Watch: Ħamrun Spartans secure historic qualication to UEFA Conference League

FC RFS 2 ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 2

(aggregate 2-3)

Ħamrun Spartans secured an historic qualification to the group stages of the UEFA Conference League after holding FC RFS, of Latvia, to a 2-2 draw and secure a 3-2 aggregate win.

This is the first time that a Maltese club qualified for the League Phase of the UEFA Conference, but is a testament to the hard work of coach Giacomo Modica and his players, who managed to fend off FC RFS’s late rally to hold on to a crucial aggregate win.

We will be ending this blog here but stay on our website for more reactions to this historic night for Maltese football.

Note: This live coverage was brought to you thanks to Besteam Audio, Avanza Academy, and Revival

9pm Ħamrun Spartans fans and players are in dreamland…. they will be in tomorrow’s UEFA Conference League in Monaco. Who would ever believed it… but scratch your eyes as this is the reality.

8.57pm FULL TIME… ĦAMRUN SPARTANS REACH THE LEAGUE PHASE OF THE CONFERENCE LEAGUE

8.56pm Another corner for FC RFS…. more drama

8.55pm RFS win a free-kick in a dangerous position.

8.53pm The first minute of stoppage time passes and Compri earns an important foul for Ħamrun Spartans.

8.52pm Six minutes of stoppage time for the Spartans to hold onto.

8.50pm Normal time is over but a long stoppage time beckons as Bonello needed treatment.

8.45pm Substitute Darko Lemajic latches onto a cross and heads the ball past Bonello to make it 2-2. But the Spartans are 3-2 ahead on aggregate and have four minutes including stoppage time, to hold on.

8.44pm Goal… FC RFS equalise but Spartans still ahead on aggregate.

8.38pm Ten minutes to go… Modica replaces the tiring Thioune with Mohammed El Fanis.

8.36pm This is Vincenzo Polito’s goal that is proving crucial for the Spartans.

8.33pm Modica makes another change as Eder departs and is replaced by Matias Garcia.

8.30pm It’s a massive goal for the Spartans as they now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the tie and the dream is getting closer.

8.27pm Ante Coric, who had just replaced Domantas Simkus, takes a free-kick and his delivery falls on the head of Polito who beat Maric to put the Maltese in front.

8.25pm GOAL SPARTANS... VINCENZO POLITO scores.

8.19pm The RFS player suffers an injury and is replaced by Darko Lemajic.

8.18pm Big chance for RFS as in a swift break, the ball is flicked into the path of Diomande who is denied by a fine reflex save from Bonello.

8.15pm CHANCE… Domantas Simkus moves clear on the right and his cross find Thioune who heads wide.

8.10pm Fifty seven minutes passed and Ħamrun Spartans try to continue to keeping control of the match with their players pressing higher up the pitch than in the first half.

8.05pm FC RFS starting to press higher but so far Ħamrun have managed to defend well.

8pm Second half under underway…

7.50pm it has been an eventful first half with Saliou Thioune giving Ħamrun Spartans a crucial lead but RFS equalised immediately to keep the tie evenly poised.

Despite the home side’s pressure, Ħamrun Spartans managed to defend well to stay ahead on aggregate.

An eventful second half is in store so stay with us on this historic night for Maltese football.

7.45pm Two minutes of stoppage time awarded by the referee. FC RFS have one final chance from a free-kick but the Spartans defend well to go at the break level on the night and 2-1 ahead on aggregate.

7.35pm FC RFS continue to attack the Ħamrun Spartans goal but the Spartans continue to defend well.

7.29pm Chance for FC RFS. From a free-kick action Diomande’s header is brilliantly kept out by Bonello, and from the rebound, Alexander Filipovic fired over in front of a gaping goal.

7.28pm HUGE CHANCE… Big chance for Mbong to restore Ħamrun’s lead as the winger was put through by Ognjen Bjelicic but fired wide with only Maric to beat.

7.20pm FC RFS equalise when they are awarded a penalty when Ognjen Bjelicic fouled Mor Talla inside the area and Stefan Panic keeps his cool to send Bonello the wrong way.

7.17pm GOAL FC RFS equalise

7.14pm The Spartans take the lead when Joseph Mbong’s cross find Saliou Thioune who fires home and puts the visitors in front.

7.12 GOAALL…. THIOUNE SCORES

7.09pm CHANCE… Ħamrun Spartans have their second shot on target on nine minutes when Eder finds Saliou Thioune, who sees his shot saved by the FC RFS goalkeeper.

7:06pm Ħamrun Spartans win their first corner from which Rafael Compri sends a dipping cross into the path of Emerson Marcelina who heads wide.

7.04pm RFS have made a strong start to the match and forced two early corners but somehow the Spartans managed to clear.

6.58pm The teams are out and we are awaiting the kick-off. And we are off.

6.45pm The players are heading into the dressing room as the excitement is starting to kick in not only for the home fans but also for the around 200 Ħamrun Spartans fans who made the trip to Riga.

6.30pm Europe’s third-tier competition has been instrumental in opening the door for clubs from smaller nations. Until last season, six countries were still chasing a first-ever group stage appearance – a list that included Wales and Northern Ireland, who both achieved it through TNS and Larne FC, respectively.

This season, both TNS and Larne, who recently announced the signing of Malta U21 international Alfie Bridgman, have already been eliminated.

With Andorra and Montenegro already out, San Marino and Malta remain the last two nations in the hunt for a historic first qualification.

6.15pm RFS made some tweaks to their starting changes with Janis Ikaunieks returning from his three-match European ban.

The 30-year-old attacking midfielder has over 10 goals for RFS this season as the Latvian champions are banking on him for inspiration and creativity.

6.10pm The match official for this match will be 35-year-old Horatiu Fesnic, who has officiated multiple matches from the main stages of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.

6.07PM Marcelina in, Coric out.

With Modica opting to start with all his central defenders, we are expecting to see Emerson Marcelina take the defensive midfielder role, marshalling the backline.

Such a move will allow the Spartans to have a fifth defender who can drop in the defensive line out of possession, with Marcelina providing an aerial threat and composure on the ball.

As for Ante Coric – who joined the club during the summer transfer window – he is not in his best condition and will start on the bench.

6.05PM LINE-UPS ARE OUT!

Giacomo Modica has selected the following starting formation as Ħamrun Spartans are looking to capitalise on their slender advantage in this play-off.

(4-3-3): H. Bonello; R. Camenzuli, O. Bjelicic, V. Polito, R. Compri, E. Marcelina, D. Simkus, Ederson, N. Koffi, S. Thioune, J. Mbong.

5.40PM In 2022, under Branko Nisevic, they reached the same stage before falling to Serbian heavyweights Partizan Belgrade.

That tie was effectively decided in the first leg, when they lost 4-1 in Belgrade. Still, the Spartans restored pride at home with a 3-3 draw, exiting 7-4 on aggregate.

That campaign gave Maltese football a taste of European respectability. But this time the sense is stronger as Ħamrun’s rise has been steadier, their squad deeper, and their belief higher.

5.35PM The Spartans carry a slender advantage into the second leg after their 1-0 victory in last week’s opener at the National Stadium.

That game was shaped by poor pitch conditions, but Ħamrun seized their moment when 21-year-old forward Saliou Thioune struck early in the second half. His goal, born of the team’s aggressive pressing, gives Modica’s side a vital edge.

Thioune, a summer signing, has already played a decisive role in the club’s European run.

“Ħamrun deserve to qualify because of the passion shown and the backing of the club. We hope that against RFS we reap our dividends,” he said.

Watch: Thioune’s second-half goal pushes Spartans closer to historic qualification.

5.30PM Welcome to our blog! SportsDesk is at the LNK Sporta Parks to bring you the latest updates from the highly-awaited match between RFS and Ħamrun Spartans.

On Wednesday, Ħamrun coach Giacomo Modica spoke to the media where he urged his players to stay grounded ahead of their biggest night in European football, insisting that while the stakes are huge, qualification must not become an obsession.

“Stakes of this match? A lot, but most importantly it does not become an obsession as otherwise it becomes a problem,” Modica told the Times of Malta in a news conference

“Obviously, it is massive for Ħamrun and Maltese football because it would help the movement grow, but we don’t want to put a lot of pressure on ourselves.

“This is a massive competition, a sporting journey for us. Pressure is for something else, like being involved in difficult situations that life provides you every day. Obviously, we came here to do well and represent Malta as best as possible, so for us it would help us gain more attention at international level thanks to the six matches in the UEFA Conference League main phase.”

Watch: Coach Modica calls for calm as history beckons for Ħamrun Spartans in Conference League.