ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 2

Domoraud 24

Calil 68 pen.

QORMI 1

Yankam 56

Ħamrun Spartans needed a second-half penalty from Caetano Calil to see off Qormi 2-1 at the National Stadium.

As expected it was Ħamrun who made all the early running and on 12 minutes Carlose Henneberg hit a firm drive that was turned to a corner by Cassar.

Seven minutes later Ħamrun should have taken the lead when Kevin Tulimieri’s pin-point cross found the unmarked Wilfred Domoraud who incredibly headed wide.

But the French striker made amends on 24 minutes when he latched on to a fine through pass from Enrico Pepe to head past Cassar.

Qormi finally threatened on 31 minutes when Mohammed Bangoura stormed through the Spartans backline but made a poor contact with the ball and fired wide.

Ħamrun continued to look off the boil and they were lucky to stay in front three minutes from the break when Mateus Regis avoided his marker on the edge of the area and his curling drive just missed the upright.

Qormi kept up their momentum on the restart and they managed to draw level on 55 minutes. The Spartans failed to clear the ball from a free-kick, with the ball falling to Yannick Yankam who blasted the ball past Bartolo.

The goal was a wake up call for the Spartans who stepped up their efforts to restore their lead.

On 67 minutes Tulimieri sped into the area but was upended by Santana with referee Trustan Farrugia Cann pointing to the spot. Caetano Calil stepped up for the kick to send Cassar the wrong way.

Ħamrun were unlucky not to get a third goal on 84 minutes when Calil picked Domoraud who blasted the ball onto the upright.

Ħamrun forward Kevin Tulimieri was voted as the BOV Player of the Match.