BALZAN FC 1
SLIEMA WANDERERS 2
Sliema Wanderers have the habit of producing their best against the top teams.
Their win against Floriana three weeks ago made headlines and yesterday’s beating of Balzan was no less important as it lifts them in sixth place in the standings and deprived their opponents of the league’s primacy at the end of the second round.
Unimpressive Balzan were doomed to defeat, after an unbeaten streak of seven league matches, and were on the backfoot by the time Jean Paul Farrugia had put Sliema in front.
Balzan equalised through Bojan Kaljevic soon after the restart, but were unable to build on that and Sliema struck the fatal blow in the late stages through substitute Ryan Spiteri.
Balzan now drop to second, one point adrift of new leaders Hibernians.
Following their narrow win against Hamrun Spartans the previous week, Balzan made three changes to their side yesterday. Christian Cassar played in goal instead of regular Janjusevic. Clive Brincat started in defence for the suspended Dylan Grima and Matteo Picciollo got the nod ahead of the still injured Abdelkarim Nafti.
Having lost to Mosta and drawn against Pembroke in their previous two matches, many were talking about Sliema in a defensive crisis. Yesterday they had centre back Stefano Bianciardi back in the side. Wisdom Salomon was also handed a start as coach John Buttigieg dropped Tarlaziz and Gabriel Aquilina.
Balzan struggled to find their rhythm, thanks mainly to Sliema stifling their initiative, in a lacklustre first half that offered very few noteworthy episodes, apart from the goal.
Kaljevic failed to give Balzan an early lead after nine minutes, when he chested a Piciollo cross, controlled the ball but screwed his shot wide from a promising position.
It spoke volumes that both goalkeepers were not required to make a serious save until Sliema, who had earlier gone close with a Correa glancing header, broke the deadlock on 37 minutes. Muscat played a long ball forward for Temile to chase and advance from the right, avoiding the onrushing keeper Cassar and cross low towards the middle for Jean Paul Farrugia to hit in.
Sliema regressed to bad habits and retreated deep after the restart, handing their opponents the initiative.
On 48 minutes keeper Sarao held out Ryan Fenech’s free kick from the right.
Alan Souza’s wily movement and rapid changes of pace, should have reminded the Sliema defence that they ignored him at their peril. On 52 minutes Souza whipped in a cross from the right and Bojan Klajevic rose high to head past the keeper at the far post to level matters.
Sensing that they needed to win, Balzan effected a double substitution on 72 minutes, introducing Anderson De Barros and Lydon Micallef.
Six minutes later, Effiong threatened when he found space on an inviting bouncing ball, and forced keeper Sarao into a difficult save, turning his close shot into a corner.
Ryan Fenech’s shot from a distance went wide as Sliema were living dangerously at the back.
But, with eight minutes of normal time remaining, Correa took advantage of Balzan’s lack of focus and static defending as he persisted inside the Balzan six-yard box before playing the ball low for substitute Ryan Spiteri to connect and shoot past the helpless keeper Cassar.
Balzan looked shell shocked and failed to recover, with Sliema even wasting the chance to make their win look more emphatic in added time. From a two-against-one situation, Temile played a short pass to the advancing Farrugia who contrived to shoot over.
Balzan: C. Cassar, B. De Oliveira, B. Kaljevic, S. Arab, A. Souza (A. De Barros), C. Brincat (S. Bezzina), M. Piciollo (L. Micallef), R. Fenech, E. Serrano, P. Fenech, A. Effiong
Sliema W: G.Sarao, A. Muscat, F. Temile (J. Mintoff), S. Bianciardi, W. Salomon (R. Spiteri), J. Pearson, D. Dos Santos (G. Aquilina), R. Correa, M. Scerri, L. Incorvaia, J.P. Farrugia
Referee: S. Spiteri
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, W. Debattista
4th official: M. Apap
Scorers: J. P. Farrugia 37, B. Kaljevic 52, R. Spiteri 82
Yellow cards: P. Fenech, A. Muscat, A. Souza
Player of the match: A. Souza (Balzan)
TMI top 3: 1. A. Souza 2. R. Correa 3. A. Muscat