In their first match of their second round neighbours Balzan and Birkirkara finished the game in a goalless draw. It was an evenly contested game with Birkirkara starting brightly with Balzan having their best patch in the second part of the first half.

For this game Balzan had Elkin Serrano Valero missing through suspension while Paul Fenech made his first appearance with them this season, as has rejoined Balzan from Birkirkara.  Another debutant for Balzan was the Bosnian defender Aleksander Kosoric.

On the other hand Birkirkara gave a starting role to newcomer Maurizio Vella with the other notable change being the inclusion of Luke Montebello who has now served his long suspension.  Clayton Failla and Jorge Da Silva Pereira started on the bench.

Balzan were the first to threaten and in the third minute an acute shot by Carlos De Fiori Mendes (Kadu) went inches wide.

Birkirkara responded five minutes later when Luke Montebello made his way on the left flank only for his low drive just missing out.

In the 19^th minute Birkirkara went near once again but Marcelo De Siqueira’s shot ended on the roof of the net.

A minute later Sultana come rushing out to anticipate Montebello and cleared the danger.

On the 28^th minute Balzan ventured once again forward with Kadu testing Kristijan Naumoviski but his low shot on the turn was saved by the goalkeeper.

Eight minutes from the end of the first half off an Ivan Bozovic’s cross from the right flank Andrija Majdevac headed goalwards but his effort went wide off the mark.

In the 40^th minute Ivan Bozovic was once again the supplier finding Uros Ljubomoric in the centre of the area who’s shot missed the target.

Only few seconds had elapsed from the start of the second period when goalkeeper Steven Sultana turned onto a corner a Luke Montebello diagonal shot from inside the area.

Play was now restricted mainly to the midfield area and it was only on 70^th minute when Balzan went close through Andrija Mejdavac but the latter shot wide when faced with Kristijan Naumovski.

In the 82^nd minute Matthew Guillamier’s low shot from inside the area was saved bySteven Sultana.

In the 84^th minute Birkirkara substitute Terence Agius was shown a straight red for a foul on Paul Fenech with his presence lasting only nine minutes.

Till the end Birkirkara controlled well with both teams sharing the spoils in a match which neither side held the upper hand.

BALZAN : Steven Sultana, Aleksandar Kosoric, Nenad Sljivic, Siraj Arab Eddin (Lydon Micallef 71′), Steven Bezzina, Paul Fenech (Alfred Effiong 90′), Uros Ljubomirac, Ivan Bozovic, Carlos Eduardo de Fiori Mendes, Andrija Majdevac, Milos Lepovic.

B’KARA : Kristijan Naumovski, Danilo Chapoval, Matthew Guillaumier, Mislav Andjelkovic, Maurizio Vella (75′ Terence Agius), Luke Montebello (Michael Mifsud 65′), Jake Grech, Kurt Zammit, Eduardo Ferreira dos Santos, Cain Attard, Marcelo Franca de Siqueira (Jorge da Silva Pereira 65′).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant