Maxuell strikes at the death to condemn Ħamrun Spartans to third successive defeat

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 0-1 GŻIRA UNITED
Maxuell 90

For the defending champions this was their third successive defeat, and their hopes of retaining the title without the need for a play-off continue to fade.

For Gżira, this was a crucial victory that keeps their Final Four hopes alive, with the Maroons now just three points behind Ħamrun with three matches remaining.

The two sides had drawn their previous two encounters 0-0, and the first half suggested a similar outcome, with limited goalmouth action and both teams struggling to create clear chances.

Ħamrun suffered an early setback when Ivan Inzoudine was forced off through injury, with Eder coming on as his replacement.

Gżira threatened from a corner, with both Gabriel Bohrer and Mihajlo Stojanović seeing their efforts cleared.

Both teams relied heavily on long balls towards the flanks, looking to stretch the opposition, but neither side managed to generate real danger.

Ħamrun came closest around the half-hour mark.

A clever touch from Mouad El Fanis sparked an attack that led to a potential foul on Damir Ceter inside the area. The move continued with Eder hitting the woodwork, followed by another penalty appeal when the ball appeared to strike Mentz’s hand.

Ħamrun used their Football Video Support (FVS) card to review the incident, but the decision went against them as Ceter was instead booked for simulation.

Moments later, El Fanis fired over from inside the box as the Spartans tried to build momentum.

After the break, Ħamrun again started brighter, with El Fanis’ free-kick blocked by Colombo, possibly with the help of the crossbar. Ceter then tested Colombo with a powerful header, but the Gżira goalkeeper produced a strong save from close range.

On the hour mark, Ħamrun made a double substitution, introducing Jonny and Blessing Ekele in search of a breakthrough.

Gżira responded through Fabricio Virgens, whose effort forced Henry Bonello into action, before Ekele missed a good chance at the other end.

Gżira thought they had taken the lead on 71 minutes when Maxuell finished from close range, but after a lengthy FVS review, referee Ezekiel Barbara ruled out the goal for a foul on Rafael Compri in the build-up.

As the match appeared to be heading for another goalless draw, Gżira struck deep into stoppage time.

Maxuell was in the right place inside the box and made no mistake from close range, sealing a dramatic 1-0 win for the Maroons in the 99th minute.