ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 2
Thioune 35
Mbong 42
FK ZALGIRIS 0
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
H. Bonello, R. Compri (99 E. Marcelina), O. Bjelicic, D. Simkus (79 M. Garcia), V. Polito, J. Mbong (90 N. Micallef), J. Cadjenovic, Eder (90 M. El Hasni), R. Camenzuli, M. Hadzi (22 S. Thioune), N. Koffi (99 Jonny)
FK Zalgiris
C. Olses, B. Tavares (80 M. Youla), L. Dumancic, V. Radenovic, J. Moutachy, Y. Kendysh (80 H. Devens), O. Verbickas (67 N. Mihajlovic), E. Ofori, G. Matulevicius (46 D. Salcinovic), K. Hadji (105 K. Lukasevic), L. Antal.
Referee: Matteo Marcenaro.
Yellow cards: Cadjenovic, Radenovic, Mihajlovic, Camenzuli.
Red card: Radenovic (Z) 113.
Penalty sequence: Antal (Z) scores 1-0; Marcelina (Ħ) scores 1-1; Salcinovic (Z) saved 1-1; Cadjenovic (Ħ) saved 1-1; Mouachy (Z) scores 2-1; El Hasni (Ħ) 2-2; Ofori (Z) scores 3-2; Polito (Ħ) scores 3-3; Mihajlovic (Z) scores 4-3; Jonny (Ħ) scores 4-4; Dumancic (Z) saved 4-4; Thioune (Ħ) missed 4-4; Youala (Z) scores 5-4; Micallef (Ħ) scores 5-5; Devens (Z) scores 6-5; Camenzuli (Ħ) scores 6-6; Lukasevic (Z) scores 7-6; Bjelicic (Ħ) scores 7-7; Olses (Z) scores 8-7; Bonello (Ħ) scores 8-8; Antal (Z) scores 9-8; Marcelina (Ħ) scores 9-9; Salcinovic (Z) missed 9-9; Jonny (Ħ) saved 9-9; Mouachy (Z) scores 10-9; Polito (Ħ) scores 10-10; Ofori (Z) missed 10-10; Cadenovic (Ħ) scores 11-10
Ħamrun Spartans secured an historic qualification to the second qualifying round of the Champions League in the most dramatic of circumstances after knocking out FK Zalgiris, of Lithuania, after a marathon penalty shoot-out which saw them prevail 11-10.
It was impressive achievement from the Spartans, who had come into the match facing a mountain to climb after last week’s 2-0 defeat in the opening leg in Lithuania.
However, the Reds took the pitch much more aggressively and were determined to turn the tables on their opponents.
Goals from Salio Thioune and Joseph Mbong cancelled that two-goal deficit inside the opening 45 minutes.
In the second half, Ħamrun Spartans continued to dominate but could not find a third goal with the match drifting to extra-time and eventually to penalties.
The shoot-out turned out into a marathon with 28 penalties taken. Henry Bonello was the protagonist as he saved two penalties before Jovan Cadenovic buried home the decisive spot-kick to send the Spartans into a second qualifying round of the Champions League against Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev.
The Spartans’ qualification is a historic feat for the club as it is the first time they have advanced to the second qualifying round of the Champions League.
Giacomo Modica, the Ħamrun Spartans coach, made three changes from the team that lost the first leg in Lithuania. Vincenzo Polito, Eder and Merlin Hadzi were all drafted in the starting formation at the expense of Emerson Marcelina, Nikolai Micallef, and Matias Garcia.
Ħamrun started on the front foot, and Hadzi found Joseph Mbong in space, and the Malta winger’s shot was pushed away by the Zalgiris goalkeeper. From the rebound, the same Mbong saw his shot blocked by a defender.
The Spartans thought they had taken the lead on 20 minutes when, from a corner action, Eder’s header was somehow kept out by Carlos Olses.
The Spartans suffered a blow on 20 minutes when Hadzi pulled out injured and was replaced by Saliou Thioune.
Ħamrun were dominating the match, but despite their long spells of possession, they were not creating any real danger to the FK Zalgiris defence.
Just before the half-hour mark, Mbong let fly a stinging drive that forced an acrobatic save by Olses.
Zalgiris finally threatened on 33 minutes when club captain Verbickas hit a thumping drive that flew wide.
But it was Ħamrun who got the goal that they deserved on 35 minutes.
Rafael Compri sent a fine cross, and Thaliou did well to head the ball past Olses to spark the celebrations of the Spartans fans.
Zalgiris looked rattled, and Ħamrun Spartans grabbed a second goal on 42 minutes. Joseph Mbong picked possession in mid-pitch and let fly a thumping drive that flew into the top corner of the net…. a picture goal that put the tie level.
In the second half, FK Zalgiris tried to fight back, but it was the Spartans who should have made it 3-0. Mbong found Koffi inside the area, but his thumping drive was somehow kept out by Olses.
Scoring chances were scarce in the second half as fatigue was starting to creep into both sets of players with the match drifting into a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner.
Twelve minutes from time, Modica withdrew Simkus and roped in Matias Gacia to inject more energy into his team’s engine.
The Spartans came agonisingly close to a third on 86 minutes when Olses failed to control Cadenovic’s cross and in came Thioune who saw his shot blocked off the line by Moutachy.
From the ensuing corner, Compri’s shot was somehow kept out by Olses as the match dragged into extra time.
Zalgiris threatened first from a corner action, Ofori’s shot flashed wide.
For the rest of the first half of extra-time, there were no other scoring opportunities as the Spartans seemed to struggle to show the same intensity.
Hamrun seemed to have lost their way, and early in the second half, Salcinovic hit a low drive that was deflected to a corner by Camenzuli.
From the ensuing corner, the unmarked Devens fired wide.
At the other end, Mouad El Fasni saw his shot saved by Olses.
Seven minutes from time, Zalgiris were reduced to ten men when Radenovic picked up a second yellow card and was dismissed.
Despite the Spartans’ late rally no goals were scored, and we headed for a penalty shoot-out, which saw 22 penalties being taken.
Henry Bonello saved two penalties to give the Spartans the opportunity to progress but each time the Spartans missed their spot-kicks through Jovan Cadenovic and Jonny to keep the tie alive.
When Ofori fired over his spot-kick, Cadenovic stepped up and made up for his earlier miss to send Olses the wrong way and send the Spartans fans into dreamland as they celebrated their team’s historic qualification.
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