Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/747633
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2016 Sport 54 FOOTBALL Valletta register a fine win over Hamrun Spartans Hamrun .................... 0 Valletta ..................... 3 WARREN ZAMMIT TWO goals from Jhonnattann Be- nites and another from Leandro Aguirre earned Valletta a fine 3-0 win over old rivals Ħamrun Spar- tans. Ħamrun created the first oppor- tunity on goal after eight minutes when Saturday Nanapere fired a shot from the edge of the penalty area that was neutralised by Dziu- gas Barktus. Valletta responded on the 15th minute through Federico Falcone. The Argentine hit a shot from a distance that went wide of the post. The Citizens had another great opportunity on the 22nd minute. Jhonnattann attempted a shot from a free kick that forced a good save from Fredrick Tabone. Mi- chael Mifsud tried to slot the ball inside the net from the rebound, but the Ħamrun defence cleared from the goal line. Valletta kept pushing forward and were awarded a penalty on the brink of half time when Tab- one fouled Jhonnattann inside the penalty area. The Brazilian took charge of the penalty and hit a low shot past the Ħamrun goalkeeper. The Spartans had a good oppor- tunity on the 53rd minute. Follow- ing a cross from the right flank, Claudio Pani nearly committed an own goal in his attempts to clear the ball; however, Barktus parried the ball for a corner. A minute later, Ħamrun protest- ed for a penalty after Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza was brought down inside the penalty area, but Malcolm Spiteri signalled play on. Ħamrun's chances of an equal- iser suffered a setback on the 74th minute when Jorge Mesqueu Neto was sent off by the referee after receiving his second yellow card following a confrontation. The player refused to go out immedi- ately and made various gestures towards the Ħamrun supporters. However, Valletta responded immediately and doubled the score on the 76th minute. Aguirre went inside the penalty area and hit a low shot past Tabone. Substitute Jurgen Suda went close to increasing the margin of the score for Valletta on the 87th minute. Following a corner, the Ħamrun defence failed to clear and the ball fell for Suda who fin- ished wide from close range. A minute later, Jhonnattann went past three Ħamrun defend- ers before firing a shot that was saved by Tabone. Suda lost another golden oppor- tunity on the 89th minute. Nicho- las Pulis sent a cross towards the unmarked striker who finished wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. Valletta put the game beyond doubt in the additional time giv- en by the referee when Jhonnat- tann finished his excellent per- formance with another goal after placing the ball past Tabone once more. Also in the additional time, Suda received the ball in an ideal posi- tion and forced a good save from the Ħamrun goalkeeper. Valletta starting line-up: Dziugas Barktus, Romeu ROmao, Leandro Agiurre, Valdes Alhino, Claudio Pani, Jhonnattan Benites, Federi- co Falcone, Ryan Camilleri, Steve Borg, Lwelyn Cremona, Michael Mifsud. Ħamrun Spartans starting line- up: Fredrick Tabone, Glenn Azzo- pardi, Patrick Jean Teixeira Maia, Luke Sciberras, Luis Miguel Ver- gara Rodrigues, Nanapere Satur- day, Jorge Mesqueu Neto, Leandro Wallace Motta Dos Santos, Jake Grech, Sergio Raphael Dos Anjos, Jean pierre Mifsud Triganza. Referee: Malcolm Spiteri Assistant referees: William Deb- attista, Martin Borg Fourth official: Philip Farrugia BOV player of the match: Jhonn- attann Benites (Valletta) Pembroke vs Mosta At the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Pembroke breathed a sigh of relief after registering a 3-0 win over Mosta. Emerson Vella and Luca Martinelli of Mosta scored in their own nets, while Manolito Micallef added another for Pembroke. Claudio Pani of Valletta in action during their match against amrun Spartans PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC BORG