Dodo keeps Ħamrun perfect after narrow victory against Valletta

VALLETTA        0

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS   1         

Dodo 21

VALLETTA

A. Guarnone-6, E. Ruiz-6.5, J. Borg-6, T. Caruana-6 (72 A. Zammit), C. Gauci-6 (80 O. Akpoveta), E. Pena Beltre-6, B. Kamden-6, B. Paiber-6, U. N’Nomo (30 S. Dimech-6.5), E. Sala-6.5, K. Bevis-6.

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS

H. Bonello-6.5, S. Borg-6, M. Guillaumier-6, L. Montebello-6 (72’ V. De Freitas), Dodo-6 (62’ E. Mashike), R. Prsa-6 (62’ E. Domingos), O. Bjelicic-6, J. Corbalan-6, Jonny-6.5, E. Marcelina-6.5, R. Camenzuli-6.5.

Referee: Ishmael Barbara.

Yellow cards: Marcelina.

BOV Player of the Match: Ryan Camenzuli (Ħamrun Spartans).

Ħamrun Spartans maintained a perfect record as a goal mid-way through the first half enabled them to beat Valletta 1-0 and register the sixth win in as many matches.

Valletta, on the other hand, suffer a third consecutive defeat which leaves them in the bottom half of the table.

Ħamrun held the initiative during the first half, taking the lead in their first attempt at goal. Valletta, on the other hand, had their fair share of scoring opportunities. They did show improvement over their last outing but at the end, it was still not enough to earn a positive result.

Following the win over Floriana, Ħamrun coach Branko Nisevic named an unchanged side. On the other hand, Valletta mentor Thane Micallef opted for three changes as Triston Caruana, Christian Gauci and Ulrich N’Nomo were preferred to Shaun Dimech, Andrea Zammit and Flavio Cheveresan.

After a quiet start, the Spartans forged ahead on 21 minutes. Juan Corbalan released Jonny on the right and off the latter’s assist, Dodo flicked the ball home past Alessandro Guarnone.

The Citizens tried to react and Eslit Sala, served by Pena Beltre, hit high from the edge of the area five minutes later.

Kilian Bevis then concluded a good run on the right by rounding a defender but his conclusion was turned into a corner by Bonello.

From the resulting corner, Enzo Ruiz’s header was neutralised by the Ħamrun custodian.

Eleven minutes in the second half, Jonny concluded another good move for Ħamrun with a shot from the edge of the area ending over.

At the other end of the pitch, Pena Beltre served Branon Paiber whose low shot was turned into a corner by Bonello.

Valletta were showing greater confidence but on 74 minutes, Ħamrun went close as Camenzuli delivered a cross from the right with Jonny heading just wide.

 On 85 minutes, Elvis Mashike missed the target with a whisker off an Ederson freekick from the right and hardly a minute later, Vinicius had a shot from outside the area partially saved by Guarnone and off the rebound, Mashike hit high.

However two minutes from time, it was Valletta who almost notched the equaliser when Oke Akpoveta pounced on mistake by a Ħamrun defender and with the Ħamrun rearguard a bit hesitant, Bonello came to the rescue blocking at point blank the Nigerian forward’s attempt.