V. Vukasin-6; A. Loof-6; S. Arab-6.5; M. Duric-6.5; P. Fenech-6.5 (85 A. Bradshaw); M. Johnson-7 (70 S. Bezzina); U. Ljubomirac-6.5; S. Dimic-6.5 (70 A. Effiong); M. Sanoh-6.5 (61 M. Grima); A. Andrejic-7.5; S. Cipriott-6.5 (84 G. Camilleri).
SLIEMA WANDERERS
J. Galea-6; A. Satariano-5.5 (90 J. Borg); K. Shaw-5; J. Mintoff-5; J. Cisotti-5 (90 J. Engerer); Denilson-4 (46 R. Kakinuma); E. Agius-5; D. Holla-5; G. Aquilina-5 (59 M. Sansone); M. Beerman-5 (70 J. Barbosa); D. Vukovic-5.
Referee Alex Johnson.
Yellow cards Dimic, Mintoff, Galea, Agius.
BOV Player of the Match Uros Ljubomirac (Balzan).
Balzan boosted their hopes of moving away from the relegation zone when they outclassed Sliema Wanderers 5-1.
It was a formidable performance by Mark Miller’s team who despite going one goal down early in the game, they resurged to cancel the deficit and strike four times without reply.
Aleksa Andrejic was Balzan’s biggest weapon with his constant incursions into Sliema’s half that have proved lethal.
The Reds have now moved into fifth bottom on 23 points, with a game in hand as they look to rescue their Premier League status.
For Sliema, this could have easily been their final blow to their European hopes as they remain nine points distant from third place Gżira United.
Balzan knocked on Sliema’s door after seven minutes when Andrejic fired a long-range effort that was diverted into corner by Jake Galea.
Milan Duric followed with another shot from a long distance but failed to hit the target.
Mark Miller’s Balzan were determined to take the lead and they came close through Moussa Sanoh who intercepted a Sliema pass, darted into the box but fired wide of Galea’s goal.
Yet, it was Sliema who forged ahead through young striker Alex Satariano who profited from a miscommunication between defender Augustine Loof and goalkeeper Vukasin Vranjes to slot the ball into empty net.
The goal came as a cold shower for Balzan having had the better start in this game. Miller’s team tried to stage a reaction and they managed to make their pressure count when Andrejic slid behind Sliema’s backline to fire a thumping volley straight into the far corner.
Balzan’s turnaround was complete just a minute later when Sliema lost possession instantly after their kick-off for Miller’s team to set up a well-engineered move that Uros Ljubomirac capitalised to put the Reds ahead in a span of two minutes.
Just before the break, Sanoh extended Balzan’s lead with a close-range effort.
Moments later, Galea was forced into action to deny Duric as Balzan almost struck a fourth before the break.
At the restart, Sliema were looking to inch their way up the field but other then a couple of long-range efforts, the Blues never really troubled Balzan.
In fact, it was Balzan who found another goal after Stefan Dimic capitalised on an Andrejic cross to wrap up the victory.
In the dying minutes of the game, Ljubomirac beat the offside trap, dribbled past Galea, and completed Balzan’s rout.
