Birkirkara 1 Ħamrun S 3

Ħamrun Spartans enjoyed the last laugh in a tale of three penalities.

When Shodiya put away his re-taken penalty after just 14 minutes, Stefan Sultana's side must have probably feared the worst but the Spartans emerged from a poor start to chalk up a shock result over Birkirkara.

Twelve minutes into the match, Jhonnattann set Mifsud Triganza running into the penalty area as Roderick Fenech, though connecting with the ball, scythed through the back of the striker's legs with referee Alan Sant pointing to the penalty spot. Haruna Shola Shodiya's first attempt was paritally blocked by the Ħamrun. Yet, the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken on the grounds that the ball was already moving when Shodiya took the kick, the striker kept cool to send Andrea Cassar the wrong way this time.

The Spartans, however, refused to be cowed. Eight minutes later, Camilleri clipped the the inside of an upright from a well-worked personal action by Terence Vella. The former Birkirkara, whose powerful running was a striking feature all evening, restored parity on 26 minutes. Angel Yoshev's attempt was blocked by Reuben Gauci only for Vella to curl an exquisite right-foot shot in off the far post.

In the 56th minute, Vella exposed more vulnerability in the Stripes defence to earn a free-kick just outside the box. From the ensuing kick, Camilleri sent his effort over the four-men wall only for Paul Fenech to stop the ball with his elbow prompting Sant to order a second penalty. Grima made no mistake from the spot.

Birkirkara's lack of threat will have alarmed Zammit, who brought in Ryan Camenzuli for Muscat, switching Sciberras to central defence to partner Mendoza.

As Birkirkara tried to mount a siege on the Spartans box, Cassar made a first stop to deny Yoshev which was routine but the flying save that produced the nippy goalkeeper produced to turn Jhonnattann's stringing free-kick behind in the 63rd minute was quite spectacular.

Two bookable offences in quick succession by Fenech saw the Stripes emerge a man lighter for almost half an hour.

In the 74th minute, Birkirkara were handed a lifeline when Edward Herrera's surge into the box was halted by the sliding Camilleri.

This, however was a strange day for Birkirkara as Shodiya assumed again responsibility for the penalty but his shot was touched away by Cassar. Unperturbed by Shodiya's penalty miss, Birkirkara kept pressing for an equaliser as from the ensuing corner, Rowen Muscat headed just wide from Jhonnattan's corner.

In the dying minutes, Vella punished Birkirkara's flat-out approach with a devastating counter-attack. Gianluca Calabretta galloped towards goal unimpeded before he squared the ball for Vella for the easiest of goals.

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