Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/470920
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 MARCH 2015 35 Sport FOOTBALL Naxxar L ................... 1 Balzan. ..................... 2 EDWARD FALZON BALZAN came from behind with a strong reply to beat a solid Naxxar Lions and join Floriana in fourth place. Inside the first minute, Elkin Serrano Valero tripped Gilmar crashing in the penalty box with the referee ordering a penalty and Terence Vella stepped up to con- vert from the spot. The threatening Temile went close to put Naxxar out two goals up after just eight minutes. The pacy Nigerian looked to have taken the ball over Steve Sultana but the keeper got a vital touch to tip the effort over the bar. By this time, Naxxar had seized the upper hand only to be frustrated by the good form of Sultana. Past the half hour mark, Gilmar produced a firm drive that was turned away by Sultana. The lacklustre Balzan began to find their feet as the game pro- gressed. Experienced forward Mifsud Triganza's effort was par- tially repelled by Julian Azzopardi but Valerio Serrano was on hand to head powerfully against the bar. Seconds later, Dylan Grima drove the ball just wide. After their promising start, Naxxar faded slowly, even show- ing signs of tiredness with their attacking trio of Jorge, Temile and Gilmar showing little connection between them. One minute from half-time, it was Balzan's turn to be awarded a penalty after Kaljevic's surge into the box was halted by the slid- ing Andrew Scicluna, prompting Marco Borg to order a penalty, the second in the game. The Mon- tenegrin striker picked himself up to place the ball behind Azzop- ardi. The proceedings livened up after the break as the two teams con- tinued to push hard in search of a goal. Sliema came close after 52 minutes but Gilmar's raking shot- cross from the left across the face of goal found nobody on hand to push the ball over the line. On the other side, Kaljevic's volley shook the bar. Balzan went for broke now. They were thwarted by Azzopardi who repelled efforts by Ryan Dar- manin, who came on for Mifsud Triganza. But the Reds struck the winner, eight minutes from time. Guerrero's swerving effort from a wide position drifted away from the leaping Azzopardi and nestled into the far corner. Naxxar then wasted a brilliant chance to grab a point two min- utes from time. Jorge, fastening on to Gilmar's pass, dashed into the box but his effort was pushed away by the alert Bonello, before Serrano cleared for a corner. In stoppage time, goalkeeper Azzopardi who went up for a cor- ner, saw his Balzan counterpart Sultana produce a smart save to palm away his effort. Naxxar: Azzopardi, Scicluna, Edet, emille (Dof fo 76'), Vella, Del Negro, Falzon (Bonnici 85'), Gil- mar Da Silva, Buhagiar, Santos Silva, Bruce Balzan: Sultana, Grioli, Grima (Agius 76'), Guerrero, Zarate, Bez- zina, Kaljevic, Guobadia, Brincat (Arab 72'), Mifsud Triganza (Dar- manin 70'), Valero Referee: Marco Borg Yellow Cards: Bruce, Zarate, Gri- oli, Falzon, Kaljevic, Azzopardi Scorers: Vella 2', Kaljevic 45', Guerrero 82' BOV Man of the Match: Gilmar Da Silva Tarxien R ........................ 1 Floriana. ......................... 2 EDWARD FALZON A controversial decision by referee Sandro Spiteri on the half hour mark was all it took for the game to be turned upside down when he delayed the decision to award a penalty in favour of the Rainbows with Felipe Douglas' tackle judged to be a clear foul. Despite the protests from the Floriana faithful, the referee stood by his decision for a penalty to be awarded and from the resultant kick, Triston Caruana converted. The Floriana players were furi- ous by the decision being given against them but they had the men- tal strength to make up for what could have been a harsh decision. In fact just four minutes later the Greens scored the equaliser when Clyde Borg fed Amadou Samb and his cross was turned into his own net from close range by a rushing Acevedo. At the restart, Tarxien almost went ahead when Edu Vallecillo was denied by Matthew Calleja Cremona who tipped his free- kick over the bar. The onus fell on Carlos Hevia to do more midfield grafting and Cini filling in the spaces on the Greens' right f lank as they put pressure on the Flori- ana rearguard. In the 54th minute, Vallecillo raced unopposed on to goal but shot just wide after the nippy Spaniard split open the Flo- riana defence with a smart pass. The match was now shaping up towards an exciting end and eight minutes from time, Plut showed some neat skill to jink his way on the left f lank before squaring for the unmarked Samb who stabbed the ball home. Soon after, substitute Igor Coro- nado who came on for Gary Muir, missed a great chance, to put his result beyond his opponents' reach as Cini blocked his effort after re- ceiving from Steve Pisani. The last seconds were nail-biting as Tarxien threw caution to the wind. Caruana could have notched the equaliser but his effort was palmed away by Matthew Calleja Cremona. At death, Soly Mouh- maed spoilt his copybook when he was red-carded probably for show- ing dissent, after being pulled up for a hefty foul on Brooke Farru- gia. It was to be the last act in a rousing match. Tarxien; Mintoff, Bugeja, Carua- na, Aboulezz (Farrugia 89'), Val- lecillo, Pereira, Menendez, Grech, Cini, Soly, Acevedo (Yepes 85') Floriana; Calleja Cremona, Doug- las Felipe, Cobo, Emerson, Pisani, C.Borg (Gales 80'), Plut, Conor Borg, Briffa, Samb, Muir (Corona- do 53'), Micallef (Farrugia 75') Referee: Sandro Spiteri Yellow Cards: Bugeja, Hevia, Clyde Borg, Jose Angel,Micallef, Vall- ecillo Scorers: Caruana 33', Own Goal 35', Samb 83' BOV Man of the Match: Alex Cini Balzan come from behind to regain fourth spot Late goal hands Floriana three points MFA condemned for 'unfounded' match-fixing allegations Premier Division Standing Committee criticises Malta FA Integrity Officer for 'tarnishing clubs' names' through a statement about the widespread state of football corruption THE Premier Division Standing Committee has condemned a re- cent statement by the Malta FA that shed a damning light on the wide- spread state of corruption in local football. "We deplore the way clubs' names have been tarnished due to seri- ous allegations that were made generically rather than directly," the PDSC, a board made up of Pre- mier League club president, said in a statement. "The MFA's baseless statement has painted all clubs with the same brush." The MFA's Integrity Officer Franz Tabone stirred the waters of local football when he wrote in a news- letter in January that "our football is infested by people who grade the game's sporting spirit at the lowest grade, if any". "Some club officials are blind when they come across money and will dive into any abyss for it," Tabone wrote. "Some football clubs finance their entire operations by manipulating matches and betting on them, with the winnings going into the club whilst also lining their own pockets." However, MFA secretary Bjorn Vassallo later played down concerns that the MFA has proof of Maltese clubs that operate in this manner. "I believe that a lot of clubs are properly administered but yes, some of them could be financed by match fixing," he told MaltaToday. "If he has any information, Tabone should instantly take all the neces- sary steps as per football regula- tions and refer said information to the police," the PDSC said. "If he doesn't have any information, he should instantly retract those accu- sations. Otherwise, we will formally ask the clubs we represent to take all necessary steps to defend their names and their honour through any permissible legal avenue." "The clubs will declare through an affidavit that their operations aren't financed by match-fixing and their accounts will be open to full scrutiny. In a separate declaration, they will also condemn all types of football corruption."