Floriana and Balzan share spoils in 1-1 draw

FLORIANA 1BALZAN     1Potential title candidates Floriana and Balzan had to settle for a point apiece after their first-round clash ended 1-1 at the Centenary Stadium on Saturday. The Greens remain unbeaten this season but this was their fourth draw in seven matches. No goals were scored in the first half but Balzan took the lead nine minutes into the second half period. Bojan Kaljevic embarked on a powerful run down the right which took him into the box before slotting the ball past Ini Akpan in the Floriana goal. The Greens equalised 18 minutes from time. Steve Pisani’s corner was met by Enzo Ruiz whose header was partially saved by Balzan goalkeeper Ivan Janjusevic. The ball fell to Maurizio Vella who scored with a low shot towards the bottom corner. MOSTA             1ST ANDREWS  0 Leonardo Henrique Ferreira’s penalty goal midway into the second half handed Mosta a 1-0 victory over St Andrews in Saturday’s opening match at the Centenary Stadium. The Blues moved on the nine-point mark while the Saints are third from bottom on six points. The game’s defining moment occurred on 68 minutes when St Andrews player Miguel D’Alessandro hauled Leonardo Henrique Ferreira in the box and the latter made no mistake from the spot. Six minutes from the end, Mosta were awarded a second penalty after Tristan Grant floored Ferreira inside the penalty area but this time the Brazilian striker blasted high from the spot. VALLETTA         4LIJA ATHLETIC 2 On Friday, Valletta made it two wins on the run when they beat strugglers Lija Athleic 4-2 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Valletta opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Denni’s free-kick was headed home by Italian striker Matteo Piciollo. This was Piciollo’s first goal in a Valletta shirt. In the 19th minute, a strong shot by Piciollo was saved by Lija goalkeeper Luke Bonnici but the Citizens doubled their lead on 32 minutes when Denni’s low shot from the edge of the box rolled into the corner of the net. Lija reopened the issue five minutes from half-time when Ryan Camilleri fouled Raphael Kooh Sohna in the box and from the spot, Erjon Beu converted. Valletta started the second half strongly, scoring the third goal after only 40 seconds. Piciollo’s cross was headed home by Kyrian Nwoko. Lija refused to give up. They narrowed the deficit on 55 minutes when Abubakar Bello Osagie passed to Beu whose angled shot had the better of Henry Bonello. Two minutes later, Steve Borg hit the post for Valletta who had to wait until stoppage time to put their minds at rest as Piciollo was on target again to secure a 4-2 win. Valletta consolidated second spot with 16 points from seven matches. SENGLEA ATHLETIC  0HIBERNIANS               1 An early goal settled this match in favour of Hibernians who had to fight hard to see off the challenge of Senglea Athletic. Thirteen minutes into the game, Hibs captain Clayton Failla’s cross was headed by Dunstan Vella with the ball taking a deflection on its way into the net. On 27 minutes, a long-distance shot from Marco Sahanek was punched away for a corner by Senglea goalkeeper Timmy Aquilina. Hibernians continued to dominate possession but failed to create chances to close the match. Nine minutes from the end, Jorge Elias Dos Santos’s pass released Failla but his close-range shot ended wide. The champions went close again two minutes later when Jurgen Degabriele passed to Johann Bezzina who dribbled past two defenders but concluded wide. TARXIEN RAINBOWS   2NAXXAR LIONS             1 Tarxien Rainbows recorded their second consecutive win after defeating Naxxar Lions 2-1 at the Centenary Stadium on Friday. A third positive result for Jose Borg’s side after four defeats in the first four outings with Tarxien moving to joint-ninth on seven points. Naxxar, on the other hand, are second from bottom after conceding their fourth defeat in seven matches. Ricardo Silva Faria put Tarxien ahead on the 32nd minute and the same player doubled the lead 20 minutes into the second half.  Scott James Fenwick converted a penalty with 17 minutes remaining to pull one back for the Lions.