Marsaxlokk win eight-goal thriller

MARSAXLOKK-5, ĦAMRUN SPARTANS-3

Marsaxlokk sprung a surprise this afternoon as they beat Ħamrun Spartans in an eight-goal thriller at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

Nigerian forward Obinna Obiefule scored a hat-trick to give the crisis-hit Marsaxlokk a timely boost but the Blues endured a tense finale as the Spartans, who had been 4-0 down at one point, produced a late rally to reduce the deficit to two goals.

Without a coach and undermined by serious financial difficulties, Marsaxlokk had been written off before the match but their players had different ideas.

Marsaxlokk goalkeeper Reuben Gauci saved a swerving free-kick from Ħamrun's Massimo Grima after three minutes.

Obinna Obiefule, the Marsaxlokk forward, sent an intelligent pass towards Emiliano Lattes who drove against the side-netting from an angled position.

The Blues continued to show the better ideas as Andrea Cassar, the Ħamrun goalkeeper, blocked a central effort from Martin Deanov.

Gauci twice denied Ħamrun's Scottish forward Dene Shields with two timely interventions but, on 18 minutes, Marsaxlokk opened the scoring, Obiefule beating Cassar with a curling grounder after receiving from Carlo Mamo.

Grima, the Spartans captain, was wide with a spinning free-kick but the Spartans continued to struggle.

Marsaxlokk threatened every time they attacked. Cassar palmed Obiefule's piledriver over the bar but the Blues doubled their advantage from the ensuing corner. Deanov's set-piece cross flew into the box and Obiefule sent his downward header past Cassar.

This came on 31 minutes. Moments later, Marsaxlokk made it 3-0, Obiefule scoring from the penalty spot after he had been felled by Grima inside the box.

The Spartans looked demoralised. Their woes increased on the stroke of time when Carlinos Campagnoli scored Marsaxlokk's fourth with a solo effort but just before half-time, Ħamrun pulled one back thanks to Grima's well-taken free-kick.

Seven minutes into the second half, Gauci produced another good save to tip Grima's strong shot over the bar. Three minutes later, referee Clayton Pisani hobbled out of the pitch after picking up an injury. He was replaced by Mario Apap, the fourth official.

Gauci, the Marsaxlokk goalkeeper, denied Ħamrun again when keeping out Shields' dangerous shot from the edge of the box.

Another Grima free-kick sailed over but Marsaxlokk would have made it 5-1 but for Cassar's reflex save from Obiefule's close-range flick. The Blues restored their four-goal lead 19 minutes from time, when Lattes pounced on a mistake in the Spartans' defence to dash into the box before hitting past Cassar.

The non-stop action continued as, straight from the restart, Grima produced a dipping effort from the centre-circle which smacked against the crossbar.

The Spartans threw caution to the win but in so doing, left themselves exposed at the back. In a fast Marsaxlokk breakaway, Deanov powered clear through the middle before serving Lattes whose rising shot brought a fine tipping save from Cassar.

It was end-to-end stuff. now Gauci saved a low shot from Grima but, seven minutes from time, Ħamrun reduced the deficit, Shields scoring with a dipping shot from the edge of the box.

Five minutes from time, Grima brought Ħamrun to within two goals of Marsaxlokk when his long-range drive had the better of Gauci.

Ħamrun continued to drive forward, Shields hitting narrowly wide after receiving from Grima. Lee James Agius, a second-half substitute for Ħamrun, hit a post and, at the death, Cassar denied Marsaxlokk's Gary Caruana with another flying save.

Obiefule was named BOV player of the match.