Balzan registered their second successive win when they overcame Santa Lucia 1-0.
With this win Balzan found themselves in second place in the standings on six points, level with Hibernians and Ħamrun Spartans albeit the latter have played a game less.
Balzan were off to a strong start and took the lead in the 14 minute when ALEKSANDAR KATANIC stole a ball off the feet of an opponent and, in a swift transition, advanced upfield and concluded a powerful shot from outside the box that flew straight into the net past goalkeeper Celio Da Pla Silva.
In the 40th minute, Balzan almost doubled their lead when, from a direct free-kick, Leonardo Da Silva de Souza saw his shot pushed away with difficulty by goalkeeper Celio Da Paz Silva.
In the second half, Santa Lucia, to increase their forward power,made a triple change in a bid to level matters.
In the 58th minute, Balzan increased their midfield presence by including Paul Fenech and Oluwatobiloba Dimeji Awosanya.
In the 64 minute, Santa Lucia threatened as following a corner kick, Danilo Golovic was forced to push away a shot by Sven Xerri.
In the 80th minute, a shot by Steven Pisani was blocked by a defender and deviated to a corner.
In the stoppage time, Santa Lucia came close to a last-gasp equaliser when in Tatsuro Nagamatsu hit a thumping drive that just missed the upright.
Despite all the efforts that Santa Lucia put in the second half, Balzan held on for the win.
Santa Lucia: Celio Da Paz Silva, Mattias Ellul, Steven Pisani, Eduardo Alves Pereira, Dexter Xuereb (Jan Tanti 69’), Adam Bradshaw (Nicolas Virano Gonzalo 79’), Jurgen Pisani, Carlos Gabriel Moreira De Oliveira (Ramos Patrick De Oliveira 46’), Alessio Piazza (Tatsuro Nagamatsu 46’), Jed Valletta (Lucas Silva Sena 46’), Sven Xerri
Balzan : Danilo Golovic, Ivan Bozovic, Andre Prates, Marcus Grima (Paul Fenech 58’), Jake Grech, Benjamin Hili (Samir Arab 66’), Ryohei Michibuchi (Triston Caruana 66’), Aleksandar Katanic (Manylauak Aguek 75), Momcilo Raso, Leonardo da Silva De Souza (Dimeji Awosanya 58’), Aleksa Andrejic
Referee : Fyodor Zammit
Player of the game: Aleksa Andrejic (Balzan)