Balzan extend run after late stroll

MOSTA             0

BALZAN FC         5

Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, D. Mansi, T. Veronese, K. Magro, D. Nworah (Z. Brincat), T. Farrugia, D. Xuereb, E. Zarate (J. Grech), D. Fenech (G. Nuti), R. Ekani

Balzan: I. Janjusevic, J. Grioli (J. Borg), E. Serrano, A. Effiong, U. Ljubomirac, R. Fenech, B. Kaljevic, B. De Oliveira, P. Fenech, C. Mendes (M. Lepovic), S. Arab (G. Camilleri)

Referee: S. Pace

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono

4th official: D. Agius

Scorers: B. Kaljevic 14, E. Serrano 67, 79, A. Effiong 73, 86

Yellow cards: K. Magro, D. Mansi, S. Arab

Red card: D. Mansi

Player of the match: A. Effiong (Balzan)

TMI top 3: 1. R. Fenech 2. A. Effiong  3. T. Veronese

Two goals each from Alfrd Effiong and Elkin Serrano in the second half lifted Balzan's anxieties after Bojan Kaljevic had given them a  first half lead.

For more than an hour, Balzan looked scrappy against stubborn Mosta but the latter's incompetence in defending set pieces, ultimately helped Balzan cruise to an other routine win and there was no denying the merit of it.

Mosta resisted for more than an hour but then caved in completely to concede four goals within 20 minutes.

Three draws and four wins since that shocking defeat against St Andrews in August, now lifts Balzan in third place to keep in touching distance with the leading duo of Valletta and Gzira United.

Mosta had Ivan Maric suspended. Rodriguez Ekani replaced him in defence as Kurt Magro returned in midfield instead of Zac Brincat.

There was not much between the sides during the opening 45 minutes and the game took a while to ignite, even after Balzan took the lead towards the quarter hour. Effiong delivered the cross from the right, which was headed in at the far end from close range by Bojan Kaljevic.

Mosta kept their nerves. They might have lacked a real goal poacher, as Leonardo Ferreira was too isolated, although Zarate provided good service. Otherwise they stayed composed and disciplined, playing some neat football without looking dangerous.

Balzan, once again inspired by the running and creativity of Carlos Mendes, saw more of the ball but failed to overwork Andreas Vella in the Mosta goal. Effiong was guilty of two bad misses.

Mosta's best chance came in the half's added time. Veronese's inswinging free kick from the edge of the area on the right, was fisted out by Balzan's keeper Janjusevic.

At the end of a slow-burning first half, Mosta were still trailing 1-0.

More moments of scrapiness followed in the second half. Mosta failed to up the tempo and after a squeezed Xuereb shot missed the target, the unmarked Zarate failed to connect on a Fereira cross.

There was much to admire in the approach play of Ljubomirac, Mendes and Effiong but once again there wasn't much cutting edge to Balzan when they got into the penalty area.

Mosta creaked on 67 minutes though and Balzan doubled their lead after a Ryan Fenech free kick was turned into a corner by keeper Vella. Elkin Serrano headed in the resultant Fenech corner.

Mosta were suddenly falling agonisingly short. On 73 minutes Kaljevic played a pass to Alfred Effiong who beat the Mosta keeper with a clinical finish. Hardly six minutes later, Balzan's defender Elkin Serrano tapped in the ball from close range after Effiong headed Ryan Fenech's corner towards his path.

Micovic's side were given a significant assist towards a more emphatic victory by another Mosta defensive lapse from another corner four minutes from time, as Alfred Effiong headed in to round off the scoring.

Two minutes from the end, Mansi was also sent off for earning a second bookable offence fro his foul on Lepovic.

Sliema maintain form to sink Spartans

SLIEMA WANDERERS    1

HAMRUN SPARTANS      0

Sliema W: G. Zammit, S. Bianciardi, M. Muchardi, F. Temile (R. Correa), G. Aquilina, J. De Assis, J. Pearson, E. Agius, F. Qeros (R. Spiteri), J. Mintoff (P. Xuereb), G. Adamovic

Hamrun S: J. Galea, P. Chircop (L. Micallef), C. Zaccardo, D. Zerafa, T. Caruana, T. Souza, G. De Castro, T. Espindola, P. Gois, F. Clavero, D. Camilleri

Referee: F. Zammit

Asst.refs: M. Scerri, S. Attard

4th official: M. Degabriele

Scorer: F. Qeros 18

Yellow cards: G. De Castro, J. Pearson, J. De Assis, T. Souza, D. Zerafa

Red card: G. De Castro

Player of the match: F. Qeros (Sliema W)

TMI top 3:  1. F. Qeros  2. G. Aquilina  3. J. Galea

Attendance: 694

SILVIO VELLA

A Frenci Qeros first half goal, after Muchardi missed the penalty, was enough for Sliema Wanderers to keep themselves huddled with Floriana and Hibernians in the upper part of the standings.

Hamrun have shown this season that they can be awkward opponents, but were toothless up front and devoid of ideas in midfield. Clavero had a rather quiet game by his standards.

This match was played high on energy rather than precision.

Sliema were an unchanged side, following back-to-back wins against Birkirkara and Hibernians.

Qeros  thrived in a more advanced central role, and Aquilina as well as De Assis and Temile combined with speed and pace to give Hamrun headaches.

Hamrun, who also beat Senglea Athletic the previous week, made three changes to their starting line-up yesterday, with Cristian Zaccardo, Dale Camilleri and Pedro Gois handed starts instead of Saraj Arab, Lydon Micallef and Terence Agius.

Hamrun took a while to adjust, taking a too rash approach in the first half, following a bright start by the Wanderers, and after falling behind on 17 minutes. Sliema won a penalty when Chircop handled inside the area. Muchardi's shot was held out by keeper Galea but Frenci Qeros hit in the rebound.

High tackles from both sides forced play to be endlessly interrupted.

Hamrun struggled to carry the play down to the other end of the pitch but when they did they made Sliema uncomfortable. 'Cico' Clavero's first timer, on a Zaccardo cross, went narrowly wide. A Zaccardo well-hit shot was saved by Sliema keeper Zammit.

Hamrun's defence continued to look panicky. On 35 minutes Temile played a through pass to Muchardi inside area but his shot did not carry enough power to alarm keeper Galea.

The Hamrun keeper was also called to turn into a corner another Muchardi effort, after Aquilina had opened up the Hamrun rearguard, shortly before the break.

Hamrun put in Lydon Micallef for Chircop for the second half. Sliema were forced to substitute the injured Mintoff with Peter Xuereb towards the hour.

The performance from both sides dipped after the interval. To add insult to injury, Hamrun had De Castro sent off past the hour for a second bookable offence.

On 75 minutes Sliema broke away. A Qeros shot was repelled by keeper Galea and Aquilina's effort from the rebound was blocked by Zerafa.

Sliema squandered a clutch of late chances with Muchardi putting De Assis through from midfield, only to be foiled by Galea's timely sortie.

De Assis played a square pass to the unmarked substitute Spiteri who shot straight at the keeper.

Sliema nearly paid for their misses. A close shot by Caruana in added time ended inches wide to the relief of the Wanderers.