Balzan inflict Mqabba’s first defeat
Mqabba 0Balzan Youths 2 Balzan Youths scored two goals in the second half to hand Mqabba their first defeat of the season. Prior to yesterday’s match, Mqabba had gained seven straight wins, four in the knock-out competition and three in the league. In...
Mqabba 0
Balzan Youths 2
Balzan Youths scored two goals in the second half to hand Mqabba their first defeat of the season. Prior to yesterday’s match, Mqabba had gained seven straight wins, four in the knock-out competition and three in the league.
In yesterday’s game, Mqabba were a pale shadow of the side that produced exhilarating football in their previous outings as they looked a disorganised lot.
Credit must be attributed to Balzan for nullifying Mqabba as the likes of John Paul Muscat, Shaun Magro, Claudio Calleja and Marlon Briffa were blotted out of the game.
Balzan, who are still unbeaten this season, climbed to third place on eight points, two down on leaders St George’s who dropped their first points in a 2-2 draw with Pietà Hotspurs on Saturday.
The first half was a drab affair with both sides looking more interested in keeping their goal intact.
The sizeable crowd at the Victor Tedesco Stadium had to wait until the 33rd minute to witness a good move and this came from Mqabba. Muscat and Mazitelli played a good one-two to set up David Azzopardi who shot wide from just inside the area.
Three minutes later, Balzan came close to opening the scoring. Mqabba’s failure to deal with a corner caused a goalmouth melee but efforts from Uchanna Anywanna and Sylvan Ciscaldi were blocked by the opposing defenders.
Two minutes before the break, Mqabba had a good chance to storm ahead. Pierre Grima made a strong run before crossing for Mazitelli who headed the ball down for Magro but the latter drove wide from close range.
Balzan took the lead inside the opening two minutes of the second half. Anywanna hit the back of the net with a crisp drive as he concluded a fine move involving Ciscaldi, Steve Meilaq and Dylan Grima.
Mqabba failed to react as Balzan continued to dictate matters. It was no surprise that Balzan doubled their lead 13 minutes from the end when Anywanna dribbled his way through on the left and fired a scorcher which Mqabba goalkeeper Kris Calleja could not hold. From the rebound, Grima slotted the ball home.
Balzan were now in complete command and it had to be Calleja to save his side from further embarrassment with blocks from Renie Forace and Grima while Mqabba had a Mazitelli free-kick saved by Frederick Tabone.
Mqabba: K. Calleja, A. Scicluna, M. Bonnici, P. Grima, B. Timotic, M.A. Psaila (C. Cuschieri), D. Azzopardi, T. Mazitelli, C. Calleja (J. Shead), J.P. Muscat, S. Magro (M. Briffa).
Balzan: F. Tabone, R. Conceicao, D. Agius, J. Francica, C. Ciantar, B. Bondin, S. Ciscaldi (M. Buttigieg), R. Forace, D. Grima (D. Fenech), S. Meilaq (A. Agius), U. Anywanna.
Referee: Fiodor Zammit.
Man of the match: Uchanna Anywanna (Balzan).