Gift goals pave way for Hamrun easy victory
ĦAMRUN S. 5
MOSTA 2
Hamrun S: S. Sultana, K. Micallef, D. Zerafa, L. Micallef, T. Caruana (L. Sciberras 72 min), D. Camilleri, G. De Castro, T. Espindola De Paula, F. Marino Clavero (T. Agius 64 min), M. Jose Marinho, A. Faria Machado (Siraj Arab 45 min).
Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, D. Mansi, T. Veronese, I. Maric, D. Ifeanyi Nworah, K. Frendo (C. Camilleri 46 min), D. Xuereb (L. Portelli 65 min), D. Zarate Biboa, M. Cristian Jorge (N. Frendo 66 min), K. Magro.
Scorers: L. Micallef 2 min, 34 min, 67 min D. Xuereb 10 min, M. Jose Marinho 15 min, C. Camilleri 77 min, S. Arab 89 min
Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Ass. Referees: Luke Portelli, Sammy Portelli
Fourth Official: Philip Farrugia
Yellow cards: M. Jose Marinho, K. Micallef, D. Xuereb, L. Micallef, S. Arab, T. Agius
Player of the match: Lyden Micallef (Hamrun Spartans)
TMI best 3: 1. L. Micallef, 2. G. De Castro, 3. T. Veronese
Attendance: 390
Two gift goals set up by two incredible Mosta defensive blunders in the first half, and both scored by Lydon Micallef, paved the way for Hamrun's easy 5-2 victory yesterday.
For the Spartans it was a return to winning form after their defeat against Floriana in their last outing.
Lyden Micallef was the Spartans hero yesterday scoring a hat trick, these being his first goals since joining the club. The match was balanced and never reached high standards, pathetic at times with Hamrun having the edge and fully deserving their victory, but Mosta were let down by their defensive mishaps.
After only two minutes, Hamrun were in front when Ivan Maric incredibly passed towards Lydon Micallef who accepted the gift to beat Vella with a low drive.
On ten minutes however Mosta were back on level terms when Dexter Xuereb took full advantage of a Daniel Zerafa short clearance to beat Sultana with a low drive on the first post.
Five minutes later Hamrun were back in front when Espindola De Paola floated a good cross from the left and defender Mauricio Jose Marinho headed beutifully home from close range.
On 31 minutes Mosta almost levelled the score again when from a Veronese corner Ferreira blasted over the bar when well placed.
On 34 minutes Mosta yet again provided another chance to the Spartans when Dexter Xuereb incredibly passed backwards to the completely unmarked Lyden Micallef who again accepted the gift to beat the helpless Vella with a fine drive.
In the second half Mosta had more of the ball as they tried to get back in the game and had a good opportunity on 64 minutes when Martins Fernandes shot well over the bar from the centre of the penalty area following a good cross from Veronese.
On 67 minutes Hamrun put the issue beyond doubt with a well taken goal from Lyden Micallef who obtained his hat trick after he was served by Triston Caruana who made a very good move on the right flank.
On 75 minutes a Veronese scorcher was well saved by the Hamrun custodian and two minutes later Mosta pulled one back when substitute Calvin Camilleri scored with a shot on the turn following a Veronese freekick.
Minutes later Lyden Micallef almost scored his fourth goal but his effort was well saved by the Mosta goalkeeper Vella.
On 89 minutes Hamrun scored their fifth and final goal when Lyden Micallef gave an inch perfect pass to substitute Siraj Arab who beat Vella with a powerful drive.
Farrugia steals it for Saints in overtime
ST ANDREWS 1SENGLEA ATHLETIC 0
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, E. Beltre', A. Borg, L. Grech, N. Perry, J. Farrugia, D. Jackson, M. Davis, K. Butler (M. Grima), M. Miranda Gomez (J. Walker), A. Friggieri
Senglea A: M. Farrugia, J. Bondin, S. Bonnici, A. Terracciano, M. Garzia, G. Virano (P. Sammut), H. Vella, I. Paz (R. Vella), A. Caseras, M. Escobar (T. Vella), J. Leyton
Referee: M. Degabriele
Asst.refs: D. Petrovic, T. Zammit
4th official: E. Grech
Scorers: J. Farrugia 90+
Yellow cards: R. Caseres, L. Grech, J. Leyton, A. Terracciano, E. Beltre', T. Vella, I. Paz
Red cards: R. Caseres, A. Terracciano
Player of the match: J. Farrugia (St Andrews)
TMI top 3: 1. N. Virano 2. J. Farrugia 3. M. Garzia
SILVIO VELLA
There was drama at the death in this shambolic affair at the Centenary Stadium yesterday, with St Andrews beating nine-man Senglea Athletic thanks to a Joseph Farrugia free kick in added time.
Senglea's three-match unbeaten run was thus interrupted, having shot themselves in the foot, with two players sent off in the second half, despite having more of play. Their profligacy arguably cost them the chance to pile up more points.
St Andrews went into this match at the back of three consecutive defeats.
In an attempt to arrest his side's slump, coach Marko Glumac sought defensive security and made two changes at the back, with Liam Grech starting as centre back and Jamaican Nehemiah Perry wide on the left. Atkinson made way for Tano Azian in attack, but he was often starved of service.
Senglea's game plan remained simple. Four at the back, Garzia and Hubert Vella in front of them, with wide players Virano and Paz supporting the attacking duo of Caseres and Escobar.
Quality was in short supply in the first half, but the best opportunities came for Senglea when Caseres went past two opponents inside the Saints area but failed to conclude towards goal in the opening minutes.
Short of the quarter hour, Bonnici headed a Senglea corner against the bar before the Saints keeper Calleja Cremona was fouled and play was interrupted. Senglea had other tame efforts late in the half
Although well organised, St Andrews were short of penetration. The injury to Butler before the break did not help matters.
The pattern did not change much after the interval.
The first noteworthy episode of the second period was Caseras' dismissal on 54 minutes for his second booking, after fouling Grech.
Terence Vella went in for Escobar.
Past the hour, Senglea thought they had gained the lead when their substitute headed in Paz's free kick but the goal was disallowed for the player's offside position.
More minutes of largely artless skirmishing followed as both teams continued to show lack of invention, before Terence Vella went close again for Senglea with ten minutes remaining. His shot from a tight angle was turned into a corner by keeper Calleja Cremona.
Deep into five minutes of added time, Senglea had a second player, Antonio Terracciano, sent off, for committing a foul just outside the area.
Joseph Farrugia stepped up to beat keeper Farrugia with a delicious direct free kick and steal the points for St Andrews.
Tarxien clinch dramatic first win
TARXIEN RAINBOWS 2
SLIEMA WANDERERS 1
Tarxien R: C. Cassar, A. Scicluna, A. Azzopardi, J. Brincat, L. Grech, R. Darmanin (M. Desira Buttigieg), R. Faria, S. Cipriott (M. Spiteri), G. McKay (A. Agius), E. Baker, E. Calin
Sliema W: G. Zammit, S. Bianciardi, M. Muchardi, F. Temile, G. Aquilina (R. Spiteri), J. De Assis, R. Correa, E. Agius, F. Qeros, J. Mintoff, N. Gavric
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst.refs: M. Scerri, T. Debono
4th official: I. Barbara
Scorers: R. Darmanin 26, J. De Assis 35, A. Scicluna 90+
Yellow cards: J. De Assis, G. McKay, S. Bianchardi, L. Grech, F. Temile
Player of the match: M. Muchardi (Sliema W)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Muchardi 2. E. Baker 3. C. Cassar
Attendance: 303
SILVIO VELLA
Tarxien Rainbows left it late to register thei first Premier league win of the season as their defender Andre Scicluna's header in added time gave them a 2-1 victory over Sliema Wanderers.
Tarxien led courtesy of a Ryan Darmanin first-half finish but looked like having to do with a point, after Jefferson De Assis equalised past the half hour and the Wanderers mounted a series of attacks even in the second half, until Scicluna made his mark.
This win moves Tarxien out of bottom place as they lift themselves on four points, above Naxxar Lions and Lija Athletic in the standings.
With Balzan and Valletta winning on Friday and Hamrun Spartans winning earlier in the afternoon, the pressure was on Sliema, who could not afford to drop any points to keep the pace with the leading pack.
A slicker Sliema were unable to convert their chances, thanks also to Christian Cassar's fine display in the Tarxien goal, and surely need to be more ruthless in front of goal.
Tarxien, fielding an unchanged side from last week's draw against Senglea Athletic, took the lead midway through the half after a quiet opening.
Ryan Darmanin pounced on Azzopardi's pass and ran clear through the Sliema rearguard to beat keeper Glenn Zammit.
Sliema's midfield must have suffered in the absence of Peter Xuereb and Mark Scerri yesterday, but Matias Muchardi, Edmond Agius and Gabriel Aquilina produced some tireless workrate to help their side draw level before halftime.
After falling behind, the Wanderers laid siege on Tarxien's fort. McKay had to block Gavric's shot into a corner and an Agius drive from a distance took another deflection into a corner.
Parity was restored on 35 minutes when there was a misunderstanding between Scicluna and Grech in defence, their poor clearance fell straight to Jefferson De Assis who beat keeper Cassar with a low strike at the bottom end of goal.
Sliema kept up the pressure but could not add further goals before halftime. Muchardi had a shot going narrowly off target before Tarxien keeper Cassar rushed off his line to thwart De Assis, put through by Aquilina.
The Rainbows, though made to look ragged at times, did not bow down and Darmanin cracked a rasping low shot that just missed the target, on 50 minutes, before getting injured and forced to leave his place to Mateo Desira Buttigieg.
Sliema, however, kept up the tempo in the second half, playing with more intensity than their opponents. But they could find few openings.
Tarxien's McKay was lucky when, on 67 minutes, his late tackle from behind on De Assis, running clear towards goal, was not sanctioned by the referee.
Their efforts in the late stages, brought Sliema no rewards as Tarxien keeper Cassar denied Mintoff on 73 minutes and then again saved Temile's shot when well served by Qeros eight minutes from the end.
As the match looked heading towards a draw, Tarxien struck the fatal blow deep into four minutes of added time, with defender Andre Scicluna heading in Brincat's sailing free kick to clinch a most dramatic win.
Photos: Domenic Aquilina
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