In a direct encounter, Balzan cruised past Żejtun Corinthians to move to 10th place with 27 points, and out of the relegation zone. In the process. They leapfrogged their opponents on points, joining Gudja United and Floriana with the same points but having a better goal average.
Two of the goals which led Balzan to a 3 – 1 win over Żejtun C came from defender Michael Johnson and the other in between came from Moussa Sanoh.
After being three goals up, Balzan lost their shape for a while as Robeiro Do Nascimento Santos reduced the deficit just before the halftime whistle and at the end of the match when he struck the crossbar.
Balzan started with confidence as they took the initiative as if they knew that they had technical supremacy over their opponents.
However, the first shot of the game came in the 17th minute from Keimar David Reid but his shot from a distance save without difficulty by goalkeeper Vukasin Vranes.
Balzan took the lead in the 24th minute when off a corner from the right taken by Milan Djuric, MICHAEL JOHNSON headed home past goalkeeper Christian Cassar
Immediately Zejtun tried to react back but the Balzan defense transferred the ball upfront quickly with the result being doubled. Following a good move between Aleksa Andrejic and Stefan Dimic, the latter served Uros Ljubomirac who in turn hit a superb cross into the box finding MOUSSA SANOH, who steered the ball past goalkeeper from close-range.
In the 37th minute, with Żejtun in complete disarray, Balzan scored their third goal. Following a direct corner kick taken by Aleksa Andrejic which was paired by Christian Cassar, with the rebound falling to MICHAEL JOHNSON who had his first attempt blocked again by Cassar but the same player placed the ball at the back of the net with a fine volley off the rebound.
In the last minutes of the first half, Moussa Sanoh has another attempt which was blocked by goalkeeper Cassar.
In the added time, Anderson de Barros served Sergio Barboza Da Silva who had a shot blocked by Marcus Grima but Barbosa took the rebound and served RIBEIRO DO NASCIMENTO SANTOS whose shot from outside the area beat goalkeeper Vukasin Vranes.
In the second half Balzan came out on the attack. Following a cross by Uros Lubomirac, a header by Aleksa Andrejic was saved by goalkeeper Cassar.
In the 70th minute, in an attempt to increase power to their attack Zejtun opted to replace Anderson de Barros with Adrian Carabott.
Despite the pressure from Balzan, in the 75th minute, Zejtun came close to reduce the score when substitute Adrian Carabott saw his shot saved by Vukasin Vranes.
In the last minutes of the game, Żejtun went close to engineer a comeback as a shot byRobeiro Do Nascimento Santos scaped the crossbar from point-blank range but his effort came too late.
Balzan: Vukasin Vranes, Augustine Loof, Marcus Grima, Milan Duric, Steven Bezzina (Zack Grech 90’), Michael Johnson, Uros Ljubomirac, Stefan Dimic (Adam Bradshaw 90’), Moussa Sanoh (Gary Camilleri 79’), Aleksa Andrejic (Alfred Effiong 70’), Sean Cipriott (Samir Arab 90’)
Żejtun Corinthians: Christian Cassar, Lucas Moreira, Kemar David Reid, Jurgen Suda, Robeiro Do Nascimento Santos, Thiago Bonfim (Christian Grech 46’), Herique Marcelino Mota, Junior Sergio Barboza da Silva, Edward Herrera (Neil Tabone 46’), Gillmore Azzopardi, Anderson De Barros (Adrian Carabott 70’).
Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
BOV Player of the match: Michael Johnson (Balzan)