Nine-man Sliema fight back to hold Balzan

Balzan Youths 3
Forace 43; Pedrinho 68, 86;
Sliema Wanderers 3
Cilia 60; Lattes 84 pen, Bogdanovic 90;

What a match!

Despite having two players dismissed by the 57th minute, Sliema Wanderers made a great fightback to stun Balzan Youths, coming from behind three times to force a 3-3 draw with a stoppage-time equaliser.

Balzan looked to have inflicted a serious blow to Sliema’s European ambitions when they took the lead against the run of play late in the first half.

Yet, the wounded Wanderers, who had Cameroonian striker Anicet Eyenga and midfielder Mark Scerri sent off, found the energy and courage to hit back, twice levelling matters in the space of 20 frantic minutes.

Pedrinho’s second goal and Balzan’s third four minutes from time looked to have shattered Sliema but Nikola Bogdanovic’s late goal made for a fitting climax to a thrilling finale in a match that was a good advert for Maltese football, especially in the second half.

Balzan had taken to this encounter without several key players. Goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri was suspended whereas foreign duo, Albanian defender Bledjon Guga and Serbian midfielder Nikola Tasic, have been released by the club. Glenn Bonello was on the substitutes’ bench.

The Wanderers had their fare share of problems to contend with. At the back, Sliema were down to their bare bones with three defenders, Josef Mifsud, Alex Muscat and Beppe Muscat, all sidelined with injuries while Ryan Grech was suspended.

Danilo Doncic was left with no option but to field a makeshift defence with Emiliano Lattes filling in at the right-back. Scerri’s return allowed the Serbian mentor to offer an extra cover to his rearguard as the young Andrew Caligari was also detailed to drop back in support of the defence.

The opening exchanges were balanced but Rumen Galabov mustered two scoring opportunities in quick succession. Frederick Tabone, replacing Camilleri, first denied the Bulgarian when he leapt to push away his dipping header. The rebound fell kindly to Galabov but he miscued his effort after five minutes.

On 25 minutes, Cleaven Frendo set up Anicet Eyenga but the lanky striker was thwarted by a timely tackle from Balzan defender Jonathan Francica. It proved to be Eyenga’s last meaningful contribution as he was sent off for an apparent elbow in Francica’s face seven minutes from half-time.

Sliema’s misery was compounded five minutes later when Pedrinho thumped a rasping drive which Henry Bonello found too hot to handle and Rennie Forace reacted quicker than anyone, going to the near post to deflect the ball across the goalkeeper into the corner.

Doncic made a double substitution at the start of the second half, bringing on Trevor Cilia and Bogdanovic for Caligari and Danail Mitev. Sliema’s Bulgarian winger was withdrawn after suffering a suspected leg fracture.

The changes had the desired impact but not before Doncic’s side had to negotiate the last half hour two men down after Scerri was shown red for his second bookable offence following a late tackle on Jamie Pace.

Ironically, this second red card encouraged the Wanderers to swarm forward in pursuit of an equaliser. The goal arrived three minutes later in the most bizarre circumstances. Substitute Cilia produced an effort that was little more than a hopeful shot from 25 metres but it caught Tabone by surprise.

Pedrinho restored Balzan’s lead from the restart as the Brazilian got on the end of Clifton Ciantar’s cross and sent his shot into the bottom corner.

Sliema were back on even terms for a second time when Cilia tried to outpace Francica but the latter tripped the former Birkirkara midfielder in the box. Lattes drilled his shot home from the spot.

Balzan would not lie down though and two minutes later, Pedrinho evaded two Sliema defenders to beat Bonello again with a ferocious drive from inside the box.

Yet, the Youths’ celebrations were premature as Bogdanovic stabbed the ball into the corner following Cilia’s free-kick in stoppage time to secure an unlikely draw for Sliema.

Balzan Youths
F. Tabone-4, J. Francica-5.5, Y. Camilleri-5, B. Bondin-5 (64 L. Micallef-5), C. Ciantar-6, J. Pace-6, D. Grima-6.5, Pedrinho-7, M. Deanov-6, M. Ciantar-6 (70 S. Ciscaldi-5), R. Forace-6.5.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-5, C. Gatt Baldacchino-5, A. Eyenga, D. Mitev-5 (46 N. Bogdanovic-7), S. Bezzina-5, C. Frendo-6 (75 J. Ani-4), R. Galabov-6, R. Fenech-5.5, E. Lattes-6.5, A. Caligari-5 (46 T. Cilia-7), M. Scerri.

Referee: Chris Lautier

Yellow cards: C. Ciantar; Fenech; Grima; Pedrinho; M. Ciantar; Scerri; Tabone; Galabov; Francica; Pace.

Red cards: Eyegna (S) 38; Scerri (S) 57.

BOV player of the match: Pedrinho (Balzan Youths).

Attendance: 663.