SIRENS 1

Okoye 12

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 2

Failla 32

Leone 86

A Nicola Leone goal three minutes from time handed Ħamrun Spartans a dramatic victory over high-flying Sirens at the National Stadium on Monday.

It was a stunning outcome to a match which had seen both sides on an even keel for much of a match that produced very limited scoring opportunities.

In the early stages, it looked as though Sirens were set to maintain their hot run of late when Welligton put them ahead.

But the Spartans showed remarkable spirit to fight back into the match and after Clayton Failla pulled them level with a fine free-kick execution it was Nicola Leone who fired home the winner with ferocious strike three minutes from time.

The win was certainly a huge tonic for the Spartans who have ended a depressing run of nine matches without a win and move up to seventh in the standings on the 22 points, level with Balzan and Mosta.

On the other hand, the defeat was a blow to Sirens’ aspirations to keep up the pressure on joint-leaders Valletta and Floriana as they have now slipped to fourth place, four points adrift of the league summing.

Sirens coach Steve D’Amato kept faith with the same players that last week stunned Hibernians as the St Paul’s Bay side looked to maintain their fairytale season and maintain their stunning run which could see them secure an historic place in a UEFA club competition.

Ħamrun, on their part, headed into the match into a completely different mood following last week’s shambolic defeat to Tarxien Rainbows that cost the job to coach Manuel Blasi and extended the Spartans’ winless run to ten matches.

His successor Andre Ciaramela handed a debut to Mexcan attacking midfielder Carlos Flores and Polish forward Piotr Branicki after both were registered as new players during the January transfer window.

Conor Borg was back in the fray after he did not play part in the defeat to Tarxien Rainbows.

In the early stages, the Spartans looked the brighter side as their constant pressure off-the-ball providing little room for Sirens to impose their game.

It was the Reds who registered the first shot towards goal when Flores served Failla on the edge of the area and his thumping drive finished just over.

However, it was Sirens who drew first blood on 12 minutes.

Okoye made space for himself on the left and quickly sent a teasing cross towards Wellington at the far post and the Brazilian cooly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Emanuel Bartolo.

Ħamrun’s response was quite sterile and the closest they came was from a long-range shot from Karl Micallef that was easily saved by goalkeeper David Cassar.

The Spartans were craving for a touch of genius to put themselves back into the match and that duly arrived on 31 minutes when Ryan Grech fouled Nicola Leone and the Reds were awarded a free-kick.

Failla took responsibility and let fly a curling drive that flew past the diving Cassar and into the net.

Flavio Cheveresan had the chance to immediately restore Sirens lead ten minutes from the break when he latched to Okoye’s cross but he completely mistimed his header from inside the area with the ball finishing wide.

The Brazilian lost an even better chance a minute later when he beat the Spartans offside trap but with only Bartolo to beat he saw his low shot pushed away by the Reds goalkeeper.

Five minutes into the second half Espindola, one of four players in Sirens’ line-up facing their old club, teed up a cross for Cheveresan who headed wide.

Here, Ciaramella effected his first change when he withdrew Conor Borg and roped in Alessio Capitelli who took his place in the heart of defence with Valdo Alhinho moved up to a central midfield role.

Sirens remained the more dangerous side and on 64 minutes Okoye picked up a short rebound but his firm volley was too central to cause any trouble to goalkeeper Bartolo.

Chances remained few and far between with the only opportunities coming from efforts from long distance.

Thirteen minutes from time, Okoye tried his luck from the distance but his shot finished just past the upright.

However, it was the Spartans who struck the winner five minutes from time when Nicola Leone picked up a short clearance from the Sirens defence and let fly scorching drive that flew into the net via the upright.

Sirens tried to fightback immediately and a minute later they came agonisingly close to an equaliser when Ige Adeshina picked up Capitelli’s poor clearance and his angled drive was somehow palmed away by Bartolo.

From the ensuing corner kick, the Spartans again failed to clear with the ball falling to Raphael who saw his shot from a close angle coming off the upright.