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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 APRIL 2016 Sport 52 FOOTBALL Naxxar take derby spoils in narrow victory Naxxar Lions ............ 2 Mosta ...................... 1 NAXXAR Lions revived their hopes of avoiding the drop after beating neighbours Mosta in a narrow 2-1 victory. Following a six-game win- less streak, the Lions started the game slowly and can count themselves lucky in taking the lead against the run of play just before half-time. Playing in extremely windy conditions, Mosta created the first goal scoring opportunity after 20 minutes when Godwin Mensah saw his shot saved. A few minutes later Mensah hit the bar for the Blues from a spectacular overhead kick. Mosta were once again unlucky as Kyle Frendo's rising drive rat- tled the crossbar. Although Mosta looked the most likely to score, it was Naxxar who took the lead when from Daren Falzon's corner Edu Vallecillo was on hand to poke the ball past the goalkeeper. The goal gave the Lions confi- dence and following the break, the Reds created the first chance when David Fenech swapped passes with Vallecillo before running into the box but his shot was saved by Borg. With both sides actively seek- ing a goal, the game opened up. Mosta were not doing them- selves any favours and Mensha wasted a glorious chance, hit- ting wide from close range. In their next foray in their op- ponents' box, Naxxar scored their second thanks to Fenech who was on hand to tap in Fal- zon's pin-point cross. Despite the setback, Mosta did not give up on taking something out of the game and four min- utes from time substitute Zach- ary Brincat beat Gallinetta with a low strike. Mosta smelled blood but Naxx- ar repelled their rivals' frantic efforts in the dying minutes to secure a vital win that revives their hopes of avoiding the drop. NAX X AR Alberto Gallinetta, Andrew Scicluna, Ryan Grech, Eduardo Vallecillo Casado, Daren Falzon (76' Demba Toure), Jose Angel Godar Pereira, David Fenech (92' Jurgen Debono), An- gus Buhagiar, Ennio Matthews Hamutenya, Mark Fenech (89' Alvaro Javier Hungria Rosero), Nikola Tasic. Subs not used: Luke Pecorella, Joel Ellul, Ryan Mercieca, Adam Pace. Coach: Clive Mizzi MOSTA Omar Borg, Fatai Al- abi (72' Lyden Micallef ), Edile Micheletti, James Brincat, Osa Guobadia, Kyle Frendo (65' God- win Aounduna Zenke), Jonas Rodriguez Ekani, Godwin Men- sha, Tyrone Farrugia, Onyekachi Okonkwo (54' Zachary Brincat), Adrian Borg. Subs not used: Yenz Cini, Neil Frendo, Gordon Saliba, Dexter Xuereb. Assistant Coach: Ivan Zammit Referee: Matthew De Gabriele Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Martin Borg Fourth Official: Clayton Pisani Yellow Cards: Frendo, Z. Brin- cat, Toure, Vallecillo Scorers: 40' Eduardo Vallecillo, 66' David Fenech, 85' Zachary Brincat BOV Player of the Match: David Fenech Attendance: 1,346 PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Balzan keep European dreams alive First win for Greco as Blues beat toothless Pembroke Balzan ............................ 1 St Andrews ..................... 0 BALZAN tightened their grip on the third place with an anxious win over a plucky St Andrews side at the Victor Tedesco Stadium in Hamrun. Balzan looked to be heading for a second consecutive draw as they struggled to break down a deter- mined Saints outfit but a superb header from Micallef set up Alek- sandar Vujacic for the decisive goal on the 70th minute. Balzan's coy start and the Saints' spirited showing made for a quiet start of the game but as the game progressed Balzan created more chances. After 11 minutes of play Balzan created their first scoring opportu- nity when Justin Grioli's cross was met by the towering Effiong whose powerful header was blocked by the Saints goalkeeper Jake Galea. Chasing the three points to keep their European dream alive, Balzan were in no mood to dish out fa- vours as they continued to lay siege on the Saints defence. On 30 minutes, Grioli's corner was met with a scissor-kick from Effiong which was deflected for another corner. In the second half Balzan con- tinued where they left off but it was the Saints who went closest to opening the score when Bong Won Che headed goalwards but his ef- fort was blocked for a corner. St Andrews' resistance was fi- nally breached when Balzan scored the all-important goal on the 70th minute. From a Justin Grioli cross, Lydon Micallef headed the ball in the di- rection of Aleksandar Vujacic who headed home from close range. BALZAN Ivan Janjusevic, Justin Grioli, Paul Fenech, Steve Bezzina, Alfred Effiong (90' Sean Cipriott), Clive Brincat, Luke Sciberras (63' Alan Da Silva Souza), Alexander Vujacic, Lydon Micallef (71' Samir Arab), Elkin Orlando Serrano Vale- ro, Dylan Grima. Subs: Valerio Senatore, Maxim Fosca, Juan Corbolan, Jamie Zer- afa. Coach: Oliver Spiteri ST. ANDREWS Jake Galea, Emmy Manuel Pena Beltre, Bong Won Che, Chinatu Francis Onwudinjo, Michael Johnson, Liam Grech, Joseph Farrugia, Jonatan Perez Cuesta, Matteo Desira Buttigieg (77' Lucky Victor Oseghale), Kyrian Nwoko, Michel Salomon Wisdom. Subs not used: Dorian Bugeja, Jacob Walker, Ryan Sammut, Nicholas Bradshaw, Jamie Magri Overand, Wade Moodley. Coach: Jose Borg Referee: Sandro Spiteri Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Sammy Attard Fourth Official: Fyodor Zammit Yellow cards Brincat, Effiong, Fene- ch, Wisdom Scorers: 69' Alexander Vujacic BOV Player of the Match: Alfred Effiong Attendance at the Victor Tedesco Stadium: 298 Pembroke Athleta .......... 0 Sliema Wanderers .......... 2 SLIEMA Wanderers returned to winning ways as they beat Pembroke Athleta 2-0 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Sliema manager Alfonso Greco fi- nally celebrated his first win in his return to Sliema after five failed at- tempts. The Blues deservedly took all three points as they created the best chances throughout the game and only some wasteful finishing and some fine saves by Pembroke's vet- eran goalkeeper Mario Muscat pre- vented a humiliating defeat for the promoted side. The Wanderers took the lead on the 18th minute when off an assist by Gary Muir, an unmarked Jean Paul Farrugia put his side ahead from close range. Despite their supremacy, Sliema could not score a second past a dogged Pembroke defence in the opening half. Following the break, Sliema's dom- inance continued and on 64 min- utes, Denni sliced open the Athleta defence with a through ball for the dynamic Farrugia who unleashed a fierce shot which Muscat desperate- ly saved in two attempts as the ball looked destined to end in the back of the net. On the 86th minute, substitute Aidan Friggieri produced a moment of brilliance when he showed some deft footwork to dribble his way through before setting up Denni whose shot went straight into Mus- cat's hands. But two minutes later the Brazilian made up for the miss by dribbling past a defender and slamming the ball at the back of the net after con- trolling an inviting Friggieri cross. PEMBROKE Mario Muscat, Zoran Levnaic (88' Terrence Agius), Owen Bugeja, Miguel Attard, Gustavo Vil- lalobos, Kyle O'Brien, (69' Siraj Eddin Arab), Manolito Micallef, Paltemio Barbetti, Gustavo De Paulo Da No- brega (57' Obinna Obiefule), Ariel Laudisi, Alex Cini Subs not used: Matthew Farrugia, Sunday Eboh, Rennie Tanti, Tyron Fenech. Coach: Winston Muscat SLIEMA Entonjo Elezai, Alex Mus- cat, Mark Scerri, Clifford Gatt Bal- dacchino, Marko Potezica, Peter Xuereb (69' Aiden Jake Friggieri), Johann Bezzina (60' Armando Dos Santos Tarlaziz), Denni Dos Santos Rocha (90+2' Omar Elouni), Gary Muir, Jean Paul Farrugia, Luke Di- mech. Subs not used: Glenn Zammit, Haru- na Shola Shodiya, Sebastian Perdo- mo Esiquivel, Michele Sansone, Coach: Alfonso Greco Referee: Glen Tonna Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, Thomas Debono Fourth Official: Marco Borg Yellow cards: Mandinho, Muir, Far- rugia, Friggieri Scorers: 18' Jean Paul Farrugia, 89' Denni Dos Santos Rocha BOV Player of the Match: Denni Dos Santos Rocha