FLORIANA 0
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 0
FLORIANA
C. Mafoumbi, O. El Hasni, J. Grech, E. Mashike (76 G. Becerra), D. Vella, O. Spiteri, M. Garcia (76 G. Sotomayor), C. Zammit Lonardelli (77 A. Garzia), J. Gamarra, A. Kouro, Fernandinho.
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
H. Bonello, S. Borg, J. Mbong, R. Prsa, E. Freitas, J. Cadenovic (79 M. Klepac), O. Bjelicic, E. Marcelina, C. Menacho (60 Talison), R. Camenzuli, R. Lopes Silva.
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Yellow cards Borg, Mbong, Garcia, Garzia, Sotomayor, Becerra.
Red card: Borg (ĦS) 85.
Ħamrun Spartans and Floriana produced a hard-fought battle but could not go beyond a goalless draw at the National Stadium.
While both teams were desperate for all three points, Floriana will surely be more disappointed at having missed out on winning the match, particularly after producing a very bright performance in the first half which saw them hold the edge over the defending champions and it had to be some fine saves from Henry Bonello that denied them from taking the lead.
After the break, the Spartans showed signs of improvement but lacked the cutting edge to create serious problems to the Floriana goal.
The dismissal of Steve Borg five minutes from time denting the Spartans charge for a win and in the end they had to settle with a point.
Following this result, Marsaxlokk ended the week on top on 25 points, one ahead of Ħamrun Spartans and Sliema Wanderers with Floriana following behind on 23 points as the race for the top two placings in the Closing Round remains wide open.
It was Floriana who threatened first after 11 minutes when they stole possession in midfield and Fernandinho fed Carlo Zammit Lonardelli on the right and his cutback found Dunstan Vella whose saw was pushed away by goalkeeper Henry Bonello.
Ħamrun were looking to assert more dominance in midfield as in these early exchanges Floriana’s aggressivity was unsettling the Spartans of playing their usual passing game.
On 24 minutes, Fernandinho picked Mashike on the edge of the area but his first time effort flew well over the bar.
Two minutes later, Mashike was found by Garcia but his downward header was easily saved by Bonello.
Then, Jake Grech was played in by Fernandinho but his shot was deflected to a corner by Elionay.
It was all Floriana now and on 28 minutes Vella picked Jake Grech inside the area but he was denied by the excellent Bonello.
Ħamrun finally threatened on 32 minutes when Mbong’s flick released Lopes Silva who quickly squared the ball for Menacho but the Bolivian made a hash of his control and Christoffer Mamboufi duly averted the danger.
Nine minutes from the break, Lopes Silva sent a dangerous low cross but Menacho just failed to make contact with the ball in front of a gaping goal.
Floriana suffered a blow on the stroke of half-time as Zammit Lonardelli was stretchered off after coming out worse following a challenge for the ball with Joseph Mbong.
The Malta wingback was replaced by Aleandro Garzia.
Just before the half-time whistle, Borg met Cadenovic’s delivery from a corner with Lopes Silva trying to divert the ball towards goal but his header finishing just over.
The Spartans started better after the break and on 50 minutes, Menacho was found in space but the Bolivian saw his shot deflected to a corner by Owen Spiteri.
On the hour mark, the Spartans withdrew Menacho and roped in Talison Barbosa in a bid to add more spark to their forward line.
Floriana came agonisingly close on 67 minutes when from a Grech free-kick Mashike’s header found Fernandinho who headed over.
Ħamrun Spartans suffered a blow six minutes from time when Steve Borg was sent off for a second yellow card and was dismissed.
In stoppage time, substitute Gabriel Sotomayor found Jake Grech inside the area but he fired well over.
Naxxar Lions secured a vital victory over struggling Melita to move out of the last two places and boost their hopes of retaining their place in the top flight.
The Lions needed all three points to give themselves a huge opportunity to avoid the last two places.
Their cause was surely aided by the dismissal of Melita goalkeeper Aleksander Lubik who was shown a straight red card after 21 minutes for handling the ball outside the area.
With a player more into the pitch, Naxxar grew in stature and took the lead on 42 minutes through substitute Hugo Dos Santos Coelho.
The Lions went on to seal the points when they added a second goal five minutes into the second half through Takuma Yamaguchi.
With this result, Naxxar moved up to third from bottom on 16 points, one clear of Balzan while Melita remained bottom on 10 points.
NAXXAR LIONS 2
Dos Santos Coelho 42
Yamaguchi 50
MELITA 0
NAXXAR LIONS
M. Debono, N. Pace Cocks, E. Bolanos, E. Farias (83 K. Haber), T. Ndao (33 T. Yamaguchi), Helder, Maicon (73 B. Sane), F. Barbosa, M. Micallef, J. Vitor, Y. Ito (33 Dos Santos Coelho).
MELITA
A. Lubik, A. Simanca, M. Cachia, M. Debattista (62 G. Barone), A. Borg Olivier, M. Van De Font Bovenkamp, D. Xuereb (24 G. Mizzi), N. Cutajar, C. Gyamfi (57 J. Yepez), K. Bondin (57 J.P. Attard), C. Sanchez Gonzales.
Referee: Slobodan Petrovic.
Yellow cards: Debono, Martins, Simanca.
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