Balzan scored twice in the dying minutes to beat Hibernians 2-0 at the Hibernians Stadium on Thursday and maintain their unbeaten record after five matches.

For the Paolites, this was the second defeat in five matches, after a good run of three consecutive wins.

Hibs coach Mark Miller named Rudy Briffa in goal while for Balzan, Terrence Agius and Lydon Micallef replaced Dylan Grima and Matteo Piciollo.

Following a goalless first half, Hibs went close to taking the lead on the 49th with a Renan Pimenta Telles effort which hit the crossbar with Mbong heading in the direction of Juan Manuel Varea, off the rebound, with the latter heading wide.

Five minutes from time, Balzan broke the deadlock when Alfred Effiong was tripped inside the penalty area, referee Philip Farrugia ordered a penalty and Bojan Kaljevic converted.

One minute in added time, Balzan sealed the issue thanks to Alfred Effiong who concluded a good run by dribbling the out rushing goalkeeper and sliding the ball home.

HIBS Rudy Briffa, Rodolfo Suarez, Marcelo Dias, Jackson da Lima Siqueira, Bjorn Kristensen (44’ Juan Manuel Varea), Clayton Failla, Renan Pimenta Telles, Johann Bezzina, Joseph Mbong (59’ Andrew Cohen), Jurgen Degabriele, Andrei Agius.
Subs not used: Dorian Bugeja, Dunstan Vella, Jonathan Pearson, Carlos Grech, Conner Zammit.
Coach: Mark Miller

BALZAN Ivan Janusevic, Bojan Kaljevic, Bruno Giglio de Oliviera, Steve Bezzina, Lydon Micallef, (70’ Matteo Piciollo), Paul Fenech, Alfred Effiong, Justin Grioli, Abdel Karim Nafti (82’ Dylan Grima), Elkin Orlando Serrano Valero, Terrence Agius (89’ Samir Arab).
Subs not used: Christian Cassar, Alan da Silva Sousa, Clive Brincat, Sean Cipriott.
Coach: Oliver Spiteri

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant referees: Alan Camilleri, Duncan Sultana
Fourth Official: Etienne Mangion
Yellow Cards: Micallef, Renan, Grioli, Dias, Kaljevic
Scorers: 85’ Bojan Kaljevic pen, 90+1’ Alfred Effiong
BOV Player of the Match: Renan Pimenta Telles
Attendance at the Hibernians Stadium: 1,441

Meanwhile Birkirkara returned to winning ways as they defeated Mosta 2-0 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium thanks to a goal in each half.

Mosta had two changes from the team which defeated Gzira as Luca Martinelli and new signing Raylon Kaylon Paisley replaced Emerson Vella and the suspended Njongo Priso. On the other hand, Rowen Muscat was named in the starting line-up for Birkirkara with Ryan Scicluna starting on the bench.

Predrag Jovic was unlucky to hit the woodwork with a header off a Dejan Djordjevic corner from the right mid-way through the first half.

However Birkirkara managed to take the lead on the 35th minute thanks to Srdjan Dimitrov whose cross shot from the left beat goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo.

Mosta almost notched the equaliser on the 64th when Lucky Oseghale, served from the right by Bezak, hit the crossbar with Kopric beaten.

The Blues were reduced to ten men on 66 minutes after Adrian Caruana received a second yellow card.

Ten minutes from time, the Stripes doubled the score when Cain Attard, served by Gareth Sciberras, crossed the ball for Frank Temile to head home from close range.

B’KARA Miroslav Kopric, Gareth Sciberras (84′ Steve Bonnici), Mislav Andelkovic, Srdjan Dimitrov, Dejan Djordjevic (73′ Matthew Guillaumier), Nikola Vukanac, Frank Temile, Joseph Zerafa, Cain Attard, Predrag Jovic, Rowen Muscat (62′ Ryan Scicluna).
Subs not used: Ini Etim Akpan, Edward Herrera, Matteo Desira Buttigieg, James Brincat.
Coach: Drazen Besek

MOSTA Manuel Bartolo, Gabriel Bezak, Luca Martinelli, Dany Djoufack, Chinatu Francis Onwudinjo (57′ Ricardo Adrian Martin), Kyle Frendo (70′ Sheldon Vassallo), Dexter Xuereb, Martin Vlcek, Raylon Kaylon Paisley (45′ Zachary Brincat), Adrian Caruana, Lucky Victor Oseghale.
Subs not used; Yenz Cini, Neil Frendo, Luke Galea, Antoine Borg.
Coach: Edmond Lufi

Referee: Alan Mario Sant
Assistant Referees: William Debattista, Paul Apap
Fourth Official: Stefan Pace
Yellow Cards: Frendo, Caruana, Jovic, Brincat, Dimitrov
Scorers: 35′ Srdjan Dimitrov, 80′ Frank Temile
BOV Player of the Match: Gareth Sciberras
Attendance at the Victor Tedesco Stadium: 618