MACCABI TEL AVIV 3
Shahar 37, 52
Davida 69
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 1
Mbong 44
(Maccabi win 5-2 on aggregate)
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
R. Mishpati, T. Asante, N. Stojic, R. Shlomo, R. Revivo, D. Peretz, I. Sissokho, I. Shahar, O. Davida, I. Nicolaescu, E. Madmon.
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
H. Bonello, R. Compri, E. Marcelina O. Bjelicic, R. Camenzuli, J. Mbong, J. Cadjenovic, M. Garcia (59 M. El Fanis, Eder (58 A. Coric), S. Thioune (58 M. Hadzi), N. Koffi.
Referee: Rohit Saggi (Norway).
Yellow cards Camenzuli, Davida, Cadjenovic, Camenzuli.
Missed penalty: Marcelina (Ħ) 28.
Maccabi Tel Aviv battled past Ħamrun Spartans and sealed their place in the Play Off round of the Europa League with a 3-1 win at the Topola Stadium.
The final scoreline might suggest that the Israelis had it all their way.
But it was not certainly the case, as the Spartans were well in the match, but their failure to take the chances that came their way came back to haunt them.
The match would have taken a different twist had Emerson Marcelina scored a first-half penalty when the score was still 0-0.
That turned out to be a major turning point as soon after Maccabi took the lead.
Ħamrun kept fighting and levelled matters through Joseph Mbong while Cadjenovic hit the upright.
But after the break, Maccabi’s third goal ended the game as a contest, leaving Ħamrun facing a decisive Play Off round clash against RFS Riga, in the UEFA Conference League, with an opportunity of making history with qualification to the League Phase of the competition.
Ħamrun Spartans coach Giacomo Modica made two changes to the team that started last week’s first leg. Brazilian defender Emerson Marcelina and Matias Garcia were preferred to Vincenzo Polito and Ante Coric.
Maccabi made a fast start to the match, and after four minutes of play, Nemanja Stojic rose unmarked from a corner action but headed his effort over.
Ħamrun tried to move up the pitch, but it was Maccabi who threatened again on 10 minutes. From another set-piece, Revivo hit a firm volley towards the bottom corner, but Bonello did well to palm the ball away.
The Spartans finally threatened on 25 minutes when Compri seized possession in midfield and charged forward before teeing up Mbong, whose low cross was just missed by Salio Thioune from close in.
Ħamrun had an even bigger chance three minutes later when they were awarded for a handball infringement by a Maccabi defender inside the area, but from the spot, Marcelina saw his shot hit the bar before finishing out of play.
Ħamrun paid dearly for this miss as on 36 minutes, Maccabi took the lead. Raz Shlomo played a throughball towards Ido Shahar, who kept his cool and sent a low drive past Bonello.
Three minutes later, the Spartans came close to an equaliser when Cadjenovic hit a thumping drive that came off the upright.
Ħamrun’s efforts were rewarded a minute from the break.
N’Dri Koffi won possession in mid-pitch and sent Joseph Mbong through. The Malta forward kept his cool to fire past Mishpati.
But the Spartans’ joy was short-lived as Maccabi soon restored their lead. Osher Davida’s low cross caught the visitors napping, and Shahar was on hand to fire home.
After the break, Maccabi tried to step up the pressure in search of a third goal, and on 53 minutes, Peretz charged clear but was denied by the onrushing Bonello.
From the rebound, the ball fell to Sissokho, whose lob finished just over.
The Spartans threatened at the other end a minute later when Koffi burst inside the area but was denied by Mishpati.
However, any hopes of a comeback were ended by Maccabi on 69 minutes when they added a third goal.
Shahar did well to tee up Osher Davida who beat Bonello with a low drive.
The match looked settled with Davida coming close to a second but was denied by Bonello, while at the other end, Koffi saw his shot saved by Mishpati.
