Mosta 2
Balzan Youths 2
Promotion favourites Balzan Youths and Mosta shared four goals in a hard and tense battle were two players, one from each side, were sent off. A draw was about the fairest result in a balanced encounter.
It was Mosta who struck first after only five minutes. Victor Osobu burst into the Balzan area and despite the attempt of the onrushing goalkeeper Frederick Tabone, the English players squared the ball for Lee Grima who easily tapped the ball home.
Three minutes later, Mosta’s hopes suffered a blow when Osobu was forced to leave the pitch injured and was replaced by Jonathan Bajada.
Balzan soon equalised though. Clifton Ciantar did well to find Renie Forace in the area but the defender saw his shot blocked by an opponent to a corner from routine distance. From the ensuing flag kick, Steve Meilak fired the ball past Debono.
Mosta suffered another blow on 14 minutes when Mark Briggs was given a straight red card for dissent.
The same fate befell Forace on 32 minutes when he received his second booking for a tough challenge on Gilbert Martin.
Five minutes before the break, Martin turned past his marker but shot just over the crossbar.
Balzan were awarded a penalty on 59 minutes when Alex Cini brought down Meilak in the area and Uchanna Anywanna made it 2-1.
But Mosta drew level four minutes later when a William Camenzuli free-kick deceived the wall to finish in the back of the net.
On 77 minutes Bajada should have done better when he shot wide from close range with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Two minutes later Anywanna had his drive deflected just wide by a defender.
Both sides tried in vain to score a winner late on as both sets of defences came out on top.
Mosta: J. Debono; K. Farrugia, M. Brincat, A. Cini (A. Cini), W. Camenzuli, N. Bogdanovic, M. Briggs, L. Grima, V. Osobu (J. Bajada), S. Shead (L. Micallef), G. Martin.
Balzan: F. Tabone; C. Ciantar, R. Farrugia, J. Francica (D. Agius), R. Forace, B. Bondin (C. Micallef), M. Djordjevic, U. Anywanna, D. Grima, D. Fenech, S. Meilak.
Referee: Paul Apap.