Balzan 0
Valletta 2
Briffa 34; Fenech 84;
For long swathes, Valletta were dominant only to be thwarted time and again by Steve Sultana, the Balzan goalkeeper.
As the game trickled into the final 10 minutes and with Valletta only leading through Roderick Briffa's first-half strike, the game remained finely-poised as Balzan were still in with a shout thanks to Sultana’s heroics.
The champions, still bereft of the confidence that propelled them to the title last season, had shown glimpses of their best form as they poured forward in the second half but, fearful of a smash-and-grab coup from Balzan, coaches Ivan Zammit and Gilbert Agius threw on defender Luke Dimech and switched to five at the back to protect their fragile lead.
As everyone inside the stadium braced themselves for a potentially thrilling finale, Valletta finally got the decisive break their supremacy deserved.
Seven minutes from time, Balzan midfielder Ice-Cream Guo-badia was expelled for bringing down Lateef Elford-Alliyu and from the ensuing free-kick, captain Ryan Fenech sealed a much-needed victory for the champions.
Valletta deployed Fenech and Briffa in front of defence as midfielder Hugo Faria was serving a one-match ban.
Valletta lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with the returning Elford-Alliyu partnering Raphael Kooh Sohna in attack.
Deprived of defender Elkin Serrano, suspended, Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri brought Clive Brincat back into the first team while Fredrick Nonso Odebe received the nod ahead of Luke Sciberras.
Undaunted by the prospect of facing a team brimming with attacking talent, Spiteri went with three up front as Oscar Guerrero was assigned probing duties behind Gianmarco Piccioni and Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.
Despite the abundance of gifted players on the field, the first 20 minutes failed to produce one noteworthy opportunity with Valletta labouring to establish a foothold in the game.
Midway into the first half, Abdelkarim Nafti went close with a lob that ended just over the bar.
Minutes later, Nafti's inviting corner sparked a goalmouth scramble as Hamza Barry tried to get a touch to the ball but Goubadia cleared the danger.
Valletta assumed a modicum of control but Balzan refused to yield an inch. Nafti tried to surprise Sultana with a deft volley but the goalkeeper was alert.
Close to the half-hour, sights were drawn to the centre of the pitch as Briffa appeared to slightly make contact with the grounded Guerrero after the Valletta midfielder had fouled the Colombian. The two players confronted each other and were subsequently booked by referee Adrian Azzopardi.
Valletta put their noses in front on 34 minutes. Elford-Alliyu was the provider as his dipping cross from the right flew towards Nafti who laid the ball to Briffa and the midfielder rifled home from close range.
Five minutes from half-time, Barry powered forward before picking out Elford-Alliyu but the latter's shot was an anti-climax.
The champions came close to doubling their lead when Nafti's cross again wreaked havoc in the Balzan box as Steve Borg touched the ball towards Kooh Sohna but the former Pietà forward’s effort was deflected away for a corner.
Valletta may have had the better of the first half but they lacked the fluency and inspiration expected of a team featuring some of the best players on the island.
Nafti remained their most creative outlet with his excellent distribution.
Four minutes into the second half, his set-piece cross glanced off Balzan’s wall but the ball sailed towards the unmarked Borg who headed wide with only Sultana to beat.
The white-shirted players brought more intensity to their game.
Barry poked wide from close in after Elford-Alliyu's shot had come off the Gambian and, on 53 minutes, Fenech lifted his shot over the bar after a good interchange involving Barry and Kooh Sohna.
As the Valletta players swarmed forward with renewed intent, Balzan dropped deeper in their own half.
They were rescued by Sultana who blocked a low shot from Briffa before producing a better save to keep out Kooh Sohna’s inswinger.
All routes seemed to lead to Sultana’s goal at this juncture as Valletta exploited the glaring gaps in their opponents’ half.
Balzan’s defensive flaws were evident when Nafti and Kooh Sohna were both unguarded as they chased Briffa’s through-ball but the Cameroonian striker’s attempt was saved by Sultana.
Llywelyn Cremona, who had just come on for Kooh Sohna, had a shot blocked by Sultana after the Valletta winger had received from Fenech.
In preventing Valletta from adding to their lead, the brilliant Sultana kept Balzan in the game.
Spiteri’s substitutions also enlivened Balzan as Lydon Micallef and Ryan Darmanin bolstered their attack.
Nicky Vella showed fine reflexes as he fisted away Darmanin’s piledriver after the lanky striker had been teed up by Piccioni.
At the other end, Sultana again thwarted Valletta with fine saves from Briffa and Elford-Alliyu.
There was another close shave for Balzan as Briffa, darting forward through the middle, served the overlapping Ryan Camilleri who sidestepped his marker but his angled drive grazed the far post.
Seven minutes from time, Guobadia was sent off for tripping the goalbound Elford-Alliyu who had been sent clear by Briffa.
From the free-kick, Fenech had the better of Sultana after his angled drive took a slight deflection.
The game was won and lost but, to their credit, the 10-man Balzan refused to lie down. On the stroke of time, Vella failed to hold Darmanin’s effort but Borg belted the ball away from the danger zone.
Balzan
S. Sultana-8.5, J. Grioli-5 (69 R. Darmanin-6), S. Bezzina-5.5, F. Odebe-4 (46 L. Sciberras-5), E. Zarate-5.5, I.O. Guobadia, S. Arab-6, C. Brincat-6, O. Guerrero-6.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-4 (61 L. Micallef-6), G. Piccioni-5.
Valletta
N. Vella-6, J. Caruana-6.5, I. Azzopardi-6, S. Borg-6.5, R. Camilleri-6, R. Fenech-6.5, R. Kooh Sohna-5.5 (65 L. Cremona-6), R. Briffa-7.5, L. Elford-Alliyu-6.5, H. Barry-6.5 (81 L. Dimech), A. Nafti-7 (72 S. Bajada-6).
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Guerrero; Briffa; Nafti; Grioli; Kooh Sohna.
Red card: Guobadia (B) 83.
BOV player of the match: Steve Sultana (Balzan).
Attendance: 756.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Hibernians | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 6 | 25 |
| Birkirkara | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 18 |
| Valletta | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 7 | 16 |
| Balzan | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 16 |
| Qormi | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Sliema W. | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
| Mosta | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 13 |
| Tarxien R. | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Floriana | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 18 | 10 |
| Pietà H. | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 8 |
| Naxxar L. | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 7 |
| Żebbuġ R. | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 25 | 3 |