The Malta Independent on Sunday
‘Cico’ steers Hamrun in right direction
slump.
The Spartans recovered well after a sluggish start and after falling behind to Caseres’ opening goal for Senglea.
They equalised through Triston Caruana before halftime and turned the tables with a ‘Cico’ penalty and a late third goal by Tiago Souza in the second half, after Paz missed a penalty for Senglea and the same player was dismissed six minutes from the end.
Both coaches tweaked their sides, following defeats in their previous outing. Hamrun had Dale Camilleri, Christian Zaccardo and Karl Micallef all used as substitutes, with Jake Galea replacing Sultana in goal.
Senglea had new Italian goalkeeper Giulio Cetrangolo making his debut yesterday as Rene Caseres returned to the side.
The onus was on Hamrun to seize the initiative but Senglea took control instead, pressing high and passing with pleasing crispness and intent, threatening on the left thanks to Paz’s runs. Their boldness paid off when Rene Caseres, capitalising on some open space in Hamrun’s left defensive flank, hit a powerful shot past the Hamrun keeper after 12 minutes.
Hamrun toiled as they sought to overcome Senglea’s diligence and organisation and nearly fell fur- ther behind on 22 minutes when, from a Paz corner, Bonnici clipped the bar with his ballooning header.
But as Senglea were building the momentum, a rare slip in their rearguard allowed the Spartans to level matters five minutes before the break. An Espindola deep cross from the left found Triston Caruana unmarked in front of the Senglea goal to score with a free header.
On the stroke of halftime, Senglea went close again with a Virano header going just over, off a Garzia cross.
Hamrun were forced to replace Siraj Arab, suffering from a hamstring injury, at the start of the second half and Senglea also had the injured Caseres carried off, replaced by Terence Vella soon after they had substituted Azzopardi with Jurgen Farrugia.
Suddenly Senglea were losing control, bereft of wit or spark, as Hamrun had fully recovered their composure. On 56 minutes, Bonnici’s late tackle on De Castro earned the Spartans a penalty which ‘Cico’ ably converted to give his side the lead for the first time in the match. Worse, Senglea’s Bonnici was also stretchered off. Garzia dropped in the centre of the defence.
Senglea’s growing frustration took an extra dimension on 68 minutes. Substitute Terence Vella was bundled by Souza and Micallef as he ran inside the Hamrun area to win a penalty. But as Paz stepped up to take responsibility, keeper Galea guessed the right direction and held out his effort.
Hamrun could have added further goals but on 79 minutes. Substitute Zaccardo tried to lob the ball, when left unmarked inside the Senglea area, sending his effort over, and a minute later Souza hit his free kick against the bar.
Woes only deepened for Senglea when Paz was sent off for kicking Zaccardo six minutes from the end.
And Hamrun duly obliged with a third goal one minute later as Tiago Souza headed in De Castro’s free kick to sum up a miserable afternoon for Senglea.