Balzan 3
Elton 26; Pedrinho 48 pen; Licari 90;
Ħamrun Spartans 2
Calabretta 13; Vella 21;
Balzan and Ħamrun occupied seventh and eighth place respectively in the standings before their second-round showdown yesterday.
Given that these two clubs are pursuing a berth in the Championship Pool, this clash took on added significance.
Having pieced together a run of six matches without a defeat, Balzan had good reason to be optimistic about their chances of overcoming a Ħamrun side who were coming from two straight defeats but the roles were reversed for much of the opening half-hour.
Ivan Zammit’s preference for a 3-4-3-cum-5-4-1 formation was meant to give his Balzan team two extra men in the middle when in possession and extra protection on the flanks when they are defending.
But, for much of the opening, it looked as though Zammit’s strategy was not serving its purpose as Balzan were twice caught out at the back with Ħamrun roaring into a two-goal advantage.
Aided by Zammit’s positional changes at half-time, Balzan recaptured the form that re-ignited their top-six push in the second half. Lacklustre in the first half, Pedrinho and Renato Conceicao were at the heart of Balzan’s revival but it was Malcolm Licari who emerged as the unlikely but rightful hero.
This season has also caused frustration for Licari, who has served a three-match ban, but, perhaps, his fortunes started to improve as the former Marsaxlokk forward completed Balzan’s fightback with a diving header in the dying stages.
With this win, Balzan climbed above Tarxien into sixth place, thus turning up the heat on the latter ahead of their clash with Valletta this afternoon.
Gianluca Calabretta was handed a starting role as the Spartans wing-back was preferred to David Camilleri while Lyubomir Vitanov, back from suspension, was given the nod ahead of Nikolay Bozhov.
It was Ħamrun who should have nosed ahead when Adrian Ivanov’s run went unchecked by the Balzan defence as the Bulgarian had time and space to play a teasing ball into the six-yard box. The cross found Balzan in a state of dishevelment as the ball dropped to Daniel Zerafa who hit a scrambled effort that was blocked by Matthew Mendy.
Balzan were reprieved but not for long. Barely a minute later, Massimo Grima floated a perfect pass towards Calabretta who had been left in splendid isolation on the right wing. Calabretta advanced before summoning a perfect chip that soared into the air before landing into the far corner of the net.
In their next foray, Balzan came close to an equaliser but Pedrinho’s thunderbolt ricocheted off the bar before the Spartans cleared the danger.
Unflustered, Ħamrun quickly regained the initiative. Angel Yoshev hit wide from close in after Balzan had failed to clear a free-kick but, on 21 minutes, Ħamrun extended their lead.
Grima may not be the fastest players in the championship but few can match his excellent footballing brain and passing ability.
The stocky midfielder produced another pin-point pass to send Vella clear and the newly-capped Malta forward beat Fredrick Tabone with a clinical finish.
Two goals down, Balzan knew that they had to stage a bold reaction to revive their hopes.
They looked shambolic and short of inspiration for much of the opening stages but they gained a tonic on 26 minutes.
A loose ball landed at the feet of Pedrinho who found himself unmarked. The Brazilian looked certain to score but his grounder was repelled by Andrea Cassar, the goalkeeper. The danger was not over for the Spartans as the rebound came to Elton who sidefooted the ball into the net.
In the meantime, Zammit ordered Forace and Mendy to swap flanks in an attempt to resolve his side’s defensive deficiencies.
Balzan would have equalised nine minutes from half-time but for an outstanding save from Cassar who just managed to smother Pedrinho’s free-kick.
Late in the first half, Grima’s clearance invited Calabretta to run through the exposed Balzan defence but the Spartans winger’s first touch was heavy.
Hardly a minute from the start of the second half had elapsed when Balzan earned themselves a great chance to level matters.
They won a penalty after Roderick Fenech was adjudged to have hauled down Conceicao inside the box.
Pedrinho marched towards the penalty spot and conjured up a central lob. Shifting to his right, Cassar got a hand to the shot but could not prevent it from dropping into the net.
The force was with Balzan now. They nearly forged ahead 12 minutes into the second half when Grima’s headed clearance only succeeded in sending the ball into the goalmouth where Elton nodded goalwards but his attempt was blocked by Cassar before Fenech cleared.
The game became more balanced as the second half gathered pace but, despite the teams’ endeavours to make headway in attack, constructive football was at a premium.
With 15 minutes remaining, Elton had a glorious opportunity to put Balzan on velvet as the Brazilian ran clear to reach Grima’s pass but his grounder flashed against the base of the post.
Cassar then denied Balzan with another crucial save from Con-ceicao’s strike.
The Spartans also squandered a gilt-edged chance to regain the lead when Angel Yoshev’s inviting cross from the left rolled towards Zerafa but he mishit his shot.
The flurry of chances persisted. Balzan thought they had won it when Pedrinho’s astute pass released Licari but the latter’s central effort was kept out by Cassar.
Ħamrun let out a sigh of relief but theirs was a temporary reprieve.
On the cusp of time, Conceicao pulled the ball back for Forace who arrowed a measured cross towards the far post where Licari directed a glancing header past Cassar.
In stoppage time, the Spartans wasted a chance to salvage a draw when substitute Luke Grech’s corner flew towards Yoshev but his volley was stopped by Tabone.
Balzan
F. Tabone-6, M. Mendy-5.5, S. Giglio-5.5 (74 J. Borg), R. Conceicao-6.5, R. Forace-6.5, J. Pace-6 (78 M. Licari), D. Grima-6, Pedrinho-7, M. Deanov-5 (57 B. Bondin-6), Y. Camilleri-7, Elton-7.
Ħamrun Spartans
A. Cassar-7, M. Grima-6.5 (88 D. Camilleri), R. Spiteri-5 (67 L. Grech-5), T. Vella-6, G. Calabretta-6.5, A. Ivanov-6, R. Fenech-6, L. Vitanov-5, A. Yoshev-6, A. Vergilov-5 (90 N. Bozhov), D. Zerafa-5.
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Conceicao; D. Grima; Calabretta; Pace; Mendy; Giglio; Bondin; Yoshev; Forace
BOV Player of the match: Elton (Balzan).
Attendance: 622.