Ħamrun Spartans maintained their winning momentum as two first-half goals put them on their way to a comfortable victory over relegation-threatened Santa Lucia on Saturday.
Luke Montebello and Seth Paintsil set the Malta champions on their way before Jonny converted a penalty early in the second half to seal the points and lift the Spartans to the top of the standings. But the Reds could be dislodged again by Floriana should the latter overcome Marsaxlokk in the day’s second match.
The Spartans failed to sparkle early on and Santa Lucia almost struck after five minutes when Alessio Piazza’s cross found Santiago Moracci who fired wide.
Ħamrun scored with their first attempt on goal on 16 minutes. Jonny broke free on the right and his low cross was met by Luke Montebello who saw his first effort somehow kept out by Celio but from the rebound the Malta striker fired home.
Buoyed by this opener, the Spartans started to assert their dominance with long spells of possession were still finding it difficult to create danger to Celio in Sta Lucia’s goal.
Ħamrun Spartans took just 80 seconds into the second half to put the game to bed when Eder was floored inside the area by Jurgen Pisani and from the spot Jonny made no mistake.
Eder stepped up for the kick and his effort beat Celio to seal the Spartans’ win.
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 4
Montebello 16
Paintsil 45
Jonny 47 pen.
Eder 90 pen.
SANTA LUCIA 1
Piazza 64
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
F. Marchetti, S. Borg, L. Montebello (75 C. Rutjens), J. Mbong, Elionay, Eder, O. Bjelicic, J. Corbalan (5 R. Camenzuli), S. Paintsil, N. Krstic, Jonny (90 G. Vella).
SANTA LUCIA
Celio, M. Ellul (52 P. De Oliveira), D. Letherby, A. Bradshaw (72 T. Nagamatsu), J. Pisani, S. Pisani (53 Evandro), A. Mrdja, G. Virano, S. Moracci (59 G. Mensah), A. Piazza, S. Xerri (53 D. Xuereb).
Referee Fyodor Zammit.
Yellow cards Moracci, De Oliveira, Evandro, Elionay, Virano.
Red card: Virano 90
Full article, here.
