BALZAN-1, ZEBBUG RANGERS-1
Balzan and Zebbug Rangers picked a point apiece after their second-round meeting ended one-all.
It was an entertaining game with Balzan going all out in attack in the early stages only to concede on the half-hour as Zebbug, who are still without a win, found their rhythm with the passing of minutes.
It was also a game in which the two goalkeepers excelled with Zebbug's Fabricio Morales winning the man-of-the-match award but Balzan's Steve Sultana also impressed with a string of vital interventions in the final 20 minutes.
Balzan played the better football in the first half but it was Zebbug who headed for the half-time break in the lead.
The Reds had created the first notable chance after thee minutes. Samir Arab ran forward from defence before passing to Lydon Micallef inside the box. The latter released Guerrero, who had been left unmarked, but the Colombian's effort was pushed away for a corner by Fabricio Morales, the Zebbug goalkeeper.
Moments later, Piccioni's header from, Guerrero's free-kick, was saved by Morales.
At the other end, Carlo Monti's swerving free-kick sailed wide of the far post.
Balzan continued to show the better ideas. Steve Bezzina, attacking down the left wing, ran into the box but his cross-cum-shot was fisted away by Morales. Amid the ensuing melee, the ball fell to Gianmarco Piccioni who produced a shot that was charged down by the alert Morales.
The Rangers made Balzan pay for their failure to convert their early pressure into goals.
The game was 30 minutes old when Matthew Gauci made headway on the right before putting an inviting cross into the box and towards Bojan Mamic who headed past Steve Sultana.
Three minutes from half-time, Sultana pushed away Monti's dangerous cross from a left-wing free-kick. Britto fired wide from an angle.
On the stroke of half-time, Balzan had a great opportunity to equalise but Piccioni headed over from close in after getting first to Bezzina's perfect cross.
Early in the second half, Balzan were denied an equaliser by Morales who effected a great save to stop Guerrero's close-range volley from Piccioni's cross.
Balzan levelled on 63 minutes. Elkin Serrano's quick pass caught the Zebbug defence off balance as Zarate flicked the ball to Piccioni who took aim before hitting a low shot that rolled past Morales.
Britto had a great opportunity to put the Rangers ahead after Matthew Bartolo's pass found him unmarked but the Brazilian's grounder was blocked by Sultana. The Balzan goalkeeper saved his team again with another point-blank intervention from Galea's flick after Monti's cross from a free-kick had unhinged the Balzan defence.
With 10 minutes remaining, Bartolo, who had a very good game, supplied an excellent through-ball to substitute Miguel Ciantar but the winger's grounder was beaten away by Sultana.
Four minutes from time, Sultana stopped Muchardi's drive after a good pass from Bartolo.
In stoppage time, the Balzan goalkeeper made no fewer than three successive saves from substitute Ratko Mandic after Monti's cross had unsettled the Balzan defence.