Balzan 2
Aboulezz 24; Bezzina 75;
Rabat Ajax 0
Balzan registered their first victory of the season, a goal in each half handing Rabat Ajax their second loss in their opening two matches.
However, this was quite an evenly balanced encounter with both sides playing good attacking football and Balzan keeper Daniel Miguelez Martinez effecting a string of fine saves to keep the Magpies at bay.
Two players made their debut yesterday as Moises Avila Perez donned his Rabat shirt for the first time and Jose Luis Negrin, who played a key role in saving Rabat from relegation last season, making his first showing for Balzan.
Also, Rabat midfielder Ryan Micallef was back in the squad following a lengthy period on the sidelines with a back injury.
In the initial stages play was mainly concentrated in midfield at the Tedesco Stadium but once the ‘study phase’ was over it was Rabat who threatened first when Diego Carrillo Pendas drove the ball weakly into the hands of Martinez from an ideal position following some good work by Perez.
Perez himself should have given the Magpies the lead when he profited from a defensive blunder but was foiled by the quick-thinking Martinez who dived at the feet of the Rabat striker and pushed the ball away for a corner.
Soon, Balzan started to dictate matters and on 18 minutes Lydon Micallef’s drive from the distance finished wide.
Riccardo Tummiatti’s Balzan forged ahead on 24 minutes when Firas Aboulezz’s speculative shot from outside the area took a deflection off David Azzopardi and landed behind goalkeeper Velimirovic.
Two minutes later a repeat of Balzan’s opener looked on the cards when a Negrin effort was deflected by Ivan Carapic, but this time the Magpies custodian saved.
On the half hour, Andrew Scicluna cleared off the Balzan goalline from a Licari header as Steve D’Amato’s Rabat were now pressing forward in search of an equaliser.
After Perez’s shot was blocked by a defender, the same Rabat striker was put through by Carrillo Pendas but Balzan’s Spanish keeper was again on the right spot to avert danger.
On the stroke of half-time Balzan threatened when Negrin was freed by Calabretta but Velimirovic was faster when rushing out to retrieve the ball.
Rabat could have equalised early in the second half when Pendas’s cross shot was deflected to a corner. From the flag-kick, taken short, Licari’s effort was saved by Martinez after an inviting Azzopardi delivery from the flank.
On 65 minutes Pendas’s free-kick, from almost 30 metres out, hit the Balzan upright with the goalkeeper stranded on his lines.
However, 15 minutes from time Balzan made the game safe when Steve Bezzina hit a first-time volley home from the edge of the area after a poor clearance from the Rabat rearguard following a Micallef cross from the left.
On 82 minutes Balzan were unlucky not to score a third goal when the unmarked Negrin saw his header hitting the bar following an Aboulezz centre.
Balzan
D. Miguelez Martinez-7.5, F. Aboulezz-7, S. Bezzina-7, D. Grima-6, L. Micallef-6 (89 M. Borg), J. Negrin-6.5 (82 R. Darmanin), R. Pereira-6, A. Scicluna-6, M. Spiteri-6, G. Calabretta-5.5, F. Vignaroli-5.5.
Rabat Ajax
P. Velimirovic-6.5, I. Carapic-6, S. Gauci-5.5, C. Gauci-5.5 (76 Z. Tanti), M. Licari-5.5 (61 R. Micallef-6), J. Bajada-5.5 (70 J. Felice-5.5), D. Falzon-6, D. Pelaez Bellido-6, D. Carrillo Pendas-6, D. Azzopardi-6, M. Avila Perez-5.
Referee: Marco Borg.
Yellow cards: Bellido, Borg.
BOV Player of the match: Daniel Miguelez Martinez (Balzan).