Gżira United, Balzan fire blanks in goalless stalemate

GŻIRA UNITED              0

BALZAN            0

GŻIRA UNITED

G. Mangano, G. Mentz, E. Pepe, T. Aldama, L. Macula (72 F. Chouaib), L. Riascos (61 A. Borg), M. Shaquill, D. Barbosa (72 J. Mendoza), K. Zammit, K. Tulimieri (51 B. Borg), T. Espindola.

BALZAN

D. Golovic, S. Arab, T. Caruana (33 M. Grima), N. Pulis, I. Westendorf (55 U. Akpan), J. Busuttil, B. Hili, O. Awosanya, H. Stanic, M. Tukilonga, E. Kamsoba.

Referee: T. Farrugia Cann.

Yellow cards Arab, Macula, Aldama.

Gżira United and Balzan failed to give their aspirations of preserving their top-flight status a major boost as they cancelled each other in a goalless draw at the Gozo Stadium.

The clash between two teams who are resigned to play in the Bottom Six took some time to take off. After a drab first half, where scoring chances were a rarity, the match came into life after the interval with both teams creating a number of scoring chances.

Effectively, both Balzan and Gżira had opportunities to take all three points but could not find a breakthrough as the stalemate prevailed.

The goalless draw left Gżira United in eighth place on 12 points while Balzan joined relegation rivals Melita and Naxxar Lions on ten points.

The match was bereft of scoring chances for much of the opening minutes with both teams trying to assert their dominance but with scant success as the ball kept moving from one end to the other.

Still, there were very semblance of attacking play as scoring chances were almost inexistent with the two respective goalkeepers rarely called into action.

Balzan thought they had taken the lead on 23 minutes, in virtually the first shot on target of the match, when from a corner action, the ball fell to Oluwatobiloba Awosanya on the edge of the area and the Nigerian unleashed a powerful drive that flew into the bottom corner of the net with Gżira United goalkeeper Giulio Mangano beaten.

However, their joy was shortlived as the ‘goal’ was annulled for an offside position of a Balzan player.

On 33 minutes, Balzan were forced to make their first change when midfielder Triston Caruana was forced to limp out injured after a challenge by Thiago Espindola. His place was taken by Marcus Grima.

Five minutes later, Balzan threatened again when Marcus Tukilonga hit a powerful drive from the edge of the area but his effort finished over.

Gżira finally threatened four minutes into the second half when from a Thaylor Aldama corner, Kevin Tulimieri’s header finished over.

The Maroons had the best chance of the match on the hour mark when from and Espindola delivery from a corner the ball fell to Aldama whose shot was somehow kept out by Golovic.

At the other end, Balzan came close when Pulis picked up a short rebound on the edge of the area and his shot just skimmed the upright with Mangano beaten.

Andrew Cohen’s team continued to threaten and on 73 minutes Tukilonga again came close but his thumping drive just missed the upright.

Gżira had another good opportunity ten minutes from time when Gabriel Mentz met Espindola’s free-kick but his downward header was saved by Golovic.

Balzan should have won it in stoppage time when in a swift raid, Elvis Kamsoba picked Awosanya at the far post but the Nigerian incredibly flicked the ball wide in front of a gaping goal as the stalemate prevailed.