VALLETTA 2
BALZAN FC 1
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano, M. Piciollo, K. Nwoko (J. Borg), E. Beltre', J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, R. Muscat (J. Cruz), M. Alba (D. Dos Santos)
Balzan FC: S. Mintoff, S. Bezzina, A. Effiong, I. Bozovic (J. Grioli), E. Serrano, B. Kaljevic, M. Lepovic (S. Arab), P. Fenech, M. Johnson, C. Mendes (R. Fenech), A. Alves
Referee: C. Pisani
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, L. Portelli
Additional asst.refs: S. Pace, I. Barbara
4th official: G. Tonna
Scorers: A. Alves 67, D. Dos Santos 80 pen , M. Piciollo 82
Yellow cards: S. Borg, E. Serrano, I. Bozovic, A. Effiong, C. Mendes, J. Zerafa, S. Arab, B. Kaljevic, H. Bonello, M. Johnson
Red cards: S. Borg
Attendance: 2,472
Valletta reached the final of the FA Trophy final after turning the tables on Balzan, putting a remarkable fight back, with ten men in the second half, and overcoming a one-goal deficit, with a penalty from Denni Dos Santos and the winner from Matteo Piciollo.
This was after Valletta had dominated in the first half, but found themselves a man down early after the restart, following Steve Borg's sending off, and a goal down after 67 minutes through Alex Alves.
Balzan, at first struggled to cope with the pace and intensity of their opponents, but, after having survived the poor opening half, they found a path back into the contest after Valletta had themselves pointed the way. They even took the lead and produced an authorative display for almost a half hour until they were downed by two late goals.
Valletta thus keep on course for another memorable season. The last time they played in the Trophy final was in 2014, beating Sliema Wanderers for a double.
The prospect of another spiky collision with coach Paul Zammit and Birkirkara in the domestic season finale will merely add to the sense of occasion.
The magnitude of this FA Trophy second semi final meant Valletta and Balzan have never met with more at stake this season after Balzan had beaten their opponents in the Premier League's first round and the second match between the two ended scoreless.
Valletta, who clinched the league title the previous week, wanted to stay on course for a second honour this season. Balzan, who were disappointingly ousted for the title, relished the chance to end a campaign, consumed by anticlamax, with a flash of silver.
Both teams had rather navigated easy passages to this stage of the competition. Valletta had eliminated Zejtun Corinthians and Balzan Lija Athletic in the quarter finals.
It was never going to be a nerveless occasion and Balzan's attacking side, with Alex Alves, Alfred Effiong, Bojan Kaljevic and Carlos Mendes all involved from the start, tried to seize the initiative by pressing high up the field.
But that might have left them a bit exposed in midfield, with only Milos Lepovic and Paul Fenech providing cover to their four-man defence.
Valletta were emboldened by Balzan's impotence to exert pressure.
They took a stranglehold on the proceedings after the first quarter hour and Balzan's display was gradually cramped by caution.
Valletta should have ended the first half in front as they played with more intensity. Balzan's keeper Sean Mintoff did well to hold out an Alba direct free kick and an Nwoko rising shot.
Beltre's shot was blocked after Piciollo's cross was partially cleared by the Balzan defence.
On 28 minutes, Saleh headed Alba's free kick from the right wide and seven minutes later Blazan survived a scare. Malano's shot was blocked by Serrano. Piciollo picked the loose ball and advanced inside the area to thump his shot against the bar.
It was still goalless at halftime.
But the match took a twist early in the second half. After only three minutes, and after Mendes had already played a one-two with Kaljevic but shot tamely at keeper Bonello, Valletta's defender Steve Borg pulled Mendes and received his marching orders following his second bookable offence of the match.
Valletta coach Doncic replaced Borg with Juan Cruz in the heart of the defence, with Muscat making way.
That moment gave Balzan some encouragement as they suddenly jerked into shape after their first half struggles.
On 53 minutes, Kaljevic headed Alves' cross wide. On the hour, Effiong resisted Camilleri's challenge as he chased a Kaljevic through pass inside the Valletta area but missed the target with his final shot.
Three minutes later Alves played a square pass to the unmarked Lepovic whose central shot took a deflection into a corner. Alves' clever running was putting the Valletta defence in real trouble and on 67 minutes, after the Valletta keeper Bonello failed to hold a long distance low drive from Effiong, Alves picked the chance by shooting in the loose ball from close range.
Balzan's purple patch continued and three minutes later Mendes, one of several key players who ultimately disappointed for Balzan, fluffed a good chance. After beating the Valletta offside trap on an Alves pass, he shot wastefully wide.
On 72 minutes, Mendes claimed a penalty after falling inside the area, but Valletta defender Camilleri made no contact with the player and Mendes was rightly booked for simulation.
The penalty came on the other side though, eight minutes alter. Balzan substitute Ryan Fenech pushed Beltre' inside the area and Valletta's substitute Denni Dos Santos tucked it away to restore equilibrium.
And Valletta flourished to win the tie with Matteo Piciollo's strike two minutes later, beating keeper Mintoff from a tight angle from the right and kill all of Balzan's hopes.
If this victory was never destined to be comfortable, it was in the end convincing.
And as Valletta celebrated their reaching the final, Balzan were left to ponder what went so horribly wrong again this season.
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2KoppA2
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