Brave Hamrun earn point against Hibs

defender Andrei Agius missing through suspension.

The Paolites quickly took the game to their opponents as just one minute had passed and Ribeiro da Silva set Jurgen Degabriele who saw Hamrun’s debutant goalie Kambala tipping the ball onto the crossbar for a cornerkick.

And they eventually took the lead in the 5th minute when the same action was repeated. This time, Degabriele avoided a tackle from a Hamrun defender and managed to beat Kambala with a low shot.

In the eighth minute, the Albanian official Meth Kridens awarded a penalty to the Spartans when Clayton Failla floored Saturday Nanapere in the area. Brandon Paiber made no mistake from the spotkick to level matters.

The Spartans maintained their ascendancy and even managed to take the lead with a splendid goal on 19 minutes. It was Karl Micallef who received from Mano Micallef and crossed perfectly for Leandro Motta dos Santos to head home past a helpless Hogg.

Their joy was, however, shortlived as the Paolites equalised on the 22nd minute. It was Gilmar da Silva Ribeiro who beat Kambala direct from a freekick.

On 31 minutes, Massimiliano Giusti had an effort from outside the area going over the bar.

The Paolites responded through Jorge Pereira, but his effort went over the bar.

In the 49th minute, Paiber tested Hogg with a hard shot from the edge of the area, but the Hibs goalie saved well.

Hibernians took the lead on the 54th minute. From a freekick, Jackson Lima passed to Degabriele whose shot was partially saved by Kambala. The ball returned to the same Degabriele who this time made no mistake.

It was a prelude to the Hamrun equaliser in the 69th minute. Massimiliano Giusti received a perfect pass from midfield, advanced into the area and beat the onrushing Hogg to make it 3-3.

At the other end, in the 73rd minute, Gilmar Ribeira da Silva was unlucky with an angled shot that hit the upright and soon afterwards, it was substitute Moore who hit wide from an ideal position.

In added time, a Boljevic header was saved by Kambala who was certainly the side’s main inspiration on his debut.

St. Andrews’ Argentinian winger Ivan Edgardo Paz (L) glides past Edward Herrera of Birkirkara in the 2-2 draw between the two sides. Photo: Domenic Aquilina