Balzan suffered a third defeat in eleven days to stay in eighth place, with the same points as Gudja U, while Mosta, after losing the last seven games, returned to winning ways and are three goals ahead of Santa Lucia and five ahead of bottom-placed Sliema Wanderers.
Balzan had a good start thinking that the game would turn out to be an easy match after they managed to take an early lead but Mosta had other thoughts and played a very good game – definitely the best game in recent weeks – to end up collecting the three points.
Following the game lost to Sliema W, Balzan were forced to make four changes. Milan Duric was ruled out as he was suspended and Nikola Gulan as he was injured, while Paul Fenech and Gary Camilleri were not fit enough to be on the starting lineup. However, Milos Zlatkovic and Bojan Kaljevic both returned in the starting line-up and Neil Frendo and Suleiman Jalu were handed a rare start.
Mosta, on the other hand, had just one change following the draw with Hibernians as new recruit Geoffrey Edwin Acheampong was preferred to Zachary Brincat.
Balzan had a perfect start, taking the lead in the 8th minute. BOJAN KALJEVIC intercepted a back pass by Rodriguez Ekani and advanced upfield before rounding the goalkeeper and placing the ball into an empty net.
However, in the 18th minute, Mosta leveled matters. Dennis Antwi was brought down inside the area by goalkeeper Jake Galea. Referee Andrea Sciriha ordered a penalty and CLAYTON FAILLA did not fail to convert.
In the 34th minute, Mosta forged took the lead. Following a free kick taken by Clayton Failla from the left, LUIS RIASCOS slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jake Galea to make it 2-1.
In the 42nd minute, Balzan restored equilibrium. The Mosta defense lost possession and the ball reached SULEIMAN JALU who concluded a fine run with a powerful shot that hit the crossbar before ending into the back of the net.
Balzan held the initiative in the early stages of the second half, and in the 61st minute, they went close with a Kaljevic effort that ended just wide.
Mosta threatened in the 76th minute when a shot by Dennis Agyare Antwi ended just over the bar.
Three minutes later, Johann Bezzina was unlucky to hit the crossbar with a powerful drive from outside the area.
However, six minutes from time, Mosta scored the winning goal, as substitute WILLIAM DONKIN received the ball in midfield and advanced upfield, dribbling a number of players before beating goalkeeper Jake Galea with a fine shot from the edge of the area handing Mosta the three important points.
BALZAN: Jake Galea, Augustine Loof, Marcus Grima (Makil Joaquin Trustfull 88’), Alvin Kevin Daniels (Paul Fenech 64’), Uros Ljubomirac, Milos Zlatkovic, Suleiman Jalu (Aleksa Andrejic 64’), Neil Frendo (Gary Camilleri 75’), Milos Mijic, Bojan Kaljevic, Sean Cipriott.
MOSTA: Ini Etim Akpan, Raul Manuel Fernandes da Silva (Tyrone Farrugia 46’), Roderick Briffa (Youri Loen 61’), Geoffrey Edwin Acheampong (Zachary Brincat 86’), Clayton Failla, Johann Bezzina (Gianluca Sciberras 86’), Luis Riascos, Dennis Agyare Antwi, Rafael Morisco, Sunday Akinbule (William Donkin 80’), Jodrigues Ekani.
Referee: Andrea Sciriha.
BOV Player of the Match: Dennis Agyare Antwi (Mosta).