Ħamrun striker Jonny (right) controls the ball ahead of Gonzalo Virano. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 4
Montebello 16
Paintsil 45
Jonny 47 pen.
Eder 90 pen.
SANTA LUCIA 1
Piazza 64
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
F. Marchetti, S. Borg, L. Montebello (75 C. Rutjens), J. Mbong, Elionay, Eder, O. Bjelicic, J. Corbalan (5 R. Camenzuli), S. Paintsil, N. Krstic, Jonny (90 G. Vella).
SANTA LUCIA
Celio, M. Ellul (52 P. De Oliveira), D. Letherby, A. Bradshaw (72 T. Nagamatsu), J. Pisani, S. Pisani (53 Evandro), A. Mrdja, G. Virano, S. Moracci (59 G. Mensah), A. Piazza, S. Xerri (53 D. Xuereb).
Referee Fyodor Zammit.
Yellow cards Moracci, De Oliveira, Evandro, Elionay, Virano.
Red card: Virano 90
Ħamrun Spartans maintained their winning momentum as two first-half goals put them on their way to a comfortable victory over relegation-threatened Santa Lucia on Saturday.
Luke Montebello and Seth Paintsil set the Malta champions on their way before Jonny converted a penalty early in the second half to seal the points and lift the Spartans to the top of the standings. But the Reds could be dislodged again by Floriana should the latter overcome Marsaxlokk in the day’s second match.
The Spartans failed to sparkle early on and Santa Lucia almost struck after five minutes when Alessio Piazza’s cross found Santiago Moracci who fired wide.
In this action, the Spartans lost Juan Corbalan to an injury and was replaced by Ryan Camenzuli.
Luke Montebello puts Ħamrun Spartans ahead.
Ħamrun scored with their first attempt on goal on 16 minutes. Jonny broke free on the right and his low cross was met by Luke Montebello who saw his first effort somehow kept out by Celio but from the rebound the Malta striker fired home.
Buoyed by this opener, the Spartans started to assert their dominance with long spells of possession were still finding it difficult to create danger to Celio in Sta Lucia’s goal.
The Spartans finally added a second goal in the first minute of stoppage time when Krstic put Eder in space on the left and his cross was met by Seth Paintsil who fired home.
Seth Paintsil doubles Ħamrun Spartans’ lead against Sta Lucia.
Ħamrun Spartans took just 80 seconds into the second half to put the game to bed when Eder was floored inside the area by Jurgen Pisani and from the spot Jonny made no mistake.
Sta Lucia were regaled with a consolation goal on 64 minutes when Krstic lost the ball just outside the area, Gabriel Mensah fed Piazza who fired home.
Jonny scores from the penalty spot to give Ħamrun Spartans a 3-0 lead.
In stoppage time, Gabriel Vella replaced Jonny and the young striker immediately left his mark when he was brought down in the area by Virano. Referee Fyodor Zammit pointed to the spot and showed Virano the second yellow card to leave the Saints with ten men.
Alessio Piazza pulls a goal back for Santa Lucia.
Eder stepped up for the kick and his effort beat Celio to seal the Spartans’ win.
Eder seals the point for Ħamrun Spartans from the penalty spot.
In the other match, Gżira United and Birkirkara cancelled each other in a goalless draw at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.
The final stalemate did little to help either side’s cause as Birkirkara missed the chance to join Marsaxlokk in fourth place as they remained two points adrift while Gżira United picked up valuable point which, however, failed to give mathematical certainty of their Premier League survival.
GŻIRA UNITED 0
BIRKIRKARA 0
GŻIRA UNITED
D. Zarkov, G. Bohrer, T. Aldama, Z. Scerri (76 A. Borg), M. Dias, L. Ribeiro, F. Romero, Z. Cassar, J. Mendoza, K. Spence (86 B. Borg), T. Espindola.
BIRKIRKARA
M. Zapytowski, E. Sarpong (85 K. Fenech), E. Pepe, K. Zammit, E. Pena Beltre (60 A. Diakite), S. Zibo, A. Coppola, P. Mbong (85 A. Zammit), N. Micallef (46 M. Maia), A. Satariano, A. Ciolacu.
