Balzan and Ħamrun had to settle for a point each after sharing two goals – a result which did not change their position in the classification and the teams’ aspirations for qualifying to play in the Europa League next season.

The outcome was a fair reflection of the effort of both teams where both Balzan and Hamrun had their moments.

Balzan had three changes from their last league match as Ivan Bozovic, Ricardo Correa Calixto Duarte and Alfred Effiong were preferred to Steven Bezzina, Stefan Dimic and Arthur Faria Machado. On the other hand Hamrun made one change as Alessio Capitelli replaced Orestis Nikolopoulos.

In first attack of the match, in the 6^th minute, ANDRIJA MAJDEVAC scored for Balzan. After receiving a cross from the right by Uros Ljubomirac, he dribbled past Tristan Caruana before sending a low curling shot into the net.

Hamrun reacted and began to work their way back into the game. In the 17^th minute, Wilfried Domoraud sent the ball from the right into the path of Jorge Ailton Soares who lifted the ball past the on-rushing Kristijan Naumovski but Aleksandar Kosoric managed to clear off the line to safety.

Ħamrun were rewarded for their efforts with a goal three minutes before half-time. JORGE AILTON SOARES made a better attempt when he made his way from the right and equalised for Hamrun with another cut lob over goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski. Ivan Bozovic tried his best to clear the ball off the line into safety but the referee adjudged that the ball crossed the line and awarded the goal.

Just before the half time whistle, Andrija Majdevac, after latching onto Paul Fenech’s pass, was denied the goal by a good save from goalkeeper Emmanuel Bartolo.

In the second hald Balzan came out looking for the winner, Ricardo Correa fashioned two opportunities soon after the break. First, his shot finished just over the bar and then his effort was pushed away by goalkeeper Emmanuel Bartolo.

In the 75^th minute, Alfred Effiong served Andrija Majdevac but the latter finished the ball over the cross-bar.

In the last minutes of the game, Hamrun tried to react as Jorge Ailton Soares dribbled his way past three players only to be blocked in time by Uros Ljubomirac.

BALZAN: Kristijan Naumovski, Augustine Loof, Aleksandar Kosoric, Steven Pisani (Dale Camilleri 86’), Michael Johnson, Paul Fenech, Alfred Effiong, Uros Ljubomirac, Ivan Bozovic, Ricardo Calixto Correa Duarte, Andrija Majdevac.

HAMRUN : Manuel Bartolo, Alessio Capitelli, Triston Caruana, Ailton Jorge Soares, Wilfried Domoraud, Clayton Failla, Nicola Leone, Soufiane Lagzir (Darren Borg 27’), Marco Criaco, Karl Micallef, Mattia Cinquini.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant

BOV Player of the Match : Andrija Majdevac