Hamrun retain status in four-penalty game

Hamrun Spartans 5 - Msida St Joseph 3

Hamrun Spartans have secured their Premier League status after defeating rivals Msida St Joseph 5-3 in an entertaining match at the National Stadium.

Victory for the Spartans increased their tally to 20 points, 11 more than second-from-bottom Msida who now stand on the brink of relegation. Dingli Swallows are already doomed while Floriana now need a point from their remaining three matches to stay up.

No fewer than six goals were scored in a hugely entertaining first half in which both teams were guilty of shambolic defending in today’s opening match.

Zoran Levnaic put Msida ahead after seven minutes, flicking the ball into the net from Charlie Black’s corner. The Spartans equalised two minutes later through Roderick Fenech who headed home from Marcelo Pereira’s corner.

An isolated Msida attack on 19 minutes led to a penalty as Lee James Agius fouled Miguel Ciantar in the box. Msida goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo converted the penalty to restore his side’s lead.

Bartolo then stole the limelight with a string of excellent saves, mainly from Pereira, Gaetan Spiteri and Obinna Obiefule but his resistance was broken eight minutes from half-time when the Spartans were awarded a penalty after Matthew Borda hauled down Obiefule in the box.

Pereira hit home from the penalty spot but within a minute, Msida had regained their lead when Ciantar sped through unmarked before beating Ivan Casha with a low shot. The goal bonanza continued when, two minutes from half-time, Hamrun won a second penalty after Msida’s Adrian Farrugia was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area.

Pereira again made no mistake from the spot to tie the game at 3-3 before the half-time whistle. The second half had only just started when the Spartans went ahead, Spiteri hammering home from close in after Msida had failed to clear Clyde Camoin’s corner.

Hamrun remained on top for most of the second half and duly sealed the issue 13 minutes from the end, Ian Zammit scoring from the spot after Mano Micallef had been upended by Adrian Farrugia in the box.

Pereira, the Hamrun forward, was named BOV player of the match.