Ħamrun Spartans 3
Spiteri 52, 64; Grima 75;
Sliema Wanderers 2
Mifsud Triganza 74; Obiefule 90;
Ħamrun Spartans gave their Championship Pool ambitions a significant boost yesterday as Gaetan Spiteri’s quick-fire double put them on their way to a crucial victory over the struggling Sliema Wanderers at the Tedesco Stadium.
Dubbed by coach Mark Marlow as a last-chance saloon for his team’s ambitions of a top-six finish, the Wanderers came to the match determined to bag all points and revive their challenge.
However, the Spartans had other ideas and inspired by the rich scoring form of Spiteri, who yesterday made it three goals in the last three matches, they bagged three valuable points that lifted them to third place in the standings on 19 points, one behind second-placed Tarxien Rainbows.
Whatever Marlow and his medical team prescribed for the six players supposedly struggling to face Ħamrun, it worked for five of them.
It appears that the Wanderers players possessed a rare ability to jump out of their sick beds as Mark Scerri, Miguel Ciantar and Obinna Obiefule were all included in the starting line-up with Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza and Steve Bezzina sitting on the bench
Sliema made two alterations from the team that started the match against Marsaxlokk. John Mintoff and Clifford Gatt Baldacchino replaced Mifsud Triganza and Bezzina respectively. The striker played on the left of a three-pronged attack, playing alongside Obiefule and Ciantar but detailed to drift out wide to maintain the width of the team.
Spiteri was entrusted with the responsibility of leading his team’s forward line in a 4-2-3-1 formation ahead of a fluid trio of Marcelo Pereira, Ryan Fenech and Peter Anizoba.
The Wanderers were more comfortable in possession, and one such passage of play led to an opening for John Mintoff inside the area, but his acrobatic finish was too close for Omar Borg after 14 minutes.
Spiteri had been contained comfortably by Josef Mifsud and Sekou Tidiane Souare but almost came out of his shell to break the deadlock after 22 minutes. He took advantage of some hesitant Sliema defending as he pounced on a loose ball by Souare but struck the foot of the post with a rasping drive.
Seven minutes later, the nippy striker linked up well with Pereira on the edge of the box but the Brazilian’s shot went harmlessly over the bar.
In the 37th minute, Jackson Lima Sequeira drew a fine save from Borg who launched himself upwards to keep out his free-kick.
Just before half-time, Sliema maintained the pressure on the Spartans defence forcing three corners in quick succession with Borg keeping out an in swinging corner by Jackson as seconds later the keeper emerged again the winner from what developed into a personal duel with the Sliema midfielder.
Sliema finished the half on top but the momentum swung back in Ħamrun’s direction soon after the break when Anizoba headed goalwards a cross by Grima but Tidiane Souare dived to head off the line into the path of Spiteri who looked sharp to crack a shot behind Aktpan.
There was little the Sliema rearguard could do in the 64th minute when Spiteri collected Grima’s long pass before he chipped the ball over the Sliema goalkeeper.
That should have been that, but ten minutes later, the Ħamrun defence failed to clear a long ball and Sliema substitute Mifsud Triganza was on hand to hammer in from the edge of the area after the ball took a deflection off Steve Bonnici.
Yet Grima took just one minute to restore Ħamrun’s two-goal cushion when he gathered possession on half pitch before racing forward and unleashing a powerful drive which Aktpan could not keep out.
There was still time for Sliema to pull a goal back when former Ħamrun striker Obiefule chested down a long clearance and powered in a volley.
But it came too late to change the final outcome.
Ħamrun Spartans
O. Borg-6, M. Grima-7 (79 M. Mifsud), Roderick Fenech-5, Ryan Fenech-5.5 (68 L.J. Agius), M. Pereira-5.5, G. Spiteri-7.5, J. Vukanic-6, M. Hrubsa-6, D. Camilleri-6, S. Bonnici-5.5, P. Anizoba-6.
Sliema
I. Aktpan-5, J. Mifsud-6, S. Tidiane Souare-4.5 (77 J Paris), M. Scerri (25 C Failla-6), M. Ciantar-6 (62 Mifsud Triganza), C. Gatt Baldacchino-5.5, J. Lima-6.5, O. Obiefule-5, R. Bajada-5.5, J. Mintoff-5.5, B. Muscat-5.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Anizoba, Ciantar, B. Muscat, Soure Tidiane, Grima, Bajada, Pereira.
BOV player of the match: Gaetan Spiteri (Ħamrun Spartans).
The other matches this weekend…
Qormi vs Valletta (today at 2 p.m., National Stadium).
Buoyed by three successive victories, leaders Valletta will fancy their chances to extend their current seven-point advantage when they face a Qormi side struggling to make the cut for a top-six berth.
Jesmond Zerafa, the Valletta coach, has an almost a full compliment at his disposal with the only doubt being Brazilian livewire Denni who will have to undergo a late fitness test after suffering a head injury against Hibernians on Monday.
Stephen Azzopardi, the Qormi coach, has a huge task in naming his starting formation as he is plagued with a string of absentees.
Croatian striker Kosta Bjedov is still out with a wrist injury while defender Roderick Sammut is sidelined for six weeks due to knee trouble. Luke Sciberras is also unfit and Korean defender Hojung Kang must serve a one-match ban.
Nigerian forward Aboubakar Bello Osagie is also rated as doubtful with a strained muscle while Belgian defender Jason Vandelannoite could also miss out after skipping the 2-2 draw against Vittoriosa with a knee injury.
First round result: Valletta vs Qormi 1-0.
Birkirkara vs Hibernians (today at 4 p.m., National Stadium).
Hibs’ aspirations of mounting a late charge for a Championship Pool place rely heavily on the outcome of this match against Birkirkara.
Languishing in ninth place with just eight points, Hibs have no other option than to bag maximum spoils from their clash with the champions to maintain their fading hopes of avoiding the Relegation Pool.
The Paolites had a torrid season so far with only one win from 11 matches and they expect another severe test this afternoon against the Stripes who will be gunning for the three points as they look to cut the gap with leaders Valletta.
Mark Miller, the Hibs coach, has only one major worry to deal with, the fitness of Scottish defender Matt Clarke who is recovering from a pulled hamstring. On the plus side, Ryan Camilleri is back after a long spell on the sidelines.
Paul Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, has his fair share of injury problems too as he must check on the fitness of Andrew Decesare, Trevor Cilia and Nikola Vukanac.
Scottish defender Ryan Harding is set to return after missing the 1-0 win over Floriana while Joseph Zerafa is also back in the fray following suspension.
First round result: Hibernians vs Birkirkara 1-2.
Vittoriosa Stars vs Tarxien Rainbows (tomorrow at 2 p.m., Hibs Stadium).
Tarxien will make a giant step towards securing a top-six place if they succeed in beating Vittoriosa.
The Rainbows have been on a roll lately as five wins from their last six matches has seen them climb to second place in the standings, three points clear of nearest rivals Birkirkara but, more importantly, eight better off than seventh-placed Qormi.
Another three-pointer tomorrow would see the Rainbows needing just one other win to all but seal their place in the Championship Pool.
Noel Coleiro, the Tarxien coach, will probably field his strongest formation as his players target a third successive victory in the league.
Vittoriosa will be no pushovers even though the bottom-placed newcomers only managed three points from their last five matches.
Vittoriosa will play without midfielder Kevin Mifsud, suspended. Brazilian Carlos Campagnoli is doubtful after pulling out with knee trouble in the early stages of his team’s 2-2 draw with Qormi.
First round result: Tarxien vs Vittoriosa Stars 1-0.
Marsaxlokk vs Floriana (tomorrow at 4 p.m., Hibs Stadium).
This is a direct clash between two teams vying for a Championship Pool berth this season.
At the moment there is only one point separating fifth-placed Floriana and Marsaxlokk in the standings and tomorrow’s winner will surely gain a huge bonus in the race for the top six placings.
Both teams will be looking to show much-needed improvement in their form as the Southerners have just managed two points from their last four matches and the Greens have only one win to show from their last four outings.
Todor Raykov, the Floriana coach, is expected to hand a debut to new signing Marsal Fernandez, a Portuguese winger. Christian Cassar and Kiril Dzhorov remain sidelined, however, with injuries.
Marsaxlokk coach Patrick Curmi is forced to make one change to his starting XI as defender Clive Brincat must serve a one-match ban.
First round result: Floriana vs Marsaxlokk 0-1.