Balzan win not enough

Despite beating Neftchi 2-1 away from home, Balzan are eliminated from Europa League following a 3-2 aggregate.

7 July 2016, 8:19pm
by Warren Zammit

1 min read

Lydon Micallef scored a double as Balzan managed to beat Neftchi 2-1

Balzan went a goal down after twenty minutes when Jairo put the ball past Cassar to send the team from Azerbaijan ahead.

Lydon Micallef equalised for Balzan on the 51st minute. Six minutes later, Balzan were awarded a penalty when Melnjak committed a foul inside his penalty area. From the resulting spot kick, Paul Fenech failed to put the ball past Santini.

Despite this setback, Balzan kept on believing and scored the second goal of the match after Micallef found the net for the second time.

In the dying minutes of the game, Balzan managed to put their opponents under heavy pressure, but could not score the third goal which would have sent them to the second qualifying round for the first time in their history.

Neftchi starting line-up: Santini, Jairo, А. Abdullayev(C), E. Abdullayev, R. Gurbanov, Agaev, Hajiyev, Sikov, Isayev, Melnjak, Castillo.

Balzan starting line-up: Cassar, Grioli, P. Fenech, Manevski, Grima(C), Bezzina, Effiong, Anderson, Serrano, Bruno, Kaljević.

Yellow cards

Neftci: Jairo, Sikov, Abdullayev.

Balzan: Grima, Brincat, Serrano, Anderson, Kaljevic, Fenech, Grioli.

Referee

Yaroslav Kozyk (UKR)