Msida SJ: M. Camilleri, D. Cachia,S. Grima, T. Farrugia, S. Vella, A. Da Silva, K. Mifsud, K. Magro, A. Farrugia (E. Navarro), M. Ourellio, M. Camilleri
Hamrun S: I. Casha, J. Bondin, F. Anton, Roderick Fenech, Z. Levnaic, D. Cucciardi, M. Micallef, Ryan Mintoff, G. Spiteri, S. Comvalius, S. Meilak (S. Sultana)
Referee: P. Caruana asst.refs: J. Spiteri, C. Micallef 4th official: E. Azzopardi
Scorers: A. Da Silva, A. Farrugia
Yellow cards: Ryan Fenech, S. Comvalius, S. Vella, Z. Levnaic, Roderick Fenech, J. Bondin
Player of the match: Matthew Camilleri (Msida SJ)
TMI top three: 1. M. Ourellio 2. M. Camilleri 3. T. Farrugia
Hamrun Spartans, top of the Relegation Pool before kick off, were expected to win against depleted Msida and move closer to safety.
But the Spartans failed to take the right approach, even because they sorely missed the creativity and experience of their suspended midfielder Rupert Mangion and were stunned by the resilient Saints, who many had already ruled out their chances after the first round. Hamrun experienced a total mental block after conceding Msida’s first half penalty, after being denied by some superlative goalkeeping of Matthew Camilleri, and never recovered.
This was a victory for perseverance for Msida, in a match of see-sawing fortunes and patchy quality. They took the lead in the first half, which belonged mostly to Hamrun, but gained confidence after that and looked the better team in the second half to take a deserved 2-0 win at the end. Msida now join Hamrun on 15 points, one above joint Tarxien and Qormi, with everything to play for.
Injury and suspensions deprived Msida of defenders Kenneth and Andrew Spiteri as well as Brazilian forward Calcado.
As expected, Hamrun made most of the early running and within the first ten minutes they went close on three occasions. A Cucciardi shot was turned into a corner by the outstretched keeper Camilleri and then the Hamrun midfielder, starting the match for the absent Mangion, headed Ryan Fenech’s corner slightly wide. Ryan Fenech himself was thwarted by Camilleri, following a Msida erratic clearance.
Encamped inside their own half, Msida took long to settle into the match, as they relied on the fast breaks of Ourellio.
On 27 minutes, keeper Camilleri again denied Hamrun, stretching himself in full flight to turn the ball around the post into a corner on Comvalius’ powerful shot.
On the other end, Ourellio shot a Magro cross wide.
But towards the half hour, Msida took the lead against the run of play. They were awarded a penalty when Levnaic floored Mark Camilleri inside the area and Andre Da Silva tucked it away in style.
That goal sapped all of Hamrun’s confidence as they started to look tetchy and predictable in their build-ups.
The Spartans showed more inclination to go forward in search of an equaliser after the restart, but rarely the determination and penetration to unlock Msida’s organised defence.
It was only a Spiteri cross, fisted out by keeper Camilleri and deflected off Grima into a corner that created the most danger in an otherwise sterile second half dominated by Msida.
With Ourellio causing most of the embarrassment, Msida always looked the more likely to score. The Brazilian went past Bondin as he raced inside the Hamrun area towards goal, only for keeper Casha to block at his feet with a plucky save.
On 72 minutes, Da Silva’s blistering free kick went just over and then Ourellio headed the ball down to Mark Camilleri who failed to put his final touch to it.
Hamrun’s last efforts, putting in Sultana for Meilak, proved futile. Eight minutes from time, Msida scored their second to put the issue beyond doubt. Ourellio went inside the area on the left and threaded a pass to Camilleri, who crossed for the advancing Adrian Farrugia to stoop low and head in to stun the disappointing Spartans.