Balzan 1
Valletta 2
Balzan: S. Sultana, A. Kosoric, N. Sljivic (L. Micallef 89), S. Pisani, S. Bezzina, P. Fenech, A. Effiong (A. Majdevac 66), U. Ljubomirac, I. Bozovic, E. Serrano Valero, R. Correa
Valletta: H. Bonello, J. Caruana, R. Camilleri (R. Camilleri 32), S. Malano, K. Nwoko, E. Pena Beltre (MA Alba 43), J. Zerafa, I. Saleh, R. Muscat (N. Pulis 89), B. Gavrila, M. Fontanella
Referee: A. Mario Sant
Asst refs: A. Camilleri, T. Zammit
4th official: M. Apap
Scorers: E. Serrano Valero 29, M. Fontanella 80, J. Caruana 86
Yellow cards: E. Pena Beltre 28, MA Alba 59, S. Pisani 90
BOV Player of the Match: R. Correa
TMI Top 3: 1. R. Correa; 2. P. Fenech, 3. I. Saleh
Attendance: 671
A luky Fontanella equaliser on 80 minutes paved the way for Valletta's hard-fought win over the wasteful Balzan yesterday evening.
Balzan took the lead in the first half through Serrano Valero on 29 minutes and then appeared to have controlled the citizens quite easily before disaster rocked them in the final 10 minutes. First they suffered a most unlucky equaliser from Fontanella and then Caruana scored Valletta's winner six minutes later.
This was an important match for both sides, but they both fielded a depleted formation.
Valletta coach Danilo Doncic four regular players missing from the starting lineup - the suspended Bojan Kaljevic and the injured Matteo Piciollo while Miguel Alba and Steve Borg started on the substitutes' bench.
Even Balzan's Jacques Scerri had some missing players and these included Lydon Micallef, Carlos De Fiori Mendes, Justin Grioli and Andrija Majdevac - all on the substitutes' bench.
Valletta must consider themselves quite lucky to have won the three points as not only were they a disappointing outfit from all aspects, but also Balzan were somewhat wasteful as they missed at least two good chances to increase their lead before City's deadly final 10 minutes.
It was an evenly balanced match in the first half with Valletta, perhaps, enjoying slightly more possession.
But Doncic's boys were on an off day with Balzan never giving away an inch at the back: so much so that goalie Sultana was never really tested.
On their part, Scerri's Balzan launched several counter-attacks and they were more dangerous in their conclusions, as Bonello twice had to thwart them, apart from scoring the only goal at that juncture.
In the second half, Valletta took the initiative in midfield, but still failed to deliver up front with Sultana, in the Balzan goal, remaining almost inactive.
However, the tide turned to City's favour on the 80th minute when a Steve Sultana clearance hit Fontanella's back and luckily for Valletta, the ball ended in the Balzan goal.
Moreover, Balzan went on to concede City's winner four minutes from the end.
On the 8th minute, Balzan created a good opportunity when Effiong set Correa in the City area, but Bonello's providential interception avoided an awkward situation for the Citizens.
Valletta replied on 14 minutes through a Saleh good effort which was deviated to corner by a Balzan defender.
At the other end, six minutes later, Bonello was forced to dive sideways to save a dangerous Correa freekick.
Balzan took the lead on 29 minutes. From a Steve Pisani freekick, it was Bozovic who headed down to the unmarked Serrano Valero, in a dubious offside position; the latter had a bad shot going to Jonathan Caruana whose clearance hit the underpart of the crossbar and finished behind the goal line. Despite City's protests, the point was convalidated by the officials.
Valletta were stunned and they only replied in the 44th minute through a feeble Nwoko left footer which went over the bar.
On the hour, Balzan went close to adding a second goal when Steve Pisani forced Bonello into a diving save with a shot from the edge of the area.
Four minutes later, from an Alba cross, Malano had a header going over the bar.
Balzan had another good chance to increase their lead on 67 minutes when Paul Fenech pinpointed a perfect ball for Ljubomirac, but the latter's effort was deviated in extremis to corner by a Valletta defender.
At the other end on 74 minutes, from a Steve Borg cross, Gavrila sent his header well wide of the Balzan post.
Valletta equalised in a most dramatic (and lucky) manner in the 80th minute. Goalie Steve Sultana rushed out of his charge to clear the ball but it hit Fontanella's back and finished in the net to the delight of the City fans.
Valletta now opened an assault on the Balzan goal in an effort to win the three points and it was Jonathan Caruana who shot them ahead on the 86th minute when an Alba cornerkick was missed by friend and foe before going to Caruana who found the net with an unstoppable hard low shot.