TARXIEN RAINBOWS 0
BALZAN 1
Weverton 65 pen.
Balzan kicked off their Premier League campaign on a winning note when they edged past a resilient Tarxien Rainbows side at the National Stadium.
In fact, Balzan, now under the charge of Mark Miller, needed a second-half penalty from new signing Weverton take all the three points.
However, it was far from a straightforward victory, as Balzan struggled to break down a resolute Tarxien Rainbows side.
For much of the opening 45 minutes Balzan looked short of ideas but they stepped up their game in the second half and in the end did just enough to take their first win of the season.
The first 20 minutes was devoid of action as both sides tried to settle down.
Tarxien looked the brighter side but they failed to have any shots on target.
The first shot on target registered during the first half arrived on 23 minutes when in a swift break Jalu Suleiman sped towards the edge of the area and hit a thumping drive that was pushed away by the alert Tarxien goalkeeper David Fernandes.
Balzan had the higher percentage of possession but for all their superiority they struggled to create any danger.
Two minutes from the break, Augustine Loof pushed forward but the Dutch defender’s shot was easily saved by Fernandes.
After the break, Balzan tried to step up their ante and on 51 minutes, Uros Ljubomirac stormed into the area after a quickly-taken free-kick but his shot was again punched away by Fernandes.
Balzan’s best chance arrived four minutes later when Eric McWoods used his strength to outmuscle Anderson Carnerio with the ball falling to the sprinting Paul Fenech, who with Fernandes only to beat, saw his shot somehow kept out by the Tarxien no. 1.
At the other end, the Rainbows came close when Vito Plut stormed into the area from the right and picked Vagner who headed wide from routine distance.
The match suddenly burst to life with both sides going at each other.
On 62 minutes, Tarxien again sped on the counter and this time it was Daren Falzon who saw his dipping header finishing just over.
The stalemate was finally broke three minutes later when Carneiro pushed Steve Pisani inside the area and from the resultant penalty Weverton fired the ball into the top corner of the net.
Nine minutes from time, Moustakis almost made it 2-0 when he connected to a Steve Pisani corner-kick but headed over.
Then McWoods embarked on a surging run but his stinging drive was pushed away by Fernandes as Balzan were off the mark.
