Hamrun S. 1
Senglea A. 0
Hamrun S.: M. Bartolo, C. Borg, A. Soares, C. Failla, M. Gauci (S. Lagzir 46'), N. Leone, V. Alhinho, K. Micallef, C. Flores (A. Scicluna 90'), M. Cinquini, P. Branicki (D. Borg 23')
Senglea A.: M. Farrugia, C. Zammit, S. Olberkis, D. Debono, S. Arab, G. Virano (J. Debono 68'), J. Teixeira, N. Braunovic, J. Cabral, J. Micallef (J. Tanti 85'), T. Ricardinho (W. Zamble 78')
Referee: Emanuel Grech
Asst refs: Christopher Francalanza, Ivan Galea
4th official: Alex Johnson
Yellow Cards: Virano, Lagzir, Teixeira, Bartolo, Tanti
Scorers: Lagzir Soufiane 83'
BOV Player of the Match: Ricardinho (Hamrun S.)
TMI Top 3 : 1. Ricardinho 2. J. Cabral 3 . A. Soares
Attendance: 269
Hamrun Spartans and Senglea Athletic were both in desperate need of points from the BOV Premier League match played last night at the National Stadium, a match which brought to an end match day eighteen.
It was the Spartans who got the maximum points from this battle against relegation with a goal scored by their substitute striker Soufiane Lagzir seven minutes from time. This win puts Hamrun in a much healthier position.
Hamrun returned to winning ways last Monday when they defeated Sirens 2-1. This win came after a negative run which put the Spartans in the lower part of the table in a tricky position and which also cost the job for Manuele Balsi. In came Andrea Ciaramella and Hamrun bagged the three points. A win which put them in seventh place on the 22 points together with Balzan and Mosta.
Senglea went into this match in penultimate position , a team which had failed to win for a stretch of ten matches. But on a positive note they earned four draws from their last five matches.
For this match Senglea had do face Hamrun short of the suspended Elvis Sakyi and Anderson Carneiro do Nascimento.
In the first round, Hamrun defeated Senglea 3-1.
After six minutes Senglea went near and threatened the opposing goal when a free kick by Nicolas Virano just missed the target.
Hamrun responded three minutes later when Failla passed towards Flores with the latter finding Jorge Soares but his shot from in front of goal sailed over the bar.
Eleven minutes had passed and the same player tried his luck with a long distance shot which finished over the bar. And just on the stroke of half time Junior Cabral tried to round goalkeeper Bartolo with the ball falling into Virano's path but his shot was blocked by the Spartans defence.
Senglea started brightly the second forty five minutes and went near to opening the stalemate on 50 minutes. Ricardo Theodoro supplied the cross with Junior's Cabral headed effort hitting the woodwork with goalkeeper Bartolo completely beaten.
On 65 minutes a shot from the right by Siraj Arab missed the target. With Ricardo Theodoro being once again in the thick of action six minutes later but his low drive was saved by Bartolo.
Hamrun scored what proved to be the winning goal seven minutes from time. A Failla shot was blocked by the Senglea rearguard but the ball fell into Lagzir Soufiane's path who from close range made no mistake to the delight of the Spartans supporters.
And in the 86th minute Hamrun nearly doubled their lead when a Jorge Soares shot hit the woodwork.