Guillaumier strike pushes Ħamrun Spartans closer to Premier League title

FLORIANA      0

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS            1         

Guillaumier 65

FLORIANA

G. Kitanov-6, A. Magri Overend-6.5 (73 M. Veselji), O. El Hasni-6, U. Arias-6.5, M. Garcia-5.5 (73 C. Zammit Lonardelli), L. De Grazia-6 (76 L. Accarino), A. Melunovic-6, E. Callegari-6, J. Busuttil-6.5, S. Osestad-6 (73 L. Trillo), A. Garzia-6.

ĦAMRUN

H. Bonello-6, Ederson-6.5, M. Guillaumier-6.5, E. Mashike-6.5 (85 K. Holmberg), R. Prsa-6 (71 J. Mbong), R. Callegari-6, O. Bjelicic-7, J. Corbalan-5.5, Jonny-5.5 (76 Dodo), E. Marcelina-6, R. Camenzuli-6.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Yellow cards: Bonello, Melunovic, Jonny, Arias, Bjelicic, Garcia.

BOV Player of the Match: Matthew Guillaumier (Ħamrun)

Matthew Guillaumier was the hero for Ħamrun Spartans as he scored the only goal in a narrow win over Floriana.

The Spartans thus march on towards a ninth championship in the history of the club as they registered a sixteenth win from eighteen matches.

Floriana, on the other hand, suffered a second defeat in three matches to remain in a mid-table position. However, their performance was definitely an improvement over their recent outings.

Coach Gianluca Atzori made four changes as Aleandro Garzia, Sindre Osestad, Jan Busuttil and Alen Melunovic were all handed a start. Osestad was making his debut for the Greens. Kemar Reid was unavailable as he served a one-match ban.

The Spartans, on the other hand, had Rodrigo Callegari deputising for Steve Borg.

Ħamrun went in search of an early goal and Elvis Mashike threatened with an angled shot from the right after just six minutes.

However, on 25 minutes, Jan Busuttil concluded a fine solo effort with a shot from outside the area which was tipped into a corner by the Ħamrun custodian.

Henry Bonello was prominent once again on the half hour, turning into a corner a Ulises Arias freekick.

But one minute from the end of the first half, Mashike entered the area from the right and his conclusion was blocked into a corner by Kitanov.

From the resulting corner, the ball reached Ognjen Bjelicic whose header was parried by the Floriana goalkeeper.

The Spartans managed to break the deadlock on 65 minutes.

Bjelicic delivered a freekick from the left but Kitanov blocked, a shot by Mashike and a header by Callegari were somehow kept out but Guillaumier slammed the ball home.

Floriana went close to equalising on 77 minutes. Melunovic served substitute Mattia Veselji on the left but his goal-bound effort was cleared into safety by Callegari.

Two minutes from time, the Greens threatened one again with a cross from the right but Veselji just failed to connect.

Three minutes in added time, Dodo went close to doubling the score when he entered the area from the right but had a close range effort neutralised by Kitanov.

Just before the final whistle, substitute Kalle Holmberg tried his luck with a powerful shot from outside the area which just missed the target.