BALZAN                     2         

Majdevac 15 pen.

Bozovic 38

STA LUCIA     0

Holders Balzan secured a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy as goals by Andrija Majdevac and Ivan Bozovic handed them a 2-0 win over Sta Lucia.

The Saints were hoping for a repeat of their third-round performance when they had eliminated Sliema Wanderers but this time, Balzan, who had defeated Second Division side San Ġwann in the previous round, proved stronger.

Balzan mentor Jacques Scerri named a typical formation although Samir Arab was handed his first start following his long-term ban.

Santa Lucia, on the otherhand, had one change from the team which defeated Gżira United last week as Jackson Mendoza was preferred to Luis Riascos.

The Saints went close to taking the lead on 11 minutes when off a Gabriel Bohrer Mentz corner from the right, Kevin Pinheiro Correia’s effort was parried by Balzan goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski with particular difficulty.

However, four minutes later, Balzan were awarded a penalty after Arthur Faria Machado was brought down inside the area.

From the penalty spot, Majdevac converted to put Balzan a goal ahead.

Santa Lucia responded with a Kevin Ante Rosero free-kick which was turned into a corner on 22 minutes.

But Balzan threatened once again on 33 minutes when Steve Pisani tested Timothy Aquilina directly from a corner with the Santa Lucia custodian punching the ball outside the area, Pisani took the rebound but his cross-shot was parried by Aquilina.

On 34 minutes, Balzan doubled the score. It was Ivan Bozovic who beat Aquilina with a cross-shot from the right.

Enjoying a two-goal lead, Balzan focused more on controlling their opponents for much of the second half. In fact, the two teams shared the exchanges with play concentrated in midfield.

Five minutes into the second half, Majdevac served Effiong on the left and off the latter’s cross, Steve Pisani hit the side netting.

Substitute Omar Elouni went close to reducing the gap for Santa Lucia with a low effort from the right which was blocked by Naumovski on 79 minutes. However, in the dying minutes, Balzan could have increased the lead through Faria, who received an assist by Pisani, on the right but Aquilina performed a good save on the Brazilian.

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