Lija fight for a late point
Standings
A dominant performance by Hamrun Spartans was undermined by momentary weakness as already relegated Lija Athletic fought gallantly for a point, to halt 12 league defeats on the spin, in this meaningless fixture played at the Centenary Stadium.
Hamrun had deservingly taken a second half lead through Alex Nilsson and should have wrapped the points in a game that always felt like an exercise in damage limitations for the bottom side.
But Luke Bonnici’s brilliant saves, especially in the first half, frustrated Hamrun time and again. Erjon Beu then claimed an equaliser towards the end to give Lija their sixth league point.
They were dominant from the outset and caused enough problems to the Lija defence, including Predrag Babic but without Patrick Borg, in the first half and should have taken the lead earlier. Goalkeeper Bonnici, back in the Lija goal, was in superlative form though.
As early as the fifth minute, the Lija shot stopper was called to hold out a Julian Galea shot. And when, after 18 minutes, he fisted out a high ball, Machado, who always prompted the Spartans’ openining foray, volleyed towards goal, only for Bonnici to recover and turn the ball into a corner.
Past the half hour, keeper Bonnici was again called to hold out Caruana’s powerful shot.
Lija had hassled and harried their opponents, threatening occasionally through Beu’s pace or Kooh Sohna’s muscular running, but hardly threatened the Hamrun goal, except for a Babic header, on Beu’s free kick, going slightly over.
It took Hamrun only two minutes into the second half to make the breakthrough. Machado played a cut-back pass from the byeline on the left for Alex Nilsson to hit low past the goalkeeper.
Hamrun kept on dominating possession. Caruana’s low drive, off Macahdo’s pass, narrowly missed the target.
Lija threatened briefly on 67 minutes. Kooh Sohna’s effort was well held out by keeper Sultana.
Criaco’s free kick two minutes later was repelled by keeper Sultana. Hamrun continued to monopolise the ball in a contest that had long since degenerated into one of attack versus defence, but looking drained of ideas, they were punished nine minutes from the end. Erjon Beu picked a through ball inside the Hamrun area and beat keeper Sultana to draw level and earn his side a point that had looked beyond them. Valletta Balzan Gzira Birkirkara Floriana Hibernians Sliema Hamrun Senglea A. Mosta Tarxien St. Andrews Naxxar Lions Lija Athletic P W D L F APts 24 16 6 2 37 9 54 24 15 7 2 40 17 52 24 14 6 4 49 30 48 24 14 2 8 40 25 44 24 11 9 4 41 15 42 24 12 6 6 40 14 42 24 11 7 6 34 23 40 25 10 5 10 37 29 35 24 7 5 12 28 42 26 24 6 5 13 27 50 23 24 6 3 15 32 54 21 24 5 5 14 20 41 20 24 3 7 14 22 41 16 25 1 3 21 21 78 6