Last season Valletta won the decisive BOV Premier League match against Hibernians and were crowned Champions 2018/2019 . Days later, they lost the FA Trophy following a thrilling contest against Balzan. Such honours meant that Valletta and Balzan qualified to play against each other for the BOV Super Cup.
Valletta ended 2019 in the best possible way as they came from behind to beat FA Trophy winners Balzan 2-1 to win the BOV Super Cup. It was a repeat result of last year’s Super Cup in which Valletta had also beaten Balzan by the same scoreline.
Valletta made three changes to the team that beat Ħamrun Spartans as Jonathan Caruana was replaced by Ryan Camilleri and Nicholas Pulis was preferred to Kevin Tulimieri while Kyrian Nwoko started ahead of Bojan Kaljevic. On the other end, Balzan preferred Ricardo Correa to Stefan Dimic while Steven Bezzina started instead of injured Michael Johnson.
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Valletta made their intentions clear from the start but after 15 minutes Balzan emerged the better team and eventually took the lead with a well taken goal by Uros Ljubomirac.
On resumption Balzan came out in search of a second goal but were stunned three minutes into the second half when Mario Fontanella levelled matters and ten minutes later Kyrian Nwoko scored the winning goal to give the Super Cup once again Valletta.
In the 8th minute, Kyrian Nwoko failed to connect from close range following an assist by Joseph Zerafa from the left.
In the 14th minute, Balzan goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski tipped over a Nicholas Pulis’s long-range shot.
In the 23rd minute, Balzan protested for a penalty when Joseph Zerafa fouled Andrija Majdevac in the box but referee Philip Farrugia waved play on.
At the other end, Matteo Piciollo came close but his deflected shot finished just over.
In the 27th minute, Ricardo Correa tested Henry Bonello and in the 32nd minute the same player dribbled his way past the Valletta defenders but his low shot was blocked by goalkeeper Henry Bonello.
However, Balzan were not to be denied on 34th minute when Paul Fenech set UROS LJUBOMIRAC on the edge of the area, who then dribbled past his marker Steve Borg before hitting a low shot giving no chance to goalkeeper Henry Bonello.
Valletta failed to respond and in fact they failed to create any danger to the Balzan goal until the half-time interval.
However, at the start of the second half Valletta were soon back as inside the first three minutes from the restart they were back on level terms.
In the 48th minute, MARIO FONTANELLA took the opportunity from a poor back pass by the Balzan defenders and quickly made space for himself to hit a fine curling shot that flew past goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski.
Two minutes later, Balzan replied with a cross shot from the left by Steven Pisani which was parried by Henry Bonello.
In the 55th minute, Valletta had a good chance to go ahead when Mario Fontanella served Kyrian Nwoko inside the area but his shot finished wide.
However in the 59th minute Valletta took the lead when Joseph Zerafa set KYRIAN NWOKO on the edge of the area who, after chesting the ball down, fired a thumping volley that stamped off the woodwork and finished inside the net.
In the 74th minute, Balzan tried to increase the attacking force by withdrawing defender Steven Bezzina and introduced striker Luke Montebello to bring the match back on level terms.
Luke Montebello almost left an instant mark as in the 75th minute he latched to a cross by Ricardo Correa but he deflected the ball just wide.
Two minutes from time, Kyrian Nwoko had another chance when he controlled a cross by Pena Beltre but fired over.
After the final whistle, celebrations by the Valletta fans reached their peak when captain Steve Borg lifted the Super Cup trophy.
VALLETTA : Henry Bonello, Steve Borg, Ryan Camilleri, Matteo Piciollo (Shaun Dimech 82’), Kyrian Nwoko (Bojan Kaljevic 89’), Jean Borg, Enmy Pena Beltre, Joseph Zerafa, Nicholas Pulis, Rowen Muscat, Mario Fontanella (Kevin Tulimieri 92’).
BALZAN : Kristijan Naumovski, Augustine Loof, Aleksandar Kosoric, Steven Pisani, Steven Bezzina (Luke Montebello 73’), Paul Fenech, Alfred Effiong, Uros Ljubomirac, Ivan Bozovic, Ricardo Correa Duarte, Andrija Majdevac.
Referee: Philip Farrugia