BALZAN           2

Effiong 41

Ljubomirac 45+

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS   2

Nayar 5

Tulimieri 45

Ħamrun Spartans and Balzan took a point each after sharing four goals at the National Stadium.

The Spartans took the ground running and on four minutes Karl Micallef nodded the ball into the path of the unmarked Mathew Gauci. The Reds wing back looked certain to score but was denied by a last-gasp tackle from Ascroft.

That was a temporary reprieve for Balzan as from the ensuing corner, Sebastian Nayar connected to Triston Caruana delivery to head home.

It was Ħamrun who threatened again on 26 minutes when Caetano Calil latched on a long pass and fed the sprinting Kevin Tulimieri and the Italian just managed to keep his balance to fire wide.

Balzan’s first attempt at goal arrived from a deflected cross-shot from Justin Grioli that Manuel Bartolo did well to block.

Eight minutes from the break, Calil should have doubled Ħamrun’s lead when he latche onto a long pass but with only Steve Sultana to beat he saw his effort pushed away by the Balzan goalkeeper.

Balzan drew level on 41 minutes when Alex Alves sped into the area and his low cross found no takers. Uros Ljubomirac quickly picked Alfred Effiong who hit past Bartolo.

But Balzan’s joy was shortlived as a minute from the break, Tulimieri was left unmarked by the Balzan defence to head home Caruana’s delivery from a corner.

But there was still time for Balzan’s equaliser in stoppage time when Kadu fed Ljubomirac who blasted the ball past Bartolo.

Balzan looked the better side early in the second half and Lepovic should have done better when he connected to Grioli’s cross as he headed straight into the hands of Bartolo.

From then on the match turned out into a rather scrappy affair as both sides were erratic in the final third with neither goalkeeper forced into more than routine work as the stalemate prevailed.

Triston Caruana was voted as the BOV Player of the match.