ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 1
Prsa 63
BIRKIRKARA 0
ĦAMRUN
H. Bonello, T. Barbosa (62 Eder), J. Mbong, R. Prsa, Elionay (69 D. Letherby), J. Cadjenovic, O. Bjelicic, R. Mihana (87 C. Menacho), E. Marcelina, R. Camenzuli, R. Lopes.
BIRKIRKARA
G. Volpe, P. Gaitan, P. Mbong, K. Reid (39 S. Dimech), T. Papazov, A. Satariano, L. Lacunza, N. Micallef (81 B. Esalo), A. Coppola, D. Makoma, M. Maia.
Referee: Ishmael Barbara
Yellow card: J. Mbong
Ħamrun Spartans were crowned champions of the 360Sports Malta Premier after a goal by Roko Prsa just past the hour handed them a narrow win over Birkirkara in the Championship final in front of 9,612 spectators who flocked to the National Stadium on Saturday.
It was a season of ups and downs for Ħamrun but thanks to this new format of the Malta Premier, they managed to prevail when it mattered most.
The Spartans had disappointed in the Opening Round and failed to impress in the league phase of the Closing Round which eventually led to the sacking of coach Alessandro Zinnari.
With Winston Muscat taking over as coach for the last two matches of the Closing Round League Phase and despite a defeat on his debut, he led the Spartans to four wins and two draws in the remaining six matches of the Closing Round before eliminating Opening Round winners Floriana on penalties in Monday’s semi-final.
This is the third consecutive championship for Ħamrun and the fourth one in five years since Joseph Portelli was appointed president of the club.
Meanwhile Birkirkara have to settle for the runner-up spot and a spot in the UEFA Conference League.
They had a brilliant start in the Opening Round, remaining unbeaten for the first ten matches but then they failed to keep the same pace although they still managed to reach the final.
Birkirkara coach Stefano De Angelis named an unchanged side following the dramatic win over Sliema Wanderers in the semi-final.
They started with Volpe in goal, Papazov, Coppola and Neil Micallef at the back, Lacunza and Satariano on the flanks, Gaitan as holding midfielder with Makoma and Mbong supporting the two forwards Kemar Reid and Maxuell Maia.
After losing Reid injured, Mbong joined Maia in attack.
The Spartans, on the other hand, had three changes from the team which defeated Floriana on penalties as Emerson Marcelina, Elionay and Talison Barbosa were preferred to Steve Borg, Sven Xerri and Eder.
Bonello started in goal, Marcelina joined Bjelicic in the heart of the Ħamrun rear-guard with Mboing and Camenzuli employed on the flanks; Elionay, Cadjenovic and Prsa formed the midfield trio with Mihana and Talison supporting Lopes up front.
Like the two semi-finals, this match turned out to be another balanced affair.
The Stripes had the first attempt at goal after just seven minutes when Alexander Satariano, served with a back-heel pass by Donovan Makoma on the left, tested Henry Bonello with an angled shot which was deflected by the Ħamrun custodian.
On 16 minutes, Marcelina cleared into a corner a fine cross by Kemar Reid from the right and Pablo Gaitan’s effort, direct from the corner, was parried by Bonello.
Birkirkara maintained the pressure and on 35 minutes, Gaitan served Maxuell Maia on the left with his first attempt blocked by Henry Bonello but he managed to hit low with Roko Prsa clearing the ball into safety to anticipate Kemar Reid before he could conclude.
Ħamrun replied with a fine cross by Redon Mihana for Talison who chested the ball down and tried his luck with an angled shot from the right which was, however, blocked by goalkeeper Giacomo Volpe one minute later.
Hardly one minute later, Joseph Mbong sent Roko Prsa through but the latter hit wide from an ideal position inside the area.
Towards the end of the first half, Ħamrun threatened with a freekick from the right by Prsa which was deflected by Gaitan into a corner.
Three minutes in the second half, Ryan Camenzuli exchanged the ball with Lopes, hitting high from the edge of the area and on 59 minutes, Papazov came to the rescue for Birkirkara, blocking Prsa’s close-range effort off a cross from the right by Mihana.
Ħamrun managed to take the lead on 63 minutes. It was a brilliant move which saw Jovan Cadjenovic pass the ball to Joseph Mbong along the goal line, off a corner, and the latter served Roko Prsa who placed the ball at the back of the net from close range.
Birkirkara replied with a pass by Maia for Shaun Dimech from the right but the latter hit just wide on 70 minutes.
In the final stages, the Stripes pushed hard for the equaliser and in added time, Paul Mbong just failed to connect off a cross by Alex Satariano.
Seconds later, Shaun Dimech served Satariano whose powerful angled shot from the left scraped past the post. On the other hand, in a swift counter break for Ħamrun, Menacho served Lopes, who all alone in front of the goalkeeper, missed an excellent opportunity to double the score.
In the remaining minutes, the Spartans held on well to keep the Stripes at bay to retain the slender lead and secure the title.
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