All square after rousing finale

Msida St Joseph 1
Balzan Youths 1

For the best part of the opening hour, this match between the two promoted sides had been a dour but largely soulless affair. A goal and a red card then altered the course of the game, making for an eventful finale.

In the space of three second-half minutes, Msida went on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as, soon after breaking the deadlock, albeit against the run of play, they ended up with ten players, Fabio Cauchi given his marching orders for a retaliatory foul.

That is not to say that Msida were unlucky not to take full points as it was Balzan, inspired by skipper Jaroslav Marx, who had shown the better ideas and created the best chances which culminated in a fine equaliser from Neville Arpa 17 minutes from time.

Balzan had started in adventurous mode, Marx testing Omar Borg with a powerful drive which the Msida goalkeeper could not hold. Luckily for him, no Balzan player was on hand to retrieve the loose ball.

The early exchanges were littered with niggling fouls which brought about more than a fair degree of inertia to proceedings.

Stefan Zahra was a fraction too late in his attempt to reach Valenzia's teasing cross-shot. Danger loomed for Balzan midway through the first half when Josef Mifsud floated the ball towards Daniel Nwoke but the Nigerian hesitated, allowing the Msida defenders to regroup and evade the danger.

Msida's claims for a penalty, when Nwoke fell in the box as he tried to squeeze past Cappitta and Mario Caruana, were turned down by Attard.

Eight minutes from time, a prolonged Balzan move saw the ball being exchanged by Marx, Caruana, Alex Muscat and Neville Arpa whose pass was deflected into the path of David Agius but the latter's piledriver ended wide of the far post.

All avenues led to Olumuyiwa Aganun and Nwoke for Msida whose over-reliance on their powerful Nigerian strikers, yesterday supplemented by the returning Malcolm Tirchett, saw them adopting a one-dimensional attacking approach.

Balzan were more creative in their efforts to break down the Msida defence but despite the midfield flair of Marx and the pace of Muscat and Valenzia on the flanks, they failed to find a breakthrough.

Zahra was first to Arpa's pass four minutes into the second half but his rising shot sailed high. Four minutes later, Zahra flicked the ball towards the erstwhile subdued Nikolai Filipov who shot too centrally to trouble Borg. Soon afterwards, the Msida goalkeeper was forced into a difficult save to keep out Zahra's header.

Balzan continued to show the better football after the change of ends but had to thank Arpa for denying Msida an ill-deserved opener when he scrambled away Nwoke's shot on the turn after Aganun's cross had dropped at the feet of his fellow Nigerian.

The introduction of Joseph Farrugia instead of Tirchett was aimed at infusing some creativity into Msida's play.

From a rare counter-attack, Msida managed to nose ahead. Ernest Barry did well to deflect Nwoke's effort onto the crossbar and then parried Aganun's subsequent drive but the ball squirmed back into the path of Nwoke who fired it low past the grounded Balzan goalkeeper.

This came after 65 minutes and three minutes later, Msida's joy was tempered by Cauchi's dismissal for hitting Filipov. Much to referee Joe Attard's relief, there was not doubt as to who had committed the foul this time!

The game suddenly sprung into life with Balzan now pushing more forcefully in search of an equaliser. They did not have to wait long to level matters as Arpa beautifully stroked the ball into the corner of the net after Marx's cross had arched behind the entire Msida rearguard.

Msida could have regained the lead within a minute of losing it but Farrugia's low effort was saved by Barry. Eleven minutes from time, Zahra released Marx on the left but the latter's shot whizzed wide of the far post.

Tony Gera almost gave Balzan the lead with virtually his first touch of the ball but his strike was touched away by Borg.

In the latter stages, Balzan took the game to their opponents, depleted as they were after Cauchi's red card. But Msida held firm to save a draw which keeps them three points ahead of their relegation rivals.

Msida: O. Borg, J. Galea, T. Farrugia, M. Boni, F. Cauchi, M. Tirchett (J. Farrugia, D. Gatt), O. Aganun, D. Nwoke, C. Sciberras (G. Ohaegbu), V. Bellia, J. Mifsud.

Balzan: E. Barry, A. Muscat, D. Agius (N. Gatt), S. Cappitta (T. Gera), S. Tellus, M. Caruana, N. Filipov, J. Marx, M. Valenzia (K. Coleiro), S. Zahra, N. Arpa.

Referee: Joe Attard.

Scorers: Nwoke 65; Arpa 73

Yellow Cards: Mifsud; Agius; Boni.

Red Card: Cauchi 68.

MIA Player Of The Match: Jaroslav Marx (Balzan Youths).