Balzan registered their third consecutive draw and earned another important point in the battle against relegation following a 1-1 draw with Birkirkara.
This draw puts Balzan in 10th place together with Santa Lucia, just two points behind seventh-placed Gzira and Naxxar and one point behind ninety placed Mosta.
On the other hand, Birkirkara find themselves in fourth place, together with Marsaxlokk as they lost against Mosta.
The first chance came to Balzan, in the 10th minute, when Aleksa Andrejic sent a fine shot which was saved with difficulty by goalkeeper Marcel Zapytowski.
In the 29th minute, Balzan had another chance when, following a corner kick taken by Jan Busuttil, Ryohei Michibuchi saw his shot from outside the box saved by Birkirkara’s goalkeeper.
Three minutes later, Paul Mbong advanced from the left but finally his attempt finished wide.
In the 38th minute, another Jan Busuttil made his way from the left and saw his shot from an acute angle saved well by Marcel Zapytowsk.
Balzan managed to take the lead in the 43rd minute when Olivier Rommens set JAN BUSUTTIL who controlled the ball well on the right and dribbled past a defender before beating goalkeeper Marcel Zapytowski with a rising shot from just inside the area.
Six minutes into the second half, Birkirkara came close to level matters when a free kick taken by Andre Zammit found Enrico Pepe who set Simon Zibo whose shot was blocked by a defender and finished into a corner.
In the 52nd minute, Balzan had another chance when George Blackwood manged to beat his opponent and sent attempted from just outside the box but Birkirkara’s goalkeeper was there to save without difficulty.
However in the 58th minute, Birkirkara levelled matters thanks to a well-taken direct freekick by ANDREI CIOLACU which beat goalkeeper Rudy Briffa.
In the 79th minute, Rudy Briffa saved well another free-kick taken from the left by Paul Mbong to keep the result 1-1.
During the last minutes of the game both teams kept possession of the ball without testing both goalkeepers.
With this result Birkirkara failed to overleap Marsaxlokk and Balzan remained close to the red zone.
Birkirkara: Marcel Zapytowski, Enrico Pepe, Paul Mbong (Nicholas James Agius 91’), Andrea Zammit (Alexander Satariano 62’), Kurt Zammit, Emmy Manuel Pena Beltre, Neil Micallef, Edward Sarpong (Omar Elouni 85’), Simon Zibo, Ali Diakite, Andrei Ciolacu (Maxuell Maia 86’)
Balzan: Rudy Briffa, Ivan Brozovic, Andre Prates, Samir Arab, Triston Caruana (Paul Fenech 60’), Jan Busuttil (Han Euigwon 81’) Ryohei Michibuchi, Nikola Braunovic, Olivier Rommens, Aleksa Andrejic (Oliwatobiloba Dimenji Awosanja 75’), George Blackwood (Aleksandar Katanic 75’)
Referee: Alex Johnson
BOV Player of the game: Jan Busuttil (Balzan)