Balzan in hard-fought victory against Tarxien

Balzan clinch a championship pool berth after beating Tarxien in a hard-fought victory. Balzan understandably looked nervous from the start, Carabott's shot being deflected wide before Costa headed over from the resulting corner. But Zammit's men got themselves in front with their first attack of the game. In the 18th minute, Ryan Mintoff sent Martin Deanov's first serious venture towards the Rainbows area. The free-kick was awarded in perfect Pedrinho territory. And the Brazilian exacted a delightful right-foot strike that bent viciously away from Nicky Vella's despairing dive. The game was being played at a ferocious tempo and de Castro picked up a short clearance, shooting feebly into the hands of Matthew Camilleri. On the half hour mark, Ricardo threatened for the Rainbows, stinging Camilleri's fingers with a shot from an acute angle. Eviparker looked out of sorts for Balzan as he wasted a string of chances to put the Youths out of sight. Vella blocked Deanov's route to goal but he let the ball slip to Eviparker but he failed to place it in past the Tarxien goalkeeper. The striker was unlucky to see a goalbound shot brilliantly away by Vella in the 40th minute but his confidence seemed badly affected. After 10 minutes of second-half frustration, Curmi made a change, bringing off Mayasi and throwing on Bueno. Balzan, though, were the next to threaten, Pace played a perfectly weighted pass for Eviparker but Vella dashed out of goal to dive at his feet on the hour mark. Moments later, the Tarxien goalkeeper, dashed out of goal to try and fist the ball from Pedrinho. With Ricardo roaming dangerously, the Rainbows looked capable of scoring the equaliser and on the 63rd minute, he played an inch-perfect throughball for the onrushing Bueno who managed to evade his marker but Camilleri dived full length to his left to keep put the Brazilian's goalbound volley. After 70 minutes, from a cross by Deanov, Eviparker headed the ball into the path of Nicola Tasic who made the impossible and hit the ball badly from a good position. Three minutes later, Eviparker showed some deft footwork to beat Carlo Mamo but his shot rolled out of the far post. Hardly five minutes later, Balzan's optimism rose when Tarxien defender Everton, who had just been cautioned for a late challenge on Pace, was dismissed for passing remarks to the referee. Ricardo dropped to centre-half after Everton's exit with de Castro taking over marshalling duties in the central midfield. Despite their numerical handicap, the force was with Tarxien now, de Castro veered to the centre from the left before angling a shot that Camilleri did well to turn away for a corner to set up a nervy finale.