut start to their new Argentine central defender Leonardo Incorvaia and were forced to substitute the injured Mark Scerri with Solomon Wisdom after hardly ten minutes play. Midfielder Peter Xuereb was suspended.
The game got off to an aggressive start with Sliema pushing forward, through Denni Dos Santos and Frank Temile, but Pembroke defended stoutly and stayed composed at the back.
On 18 minutes a Wisdom low shot was blocked on the line by Attard.
As the match wore on, Sliema increased the pressure, with Pembroke giving away possession too cheaply. In large spells, the Wanderers dominated possession, but for all their control of the ball, they were blighted by insipid attacking play.
Photos Domenic Aquilina
Four minutes before the break a Wisdom effort was held out by Pembroke keeper Roppas and Farrugia’s shot on the rebound was blocked by defender Borg.
It did not take long for Sliema to make the breakthrough though. Four minutes after the restart, Denni played a low penetrating pass inside the Pembroke area which found Frank Temile unmarked at the far post to hit low past helpless keeper Roppas.
The Pembroke shot stopper was forced to leave the pitch with an ankle injury on the hour.
That made Pembroke defend with renewed nervousness, but no less commiment. Barbetti and Brooke Farrugia were tirelessly vigilant in front of the back four and that made it difficult for Sliema to score a second assuring goal.
Temile skied the ball when faced by reserve keeepr Calleja Cremona and Wisdom steered the ball wide on a Temile cross.
Pembroke offered rare moments of excitement in the late stages, that also brought them an unexpected equaliser. On 78 minutes Barbetti’s free kick was headed by Borg but the Sliema keeper Sarao held out at full stretch.
A Falzon shot from the edge of the area forced keeper Sarao into another difficult save before, with five minutes of normal time remaining, Sliema levelled matters. Raphael Kooh Sohna advanced inside the area from the right and managed to score from a tight angle to salvage a point.
That says a lot about how Sliema have underachieved this season.
St Andrews 1
Hibernians 2
St Andrews: J. Galea, E. Pen Beltre, BW. Che, M. Johnson, K. Kesinovic, D. Camilleri (G. McKay), F. Udoh (K. Nwoko), N. Belacevic, Z. Kastrevic, IE Paz, A. Friggieri (R. Darmanin).
Hibernians: A. Hogg, R. Soares, D. Boljevic, J. Lima Siqueira, T. Tabone Desira (M. Moore), C. Failla, B. Kristensen, J. Da Silva Pereira, J. Debagriele, J. Momodou (G. Da Silva Ribeiro) A. Agius.
Referee: G. Tonna.
Asst refs: A. Camilleri, R. Aquilina.
4th official: M. Apap.
Scorers: I. Paz, J. Degabriele, R.Soares.
Yellow cards: E. Pena Beltre, B. Kristensen, T. Tabone Desira, BW Che.
Player of the match: I. Paz.
TMI Top 3: 1. I. Paz, 2. B. Kristensen, 3. Z. Kastrevec.
Henry Brincat
A Rodolfo Soares headed goal deep into added time secured a hard-won victory for Hibernians against an unlucky St Andrews side yesterday.
Earlier, the Saints had meritedly taken the lead in the 25th minute, but Jurgen Degabriele equalised in first half added time.
The match looked set for the sharing of the spoils before the Paolites scored the winner. That would have been a very fair result as the Saints never appeared to be inferior to their more illustrious opponents.
The victory enabled Hibernians to go on the 43-point mark and were leading the standings, one point ahead of Balzan, before the latter’s match against Hamrun later in the evening. The Saints remained ninth on 22 points.
In the first half, St Andrews appeared to be the more enterprising team, playing the ball well along the ground, and keeping Hibernians away from their area for long stretches.
They were also more dangerous in their good counterattacks which eventually led them to score first to take a deserved lead.
Hibs failed to react properly to this setback and had to wait till added time to get back on level terms after a disputed freekick in three quarters pitch which the Saints claimed was inexistent.
In the second half play improved beyond consideration, but quite surprisingly, St Andrews were still the better team, also creating the best scoring chances.
At times the Paolites risked heavily, but as the match progressed, they started to exert pressure, but the Saints defended stubbornly.
Despite the win, it was certainly a disappointing performance by the Paolites who must pull up their socks and show better form if they are to keep up their challenge to Balzan for the title.
Their main consolation was that they managed to return to winning form quickly after having lost against Birkirkara last week.
The Saints only confirmed that they are no longer the cushion they used to be until the first half of last season.
Their recent results and performances have shown that they are able to give any team a very strong challenge.
Hibs had Marcelo Dias, Joseph Mbong and Andrew Cohen missing. Dias was suspended, Mbong has joined a foreign club and veteran Cohen has moved to Gzira United.
St Andrews started the match on a positive note having a Belacevic shot saved by Hibs goalie Andrew Hogg after just five minutes.
The Saints had a fine move on the 14th minute which ended with a dangerous low cross by Ivan Paz being intercepted by the diving Hogg.
They eventually took the lead on the 27th minute. It was Pena Beltre who passed centrally where Aidan Friggieri feinted, allowing the ball to go to the unmarked Ivan Paz who controlled the ball well before firing home past Hogg.
In the 32nd minute, from a Failla corner a Boljevic header was palmed out by Saints goalie Jake Galea.
At the other end, soon after, a headed cross by Kastrevec saw Failla clearing out to Felix Udoh, but the latter’s effort went over the bar.
In first half added time, Hibernians scored an equaliser when from a Gilmar da Silva Ribeiro freekick, the ball was only partly cleared to the unmarked Jurgen Degabriele who hit home past a forest of feet.
Early in the second half, St Andrews had a good move between Pena Beltre and Kastrevec, but the latter’s shot was poor and wide.
The Saints insisted and soon after it was Aidan Friggieri who had a good effort going wide.
In the 54th minute, they were unlucky not to take the lead once again when Kastrevec saw his fine shot hitting the underpart of the crossbar and going out.
At the other end, three minutes later, it was the Paolites who were unlucky when Degabriele passed to Jackson Lima whose excellent shot from outside the area beat Galea, but slammed against the crossbar.
In the 63rd minute, Pereira set Failla in the Saints area, but the latter’s two consecutive shots were both blocked.
On 70 minutes, Pena Beltre set Aidan Friggieri, but the latter’s effort was deviated by a defender to an abortive corner.
A minute later, it was Ivan Paz who had a 20-metre shot going just over.
At the other end, a timely intervention by Dale Camilleri on Jackson Lima avoided what looked like a certain goal for Hibernians.
Near the end of normal time, Hibs had a good chance to secure the three points. From a cross from the left, goalie Galea rushed out of his charge, but slipped and Pereira’s pass found Failla shooting at goal, only for the ball to be miraculously blocked by Kastrevec.
In added time, it was Degabriele who had his effort saved by Galea.
But that was not the end as Hibs still found the energy to score the winner to break the Saints’ hearts. From a Gilmar cross, Kesinovic tried to clear the ball away, but it came into the path of Soares who headed home from close in.
Floriana 4
Mosta 0
Floriana: J. Haber (M. Grech), E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg, I. Varela, S. Nayar (W. Camenzuli), M. Vella, J. Pisani, A. Cini (A. Scicluna), M. Fontanella.
Mosta: Y. Cini, FC Onwudinjo, E. Rodrigues, D. Fenech, M. Toth, H. Miranda, NP Doding, J. Ahoure (Z. Brincat), JP Mifsud Triganza (K. Gatt), L. Oseghale, N. Frendo (J. Grech).
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann.
Asst refs: J. Spiteri, T. Debono.
4th official: E. Grech.
Scorers: I. Varela, S. Nayar pen., M. Vella, R. Camenzuli.
Yellow cards: S. Pisani, C. Borg, A. Cini, S. Nayar,
Red card: N. Priso Doding,
Player of the match: M. Vella.
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Vella, 2. I. Varela, S. Nayar
Attendance: 600
Floriana back to winning form
Floriana were back to winning form yesterday comfortably beating a 10-man Mosta side 4-0.
Ignacio Varela, gave them the lead in the first half. Sebastian Nayar, from a penalty, Maurizio Vella and Ryan Camenzuli, added the other goals in the second half.
Floriana thus move back to fourth place on 36 points, two ahead of Birkirkara who, however, have today’s game against Gzira in hand.
It was a return to winning form for Floriana after their disastrous outing against Gzira United last week, when they were shocked in a 4-3 defeat.
Floriana dominated most of the first half especially after Mosta had Doding Njongo Priso shown a direct red card in the 24th minute.
From then on, the match became uphill for Mosta as the Greens not only managed to take the lead immediately, but also took firm control of all sectors of the field of play.
Soon after, the Greens took the lead in what was probably their best attack and from then on, they took full control of midfield allowing Mosta only some ineffective forays.
Despite their dominance, the Greens failed to add more goals to their tally as Mosta goalie Yenz Cini covered himself with glory with at least two excellent saves that kept his side in the game.
In the second half, Floriana’s domination continued as Mosta were unable to offer a reaction.
And when they were awarded a penalty which was converted by Nayar, the three points were safely secured.
Mosta included three of their new signings in their starting line-up – Ekani, Ahoure and Mifsud Triganza.
The Blues created the first action on six minutes through an Oseghale low shot which was well saved by Haber.
Two minutes later, Floriana also threatened through a Maurizio Vella shot which was turned to corner by Yenz Cini.
Mosta ended in 10 men in the 24th minute when Doding Njongo Priso was shown a red card.
The Greens did not take long to capitalise as only two minutes later, it was Fontanella who set Ignacio Varela who easily flicked into the net.
In the 34th minute, Maurizio Vella went close for the Greens with a left foot shot that missed the target by a few centimetres.
Mosta’s reply arrived on the 42nd minute, but Mifsud Triganza’s shot went just wide.
At the other end, Floriana again went close when Varela set Maurizio Vella on the left in the area, but the latter’s close range effort was well saved by goalie Yenz Cini.
In the 50th minute Floriana doubled their lead when Fontanella was upended in the area by goalie Yenz Cini. From the resultant spotkick, Sebastian Nayar scored his first goal in the Maltese Premier League.
Varela missed a good chance to make it 3-0 on the 57th minute. He had a close range header saved by Cini, but he then hit the rebound over the bar.
Fontanella scored for Floriana in the 59th minute after a Camenzuli shot was footed out by Cini, but the Greens’ striker was flagged offside and the point was disallowed.
It was 3-0 in the 66th minute as Maurizio Vella scored with a shot from the edge of the area. And in the 85th minute, it was substitute Ryan Camenzuli who sealed the result with a fourth after a solo move.