Balzan Youths 1
Lija Athletic 1
Lija Athletic and Balzan Youths shared the spoils in a pulsating derby at the Tedesco Stadium yesterday.
Marco Gerada’s side looked on course to improve their Division One KO record to two wins from two matches but they were denied by Uchanna Anywanna who scored a deserved late equaliser for Balzan.
Lija’s Serbian midfielder Admir Dzanovic started the game after recovering from the thigh injury he suffered in the first half of his side’s 3-2 win over Melita.
Four minutes into the game, Keith Darmanin’s free-kick for Lija was deflected just wide and minutes later, the same player was denied by Balzan goalkeeper Frederick Tabone who palmed his free-kick away for a corner.
Lija were unlucky not to forge ahead on 15 minutes when Beppe Antignolo lobbed the ball over Tabone with the ball finishing over the bar.
Two minutes later, Balzan created their first scoring opportunity, Roderick Farrugia’s long-range effort just missing the target. On 24 minutes, Lija striker Antoine Sacco was first to Marco Potezika’s cross but his close-range effort was blocked by the Balzan custodian.
Tabone foiled Lija again 10 minutes from half-time, this time with a brilliant save from Antignolo’s fierce drive.
Three minutes from half-time, it was Balzan who almost took the lead against the run of play. Profiting from a goalmouth melee, Anywanna gained possession but the Lija defenders cleared the danger.
Lija opened the scoring five minutes into the second half. Sacco’s half-volley from inside the box had the better of Tabone who managed to get a hand to the ball but could not prevent it from crossing the line. Dalton Caruana’s flick made sure the ball went in but the goal was credited to Sacco.
Balzan reacted immediately but caused little problems to Lija. Anywanna should have levelled on 70 minutes but headed feebly into the hands of Sean Mintoff from Clifton Ciantar’s cross. The Nigerian made up for his mistake when, in the dying minutes, he headed Steve Meilak’s cross into the net.
Balzan: F. Tabone, R. Farrugia (C. Ciantar), C. Micallef, J. Francica, R. Forace, M. Djordjevic, M. Buttigieg (S. Mizzi), D. Grima, M. Sciortino (D. Fenech) S. Meilak, U. Anywanna.
Lija: S. Mintoff, M. Camilleri (A. Scicluna), D. Scerri, A. Sacco, M. Potezica, K. Darmanin, A. Dzanovic, B. Antignolo (K. Formosa), T. Fleri Soler (W. Borg St John), M. Fleri Soler, D. Caruana.
Referee: Clayton Pisani.
Melita hit five
Melita 5
Msida St Joseph 0
Melita bounced back from their defeat to Lija with a 5-0 thrashing of Msida St Joseph in the second Group One match from the Division One KO yesterday.
The Amateurs pushed forward from the outset and played some delightful one-touch football throughout. After 11 minutes, Nigel Rizzo exchanged passes with Julian Galea before hitting a low effort that was saved by Jeremy Alden. Two minutes later, Kane Micallef’s free-kick hit the crossbar.
Melita missed a sitter on 17 minutes when Luke Micallef drove wide from 10 metres out.
In a rare attack, Msida almost took a surprise lead on 26 minutes but Karl Saliba’s cross- shot came off the crossbar.
A minute later, Melita moved ahead. Julian Galea beat the offside trap to reach a Luke Micallef pass before lobbing the ball over Alden and into the net.
On 29 minutes, Melita’s Luke Micallef sprinted clear on the right only to be denied by the woodwork.
Melita made it 2-0 on 33 minutes when Kane Micallef beat Alden with a low drive after being put through by Andrew Caruana Scicluna.
Martin Gregory’s team continued to bombard the Saints’ defence with Kane Micallef twice going close to increasing Melita’s advantage.
Melita put the game to bed two minutes before the break when Michael Martin released Luke Micallef who fired past Alden.
Julian Galea added a fourth on the hour when he ran on to a Luke Micallef pass before squeezing his shot past Alden. A minute later, the erstwhile untested Melita goalkeeper Karl Zahra made a magnificent save from Adrian Farrugia’s half-volley.
Msida suffered another blow 11 minutes from time when Andrew Formosa was sent off for a second bookable offence. Melita completed the rout on the stroke of time when man-of-the-match Kane Micallef dribbled past two defenders along the byline and crossed for Luke Micallef who slotted home.
Melita: K. Zahra, L. Martinelli, A. Caruana Scicluna (S. Galea), M. Martin, K. Micallef, N. Rizzo (M. Borg), J. Galea, J. Mifsud (G. Gribbon), L. Micallef, K. Vella Petroni, R. Goncalves.
Msida: J. Alden, A. Farrugia, L. Micallef (K. Grech), N. Curmi, C. Caruana, L. Cassar, M. Borda, K. Saliba (R. Caruana) J. D’Amato (C. Coffi), A. Formosa, P. Sackai.
Referee: Tristan Farrugia Cann.
Standings
Group One: Lija 4 pts; Melita, Mosta 3; Balzan 1; Msida 0.
Group Two: Mqabba 6 pts; St George’s 3; St Andrew’s, Pietà 1; Dingli 0.