Balzan 4
Serrano 12; Kaljevic 17; Grima 28; Mifsud Triganza 84;
Żebbuġ Rangers 1
Muchardi 10;

Floriana’s derby defeat had opened the way for Balzan to tighten their grip on fourth place.

The much-improved Reds had to beat relegation-haunted Żebbuġ to open a four-point gap over the Greens with four games remaining but their task looked to have been complicated when the Rangers, looking to end a five-match losing sequence, drew first blood after 10 minutes.

Matias Muchardi’s well-taken goal had raised the prospect of a hard-fought encounter but this failed to materialise as Żebbuġ’s early breakthrough triggered a ferocious reaction from Balzan.

With Dylan Grima and Lydon Micallef driving the team on from midfield, Balzan produced a three-goal burst in 16 first-half minutes to overpower the poor Rangers whose disjointed performance will have done little to boost their waning optimism about their chances of averting the drop.

While Balzan generally looked solid in all departments, the Rangers were vulnerable at the back as they found it hard to cope with their opponents’ ability to launch fast counter-attacks.

Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri deployed his team in a 4-1-3-2 formation with Bojan Kaljevic and Gianmarco Piccioni in attack and Luke Sciberras stationed in front of the back four.

In a bid to increase his team’s attacking threat, Żebbuġ Rangers coach Alfonso Greco instructed Scottish playmaker Carlo Monti to play off Rashid Yussuff in a 3-5-2 approach.

The Rangers stunned Balzan by storming ahead on 10 minutes. Jacob Borg’s cross from the right dropped to Muchardi who drifted past his marker before drilling his shot past Christian Cassar, the Balzan goalkeeper.

Żebbuġ’s joy did not last long as Balzan took just two minutes to restore parity.

Grima was the provider as his inviting cross, from a right-wing corner, was met by Colombian defender Elkin Serrano whose glancing header gave Jeffrey Farrugia no chance.

Piccioni threatened to put Balzan ahead but his curling grounder came off the base of the post.

Balzan’s second goal was not long in coming as, on 17 minutes, Kaljevic rifled past Farrugia to finish off a flowing move involving Piccioni and Micallef.

Monti was wide from a free-kick but, two minutes short of half-hour, Balzan raced further ahead. The Rangers were made to pay for some hesitant defending as Micallef dispossessed the dawdling Borg and lifted he ball towards the far post where the steaming Grima blasted home.

Seven minutes from half-time, Spiteri was forced to make his first substitution after Justin Grioli suffered an injury in a clash with of heads with Muchardi. Samir Arab came on for Grioli while Muchardi rejoined the fray after receiving medical treatment for a head wound.

Two goals down after taking an early lead, the Rangers looked devoid of inspiration as Balzan stayed in control. The Reds threatened to pull further clear when the dynamic Micallef veered infield from the left but his strike was blocked by Farrugia.

Greco will not have been pleased with his team’s toothless display in the first half but he waited until 12 minutes into the second period to make his first substitution.

Miguel Ciantar, a forward, came on for Thomas Paris as Monti dropped into midfield.

On the hour, Yussuff’s header was deflected away for a corner as the Rangers tried to gain ground but Balzan carried more threat going forward, not surprising considering their attacking riches.

Midway into the second half, Grima, an influential figure in midfield, made headway through the middle before switching to Piccioni who in turn served Kaljevic but the Montenegrin striker’s effort was blocked by Farrugia.

The Rangers goalkeeper then stopped a shot from Piccioni who received from Kaljevic.

Mauricio Britto, who had just replaced Paltemio Barbetti, spurned a glorious chance to revive Żebbug’s hopes as he miscued his close-range header from Monti’s free-kick.

Minutes later, David Reano surged forward on the left but his cross-cum-shot just eluded Lee Galea after Balzan were caught out at the back.

Muchardi had a curling effort blocked by Cassar but the Rangers’ comeback hopes were ended when, with six minutes left, Balzan scored their fourth.

Kaljevic engineered the move as his cross from the right reached substitute Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza who controlled the ball before hammering home.

In stoppage time, the woodwork again denied Piccioni as his swerving drive came off the far post after the Italian had been served by Mifsud Triganza.

Balzan
C. Cassar-6.5, J. Grioli-5 (38 S. Arab-6), D. Grima-7, E.O. Serrano-7, L. Sciberras-6.5 (77 T. Agius), S. Bezzina-6, B. Kaljevic-7, I. Guobadia-7, C. Brincat-6.5, L. Micallef-7 (77 J.P. Mifsud Triganza), G. Piccioni-6.

Żebbuġ Rangers
J. Farrugia-5, K. Zammit-5 (84 M. Bartolo), M. Muchardi-6.5, L. Galea-4, D. Reano-5, T. Paris-5 (56 M. Ciantar-5), Y. Camilleri-5.5, P. Barbetti-5.5 (73 M. Britto-4), C. Monti-5, R. Yussuff-4, J. Borg-4.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Yellow cards: Barbetti; Reano.

BOV player of the match: Bojan Kaljevic (Balzan).