Spartans cruise past Naxxar Lions to stay unbeaten

NAXXAR LIONS     0

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS   4    

Jonny 10; Montebello 30, 59; Djuranovic 55

NAXXAR LIONS

M. Debono-5.5, N. Micallef-5.5, N. Pace Cocks-5.5 (78 R. Mercieca), P. Servo de Carvalho-6, E. Cerqueira-5.5 (70 M. Moreira), A. Azzopardi-5, R. Cassar-5.5, J. Ellul-5 (60 Maicon Silva), Elizeu-5.5 (70 D. Falzon), G. Bonanno-5 (46 M. Fenech), J. Moura-6.

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS

H. Bonello-6, S. Borg-6, L. Montebello-7 (69 S. Paintsil), J. Mbong-6, R. Prsa-6.5 (60 Elionay), Y. Nenov-6, U. Djuranovic-6.5, O. Bjelicic-6 (60 R. Camenzuli), N. Krstic-6, E. Marcelina-6, Jonny-6 (69 Eder).

Referee Emanuel Grech.

Yellow Cards Bjelicic, Micallef.

BOV Player of the Match Luke Montebello (Ħamrun Spartans).

Ħamrun Spartans found no difficulty in beating Naxxar Lions 4-0 on Saturday at the National Stadium to register a second win in as many matches.

The Spartans dominated from start to finish, scoring two goals in each half. Naxxar, on the other hand, could only try to limit the damage but ended up conceding four goals after the 1-5 defeat to Marsaxlokk in their first outing.

Henry Bonello returned in goal for the Spartans while Yuliyan Nenov and Luke Montebello were preferred to Elionay and Ryan Camenzuli. Naxxar, on the other hand, had three changes with Ayrton Azzopardi, Joel Ellul, and Giuseppe Bonanno being named in the starting line-up at the expense of Fernando Barbosa, Marcilio Wiliam Moreira, and Maicon de Souza.

The Spartans took the lead on ten minutes. Montebello served Jonny on the left and the latter beat goalkeeper Matthias Debono with a diagonal shot.

On the half-hour, Ħamrun doubled the score. Jonny served Montebello with a header inside the area and the Malta international forward rounded Joao Vitor Moura before hitting hard past Debono.

Off a Roko Prsa corner from the right, Jonny had a powerful drive blocked by a defender on 36 minutes as the Spartans continued to control the proceedings. A minute later, Montebello had a close-range effort partially saved by the Naxxar custodian.

Naxxar replied with a Pablo Augusto Servo de Carvalho effort, following an assist from the left by Azzopardi, turned into a corner by Spartans shotstopper Bonello on 39 minutes. Two minutes later, Debono performed a good save on a freekick from the right by Prsa.

The Spartans extended the lead ten minutes into the second half. Steve Borg delivered a long-distance cross and Uros Djuranovic anticipated the goalkeeper with a lob to place the ball at the back of the net.

Ħamrun made it 4-0 on 59 minutes courtesy of Montebello, served on the left by Djuranovic, who beat Debono with an angled shot.

Naxxar replied with a Servo de Carvalho effort from outside the area which was parried by Bonello on 64 minutes but two minutes later, Nemanja Krstic tested Debono with a powerful drive from the right.

Bonello performed a great save on a fine Darren Falzon effort on 77 minutes, turning the ball into a corner but three minutes from time, the Spartans threatened with a powerful drive by Joseph Mbong which ended just over the bar.