Leaders Balzan and neighbouring rivals Birkirkara cancelled each other after a 1-1 draw at the National Stadium today.

The Reds should have taken the lead on 12 minutes when Alan Da Silva Souza broke free but his pass towards the unmarked Kaljevic was poor and Birkirkara managed to clear.

Birkirkara responded on 18 minutes when Srdan Dimitrov pulled the ball back towards Matthew Guillaumier whose effort was too central to trouble Balzan goalkeeper Ivan Janjusevic.

The young Birkirkara midfielder again threatened on 30 minutes when he picked up a short clearance by Bruno but his thumping drive flew over.

Balzan stepped up their game on the restart and on 58 minutes Bojan Kaljevic served Abdelkarim Nafti, who dribbled past his marker but his low drive was palmed away by Henry Bonello.

Six minutes later, Piciollo pounced on some hesitant defending from Jovic to seize possession and burst into the area but the Italian was upended in the area by Joseph Zerafa with referee Alan Mario Sant pointing to the spot.

Kaljevic stepped up for the pick and drilled the ball into the net to put his team ahead.

Balzan were now on top and they had two clear opportunities in the next few minutes to kill off the match.

In a quick break Da Silva Souza put Nafti clear and the winger’s audacious lob came off the bar with Bonello beaten.

Less than a minute later the former Valletta player was again found in space by Kaljevic but he failed to make contact with the ball in front of a gaping goal.

Balzan were made to pay for these misses as 15 minutes from time Dimitrov broke clear from the left and picked Malan on the edge of the area. The Uruguayan teed up the steaming Andelkovic who beat Janjusevic with a low drive.

Birkirkara almost won it in time added on when Cain Attard hit a dipping drive that bounced off the crossbar with the ball bouncing out of play.

Balzan’s Alan Da Silva Souza was voted as the BOV Player of the match

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