Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/926403
maltatoday SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 2018 Sports 48 FOOTBALL Valletta still haunting Balzan Balzan keep marching on Valletta kept the pace with Balzan as they secured narrow 1-0 win over the Lions Balzan's good run of results continued with a 2-1 win over Sliema Wanderers Valletta .................... 1 Naxxar Lions ............ 0 WARREN ZAMMIT VALLETTA scored the win- ning goal on the 24th minute. Enmy Pena Beltre delivered a cross towards Santiago Ma- lano who finished inside the net. Naxxar hit back and had an attempt on goal when Yuri De Jesus Messias fired a shot that was neutralised by Hen- ry Bonello. Oliver Spiteri 's side threat- ened again through Jean Diego Moser. The Brazilian's effort was saved by Bonello. Naxxar kept on insisting and were denied by the post when Moser's header hit the upright. Naxxar protested heav- ily for a penalty on the 71st minute as Messias went down after a challenge from Malano. However, the refer- ee signalled play on. Valletta held firm in the remaining minutes to take home the three points. Naxxar Lions starting line- up: Christoph Nicht, Du- ane Bonnici, Ryan Gilmour Cassar, Ryan Grech, Mailsa Souze Duarte Junior, Veris- simo Casarotto, Manolito Micallef, Jean Diego Moser, Ouzin Ndoye, Henriques Santos Caetano, Yuri De Je- sus Messias Valletta starting line-up: Henry Bonello, Miguel Alba, Jean Borg , Steve Borg , Ry- an Camilleri, Denni Rocha Dos Santos, Juan Gill Cruz, Santiago Malano, Michael Mifsud, Enmy Pena Beltre, Albert Prosa Referee: Philip Farrugia Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, William Debattista Fourth Of ficial: Jude Admin Utulu BOV Player of the Match: Yuri De Jesus Messias Sliema Wanderers ........... 1 Balzan ............................ 2 WARREN ZAMMIT BALZAN nearly went ahead after eleven minutes. Debutant Ivan Bozovic sent a cross in the direction of Bojan Kaljevic who headed the ball slightly over. Kaljevic went close again on the 15th minute. The Mon- tenegrin striker received the ball from Uros Ljubomirac and headed off target once more. Kaljevic kept on insisting and was denied from scoring by Glenn Zammit on the 22nd minute. The Balzan player re- ceived the ball inside the pen- alty area and hit a shot that was parried by Sliema's shot stop- per. Sliema were forced to make an early substitution on the half hour mark as Jonathan Pearson suffered an injury. Debutant Ashong Ni Nortey took his his place. Balzan went close again on the 35th minute. Alfred Ef- fiong went inside the penalty area but could not conclude as he was pressed by a number of Sliema defenders. The ball fell for Ljubomirac whose powerful shot went over. Two minutes later, Effiong went inside the penalty area down the left f lank and fired a shot that hit the side netting. Balzan lost a golden oppor- tunity to go ahead on the 41st minute. Following a cross from the right f lank, Effiong's header was cleared off the line to the disbelief of Balzan's supporters who were already celebrating. Marco Micovic's side started the second half where they left off the first one and had a good chance on the 51st minute. Ljubomirac served Da Paixao Alves inside the penalty area and the latter hit a low shot that went centimetres off target. On the 63rd minute, Kaljevic received the ball inside the pen- alty area and fired a powerful drive that went over. Sliema's first chance of the match was created on the 66th minute. Matias Muchardi sent a shot from distance that ended up marginally over. However, Balzan's efforts paid up a minute later. Da Paixao Alves passed the ball towards Ljubomirac whose shot from inside the penalty area gave Zammit no chance. Sliema nearly equalised on the 81st minute. Michele Sansone ran down the left f lank and hit a shot that went slightly wide. Sansone had a similar attempt on the 86th minute, but his ef- fort was neutralised by Sean Mintoff. Balzan made sure of the three points on the 89th min- ute. Kaljevic sent an excel- lent through ball towards Ljubomirac who finished past Zammit. The Wanderers pulled one back in the additional time given by the referee. Muchardi hit a stunning shot from a free- kick that went behind Mintoff. Following this result, Balzan will remain first with thirty- seven points. Sliema Wanderers starting line-up: Glenn Zammit, Stefano Bianchardi, Matias Muchardi, Frank Temile, Nikolae Milin- cenau, Gabriel Aquilina (Frenci Qeros – 71), Michele Sansone, Peter Xuereb (Kurt Shaw – 90), Jonathan Pearson (Ashong Ni Nortey – 30), John Mintof f, Goran Adamovic Balzan starting line-up: Sean Mintof f, Steve Bezzina, Alfred Ef fiong (Siraj Eddin Arab – 87), Elkin Serrano Valero, Uros Ljubomirac, Ivan Bozovic (Jus- tin Grioli – 70), Bojan Kaljevic, Paul Fenech, Milos Lepovic, Bruno Gilio de Oliveira, Alex Da Paixao Alves (Michael John- son – 89) Referee: Alan Mario Sant Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Paul Apap Fourth Of ficial: Darryl Agius BOV Player of the Match: Bo- jan Kaljevic (Balzan) PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC BORG PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE BORG