Balzan Youths 1
St George’s 0
Balzan beat St George’s 1-0 for their 12th victory of the season to clinch the championship title at the Ħamrun ground yesterday.
Balzan saw more of the ball with St George’s upping their game significantly in the second half and could have also snatched a late equaliser. However, in the end, the Joe Borg-Ivan Zammit coach-and-manager tandem saw the team through, the final whistle greeted with signs of joy by the merry-making Balzan followers.
The leaders had more of the possession but were rarely dangerous in the early stages.
In fact, they had to wait until the half-hour mark to threaten the Saints’ goal seriously and this came from a Pedro dos Santos Calcado free-kick that was saved by Thomas Galea.
St George’s rarely came out of their defensive shell with their only scoring opportunity coming five minutes from half-time when Jonathan Ruiz’s half volley just missed the target.
A minute from the break, Steven Meilak outpaced a couple of St George’s defenders but his shot also went wide. Meilak then got in the way of team-mate Renato Conceicao’s piledriver which looked destined to hit the back of the St George’s net.
As the second half got underway, Aaron Agius and Meilak combined perfectly to release Calcado who did the unthinkable and fluffed a clear chance.
But Balzan finally succeeded in opening the score and this came on 51 minutes when Meilak was on the right spot to finish off Calcado’s service.
St George’s were still enter-taining hopes of promotion and hit back four minutes later only to see Balzan defender Jonathan Francica clearing the ball off the line following a Marko Milutinovic header.
A Glenn Bonello free-kick for St George’s was kept out by keeper Frederick Tabone and then the Saints missed a sitter when following a melee inside the Balzan area the ball ran into the path of Anthony Bonello who missed from four metres out.
St George’s grew in stature in those final minutes. Josef Dalli drove wide from close in and deep into stoppage time Tabone kept out a Gary Inguanez free-kick.
Victory was secured and the Balzan fans got the party started.
Balzan: F. Tabone, C. Ciantar, J. Francica, R. Forace (D. Agius), D. Grima, R. Conceicao, C. Micallef, A. Agius (D. Fenech), P. Dos Santos Calcado, S. Meilak (L. Micallef), U. Anywanna.
St George’s: T. Galea, A. Bonello (E. Amaira), M. Milutinovic, E. Sevasta, N. Caruana (L. Stivala), L. Agius, B. Fenech, J. Dalli, D. Zarb, G. Bonello (G. Inguanez), J. Ruiz.
Referee: Chris Lautier.
Man of the match: Pedro dos Santos Calcado (Balzan Youths).
Pietà Hotspurs 0
St Andrew’s 1
Luke Cesareo scored the goal that mattered for St Andrew’s in a match where no particular championship ambitions were at stake.
Both teams rarely showed any desire to attack in the opening half.
On one occasion, the Saints ventured forward and Faisal Anauka tried his luck from outside the area with Miguel Montfort well positioned to save.
Pieta had a Sheldon Grech free-kick saved by Carandente and a Robson Luiz Bandeira lob that finished over.
Five minutes from the break, Cesareo tried his luck from just inside the box but with scant reward after he was allowed extra space by the Pieta rearguard.
The Hotspurs started the second hand on the offensive and on 50 minutes Quilin Refalo had his shot blocked after some good work by Odour Owuo.
At the other end, Glenn Fenech ran inside the Pieta box before unleashing a fierce drive that was stopped by Montfort. That was the prelude to the Saints’ goal that came when debutant Cesareo reached a long ball before hitting calmly past Montfort.
The Saints should have closed the match late on but substitute Jon Paul Calleja drove the ball over the bar from close range.
Pietà: M. Montfort, O. Owuo, R. Mifsud, B. Sciberras (D. Campos), Q. Refalo, R. Bandeira, S. Grech, C. Cassar, L. Mallia (J. Azzopardi), I. Grech, D. Camilleri (T. Agius).
St Andrew’s: F. Carandente, J. Briscoe White, J. Bugeja, P. Briscoe White, G. Fenech, M. Valenzia, W. Camilleri, A. Amato, L. Cesareo (J.P. Calleja), F. Anakua, K. Coleiro (M. Onourah).
Referee: Duncan Sultana.
Man of the match: Faisal Anakua (St Andrew’s).