Hamrun S. 4
Sirens 0
Hamrun: JC Debattista, T. Caruana, J. Soares (B. Schembri 79), W. Domoraud (R. Darmanin 83), C. Failla, N. Leone, L. Soufiane (C. Galea 86), M. Criaco, K. Micallef, O. Nikolopoulos, M. Cinquini
Sirens: D. Cassar, W. De Oliveira, R. Dos Anjos, E. Okoye, SE Arab (R. Fenech 82), AM Bustos, A. Borg, A. Abdullahi (R. Grech 63), E. Cesani (L. Sciberras 69), T. Espindola, FS Cheveresan
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst refs: J. Spiteri, J. Muscat
4th official: AM Sant
Scorers: L. Soufiane 29, 84, W. Domoraud 45, N. Leone 66
Yellow cards: M. Cinquini 27, E. Cesani 32, AM Bustos 56
BOV Player of the match: N. Leone (Hamrun S.)
TMI Top 3: 1. N. Leone, 2. J. Soares, 3. R. Dos Anjos.
Hamrun Spartans became the sole leaders of the Bank of Valletta Premier League yesterday after they beat former leaders Sirens comfortably 4-0 in the first match at the Centenary Stadium.
Goals by Lagzir Soufiane and Wilfried Domoraud in the first half and two others from Nicola Leone and Soufiane (again) in the second saw them register a second consecutive victory to remain unbeaten.
The three points pushed the Spartans into top place on eight points from four matches. Sirens remained on 7 points.
Moreover, it was the first defeat for the St Paul's Bay side in their first ever appearance in the Maltese Premier League. It arrived in their 4th match after having collected a good 7 points.
Sirens had a very strong start as they pressed hard in search of an opening goal. However, they were found wanting in their finishing and by the 29th minute they went a goal behind which they could not recover till the end of the first half.
After that goal, the Spartans grew in confidence and were obviously the better team, even adding a second goal just before the end of the first period.
In the second half, Sirens tried hard to get back into contention, but after suffering a third goal, they faded out and the Spartans could coast through comfortably.
Sirens threatened first on the 9th minute through a Siraj Arab effort from the edge of the area which went just over.
Sirens insisted and four minutes later, it was Okoye who tested Debattista, but the goalie was equal to the task.
Hamrun replied on nine minutes with a Soares shot that hit the side rigging. And moments later, the same player had another shot turned to corner by Sirens goalie David Cassar.
The same goalie was again a protagonist on 21 minutes when Domoraud entered the area on the left side, only to see his shot saved by Cassar with the ball being eventually cleared by Dos Anjos.
Hamrun took the lead on the 29th minute after a defensive lapse by Adrian Borg who tried to dribble Lagzir Soufiane. The latter won the ball and advanced into the area unhindered to beat Cassar easily.
Hamrun added a second goal in first half added time, when Domoraud received a good pass from Soufiane and advanced to round goalie Cassar before planting the ball into the untenanted net.
Sirens went close to bridging the gap on 58 minutes when De Oliveira set Angel Manuel Bustos whose shot hit the crossbar with Debattista beaten.
It was 3-0 on 66 minutes as Nicola Leone received a ball outside the area, dribbled round two players before firing a low shot past Cassar.
The Spartans continued to dominate and it was no surprise that they added a fourth goal on the 84th minute when Soufiane scored a gem of a goal with a fine rising shot from the edge of the area.