Naxxar Lions 1
Ribeiro 29 pen;
Balzan 1
Piccioni 8;
Balzan succeeded in taking a point off Naxxar Lions despite playing for more than an hour with 10 men in a nerve-wrecking encounter during which seven players were booked and goalkeeper Christian Cassar sent off in the first half.
Balzan looked in control in the early stages of the match, also taking a one-goal lead, but when Cassar was red carded Naxxar applied more pressure on their opponents’ fort.
Gilmar Da Silva Ribeiro played a blinder for the Lions and never stopped running, spraying passes and finding gaps at the right time in the middle of the park.
After beating Żebbuġ Rangers 4-2 last week, Balzan are now on the four-point mark as Naxxar chalked up their first point following the 1-0 upset to Qormi in their first encounter.
Balzan forged ahead on eight minutes when Gianmarco Piccioni’s glancing header from a superb cross from the right by Justin Grioli, gave goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi no chance to save.
Naxxar responded somewhat mildly at first with most of their insertions coming down the right flank following good runs by Da Silva Ribeiro. However, they rarely troubled the Balzan rearguard.
The game continued on the same pattern with Balzan staying alert as their opponents were relying too much on long balls.
Naxxar were coming more into the picture and on 25 minutes, following another punt into the area by Doffo, keeper Cassar came out to punch but failed to make contact with Angus Buhagiar lobbing the ball just wide.
A minute later Cassar brought down Daren Falzon as he was through into the Balzan area and a penalty was given. The keeper was shown the red card as he was the last man.
Ribeiro took the penalty, sending stand-in keeper Steve Sultana the wrong way to equalise.
On 39 minutes, Sultana did well to stop an Uchenna Mbachy Eminike piledriver from outside the box as the game now became nervous. Grioli was lucky to escape with a yellow card on one occasion following an abrasive tackle on an opponent.
On resumption, Naxxar went close when Ribeiro dribbled past two opponents before releasing Eminike whose drive was stopped by Sultana.
At the other end, Piccioni’s shot from the edge of the area was neutralised by Azzopardi.
Sultana again saved his team when blocking from close range an Eminike effort following a Reano cross from the left flank and with nine minutes left the Balzan keeper produced a superb save to deny Falzon.
Deep into stoppage time Ribeiro was put through by an inviting Gueye cross but Sultana rescued his side from a dangerous situation with another providential save.
Naxxar Lions
J. Azzopardi-6, A. Buhagiar-5, G. Da Silva Ribeiro-7, P. Doffo-6 (69 P. Gueye), E. Edet-6, U. Eminike-6, D. Falzon-6, D. Fenech-5, A. Reano-5, A. Scicluna-5, T. Vella-5 (70 V. Bellia).
Balzan
C. Cassar-, J. Grioli-5, S. Bezzina-5, E. Serrano Valero-5, E. Bilbao Zarate-6, I. Osa-5, L. Sciberras-6, L. Micallef-5 (27 S. Sultana-7), O. Guerrero-6 (90 M. Borg), J.P. Mifsud Triganza-5 (85 M. Spiteri), G. Piccioni-6.
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Yellow cards: Piccioni, Sciberras, Grioli, Doffo, Reano, Fenech, Falzon.
Red card: Cassar (B) 26.
BOV Player of the match: Gilmar Ribeiro Da Silva (Naxxar Lions).