Ten-man Balzan trounce Lija

Balzan Youths 3
Lija Athletic 0

It has been years now since neighbouring towns Balzan Youths and Lija last met in a league match. Lija will surely dread this day has arrived, however, as rivals Balzan not only ran out worthy winners yesterday but also toyed with their opponents in the second half even though they had Nebiosa Jankovic sent off just after the break.

In front of a sizable and noisy crowd at the Tedesco Stadium, Kim Wright's side started the game on a high, attacking the Lija defensive lines right from the outset.

Early on, a Steve Sadowski cross was headed firmly by Coleiro, Kris Calleja punched the ball away but only up to Jankovic who shot goalwards again only to see his effort blocked in time.

Balzan again went close on 21 minutes when Arpa dashed down the left wing but Calleja was equal to the shot with a fine save. Marlow then tried from the distance but the aim was poor.

Lija did try to move forward but had to wait until the 36th minute to test the opponents' goalkeeper with a Barry shot that never really bothered Bugeja. Lanzon's free-kick was more closer to the target but finished inches away from the upright.

Balzan took the lead just before half-time. Arpa was pulled down in the Lija box and from the penalty Marlow sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to put his team ahead.

Tempers started to fray after the restart. Jankovic was caught elbowing Nicky Gatt and the referee was quick enough to give the speedy Yugoslav his marching orders.

Lija were now expected to surge forward in search of an equaliser but that never happened as Balzan still enjoyed the upperhand and even added to their tally with 19 minutes to go thanks to a fine Coleiro strike.

Bugeja denied Lija's Muscat from a consolation goal but late in the match Balzan sealed the issue when Coleiro headed home a perfect Arpa cross. The Youths were home and dry but Lija are living dangerously at the wrong end of the standings.

Balzan: P. Bugeja, S. Sadowski, D. Agius, C. Micallef, A. Deidun, J. Farrugia, N. Arpa, M. Marlow (K. Farrugia), K. Coleiro (L. Mackay), N. Jankovic, I. Bilocca (M. Galea).

Lija: K. Calleja, E. Azzopardi (R. Mifsud), N. Gatt, A. Muscat, G. Lanzon, M. Valenzia, J.P. Desira, A. Ellul (D. Okeke), G. Barry, J. Mifsud, B. Spiteri (A. Zammit Tabona).

Referee: Adrian Casha.

St Patrick 0
Msida St Joseph 4

Second-placed Msida SJ kept up the pressure on leaders Balzan after a sound win over St Patrick. Msida deserved the three points thanks also to a superb second-half performance during which Jeremy Agius worked wonders on the right flank. He was a consistent threat to the opponents' defence, especially with his scything crosses.

Daniel Nwoke put his name three times on the scoresheet but again missed a hatful of chances for Msida. His positioning and running off the ball were excellent but he tends to throw away good scoring opportunities.

The first half was an even affair but Msida showed more enterprise, Tarik seeing his shot well saved by Camilleri and Adrian Farrugia's drive finishing over the top.

St Patrick had a Failla shot going wide from a good position and soon after Thomas Caruana also tried his luck but to no avail.

Msida started pressing forward midway through the half and an astute Agius lob, after he was put through by Nwoke, was again well saved by the St Patrick goalkeeper. The half-time whistle saw both sides still looking to break the deadlock.

Soon after the break, Nwoke blasted high and wide in front of the St Patrick goal but Msida took the lead in the 57th minute.

Nwoke, put through by Agius, this time kept his cool to put his side ahead. Three minutes later it was 2-0. Agius ran down the opponents' half unmarked before hitting home in style.

The Saints never recovered and in the 82nd minute Agius's clever pass found Nwoke on the right spot but the Nigerian spurned the chance.

He made up for that error late in the game, however, when he first thumped home an Agius cross to make it 3-0 and then profited from a lapse in the St Patrick box to round up the score to 4-0.

St Patrick: A. Camilleri, P. Mizzi, R. Cassar, A. Buttigieg, J. Tabone (C. Ellul), A. Galea, M. Tanti (C. Failla), T. Caruana, G. Failla, R. Hyka, K. Bonnici.

Msida: O. Borg, J. Briffa, T. Farrugia (J. Galea), J. Delia, F. Cauchi, K. Vella Petroni, D. Gatt, A. Farrugia (A. Formosa), J. Agius, I. Tarik (J. Farrugia), D. Nwoke.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.