Qormi 1
Effiong 68 pen
Balzan 5
Kaljevic 1, 20; Piccioni 23, Serrano 41; Arab 89;
Bojan Kaljevic took 20 minutes to decide the outcome of this match when he struck twice to help Balzan strengthen their hold on fourth place in the standings.
With Floriana dropping precious points against Valletta, Balzan’s emphatic win over Qormi, which matured in the first half when Oliver Spiteri’s team struck four times, vindicated their aspirations for a possible berth in next season’s UEFA competitions.
They extended their advantage over the Greens to seven points albeit the latter have a game in hand, against leaders Hibernians this afternoon.
Those present had barely took their seat before Kaljevic scored one of the quickest Premier League goals this season – after just 47 seconds.
Balzan attacked straight from kick-off and Montenegro striker Kaljevic, totally unmarked after running into space from midfield, slotted home from Terence Agius’s through pass.
That goal set the tone for the match as Kaljevic ran with far greater confidence than any of his Qormi markers and Matthew Farrugia’s goal was breached again 19 minutes later.
Lydon Micallef made a determined run down the right flank and squared the ball which Kaljevic tapped in after holding off a feeble defensive challenge from early substitute Jonathan Bondin.
There was no reprieve for the confused Qormi as Gianmarco Piccioni made it 3-0, three minutes later and what a goal that was.
Micallef delivered a perfect ball to the Italian striker who cut in from the left before effecting a cute lob over the stranded Qormi goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net.
Four minutes from half-time, Balzan struck a fourth time as Grima’s corner soared towards the far side of Qormi’s box and Orlando Valero Serrano scored with a firm header.
Balzan, limited Qormi to a few chances after the break but midway through the half Mark Miller’s team reduced the arrears.
It came on 68 minutes via a penalty after Clive Brincat was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his own penalty area.
Alfred Effiong sent Christian Cassar, the Balzan goalkeeper, the wrong way from the spot.
Balzan were never troubled though and even found time to score again, courtesy of defender Samir Arab. He ran on to reach a pass from Osa Guobadia before placing his shot home to complete his team’s rout, piling more misery on relegation-troubled Qormi.
Qormi: M. Farrugia-4.5, C. Uzeh-5 (49 Mar-celinho-4), A. Mendoza-5, A. Effiong-5.5, C. Gauci-5, R. Micallef-4.5, E. Vella (7 J. Bondin-5), Z. Levnaic-5, D. Pisani-5 (69 L. Grech-5), B. Berntsson-5, G. Villalobos-5.
Balzan: C. Cassar-6, T. Agius-7, D. Grima-7 (74 L. Sciberras), E. Serrano-7.5, S. Arab-7, S. Bezzina-6, B. Kaljevic-7.5 (58 R. Darmanin-5), I. Guobadia-7, C. Brincat-6, L. Micallef-6.5, G. Piccioni- 6.5 (76 E. Bilbao Zarate).
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Yellow card: Effiong.
BOV Player of the match: Dylan Grima (Balzan).