Five-goal Balzan make it two in a row, Floriana open account

BALZAN                      5SENGLEA ATHLETIC 0 Balzan’s attacking firepower was in abundant evidence on Saturday as they beat Senglea Athletic 5-0 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.  Marko Micovic, the Balzan coach, started with Sean Mintoff in goal while Nenad Slijvic and Alfred Effiong were preferred to Justin Grioli and Cadu. Ricardo Correa was missing as he is serving a three-match ban. Senglea, led by interim coach Darren Vella, made several changes to their team with Georgian forward Roman Tchanturia, on loan from Empoli, making his debut. Noureddine Lachrach was suspended. Eleven minutes into the game, Senglea hit the crossbar with a Ferdinando Salvati free-kick.  It was Balzan who took the lead on 25 minutes. Alfred Effiong was floored inside the box by Manuel Guillari and Majdevac made no mistake from the spot. Two minutes from the end of the first half, Balzan doubled their lead when, from a cross by Ivan Bozovic, Milos Lepovic rifled past Matthew Farrugia from inside the box. Majdevac made it 3-0 just past the hour, poking the ball home off a cross by Bozovic from the right.  Three minutes later, Balzan scored their fourth thanks to Dale Camilleri who was released by Majdevac. Two minutes from time, Alex da Paixao Alves scored Balzan’s fifth goal when he converted a penalty after he had been tripped by Tchanturia. BOV player of the match: Andrija Majdevac (Balzan). ALL SQUARE QORMI                    2PIETÀ HOTSPURS 2 The clash between the two promoted sides ended all square as Pietà Hotspurs and Qormi figured a 2-2 draw. While Qormi collected their fourth point, Pietà broke their duck in this season’s elite division after 2-1 defeats to Hibernians and Birkirkara. Mexican-American striker Mario Andres Arrieta Suarez made his first appearance for Qormi while Pietà welcomed back goalkeeper Nicky Vella and Jalo Ishaya Irimiya. Manolito Micallef gave Qormi the lead just past the half-hour after receiving from Iven Zammit. Three minutes later, Yannick Yankam was unlucky not to increase Qormi’s lead as his shot came off the upright. The Hotspurs levelled matters five minutes from half-time when Neil Pace Cocks’ free-kick from the left was headed home by Antonio de Queiroz Macedo Neto. The game remained keenly-contested. Qormi regained the lead eight minutes into the second half thanks to Tensior Gusman who beat Vella with a stinging shot from the edge of the area. Qormi had a great chance to all but put the game to bed on 62 minutes as they were awarded a penalty after Arrieta was brought down inside the area by Grech. However, Arrieta’s effort from the penalty spot was blocked by Vella. The Pietà goalkeeper’s save took on added significance a minute from time as Pietà restored equilibrium thanks to Gabriel Mensah who slotted the ball past Azzopardi from close in. BOV player of the match: Iven Zammit (Qormi). AGIUS SEALS IT FOR GREENS HIBERNIANS 0FLORIANA     2 Floriana coach Luis Oliveira enjoyed a winning return as the Greens obtained their first win of the season following a 2-0 victory over Hibernians at the National Stadium on Sunday. Hibernians succumbed to their first defeat of the season after back-to-back-wins. The clock marked 25 minutes of the game played when Floriana took the lead. Alex Cini’s swerving cross sailed into the six-yard box where Ignacio Varela headed the ball firmly past Andrew Hogg. Hibs rallied, going close just before the half-time whistle when Jurgen Degabriele’s cross was deflected into the path of Johann Bezzina whose bold drive finished marginally wide. On the hour, Hibernians thought they had equalised when Marcelo Dias sent a curling cross towards Tiago Fonseca who rifled the ball past Ini Akpan. The ‘goal’ was annulled as the referee deemed that the Hibs forward had committed a handball when trying to control the ball. On 62 minutes, Joseph Mbong picked out substitute Taylon but the Brazilian’s curling drive was beaten away by Akpan. With 20 minutes left, Floriana increased their lead. Daniel Agius, who had just entered the fray, made an instant impact as he advanced on the right to reach Varela’s pass before hitting a diagonal drive that eluded the diving Hogg. Hibs had a chance to pull one back in stoppage time when Pisani fouled Isaac Ntow inside the area but from the spot, Bezzina’s shot was pushed away by Akpan. BOV player of the match: Johann Bezzina (Hibernians).