Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/955503
maltatoday SUNDAY 18 MARCH 2018 53 FOOTBALL Sports PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE BORG Sliema registered their eleventh win of the season after beating Hamrun Spartans 3-2 Sliema register their eleventh win of the season Sliema Wanderers ...... 3 Hamrun Spartans....... 2 WARREN ZAMMIT THE Wanderers forged ahead after twenty-one minutes. Ma- tias Muchardi saw his shot from a free-kick going past Sultana. Ħamrun hit back immediately and equalised four minutes later. Following a mistake by Glenn Zammit, Arthur Faria Machedo placed the ball inside the net from outside the penalty area. The Spartans went ahead for the first time in the match on the 27th minute. In his attempts to clear Lydon Micallef 's cross, Kurt Shaw finished past his own goalkeeper. Sliema scored the equalising goal three minutes into the sec- ond half. The ball was delivered inside the penalty area towards Ricardo Calixto Correa Duarte and the latter finished behind Ħamrun's custodian. John Buttigieg's side scored the winning goal on the 50th minute. Daniel Zerafa floored Frenci Qeros inside the penalty area and the referee pointed to- wards the spot. From the eleven metres mark, Muchardi made no mistake. Ħamrun Spartans starting line- up: Steve Sultana, Marco Cria- co, Thiago Espindola de Paula, Tiago Souza de Silveira, Daniel Zerafa, Karl Micallef, Arthur Faria Machado, Dale Camilleri, Lydon Micallef, Guilherme Felipe de Castro, Alex Nilsson. Sliema Wanderers starting line-up: Glenn Zammit, Stefano Bianciardi, Matias Muchardi, Frank Temile, Nii Nortey Ashong, Edmond Agius, Michele Sansone, Frenci Qeros, Ricardo Calixto Correa Duarte, John Mintoff, Kurt Shaw Referee: Darryl Agius Assistant Referees: Edward Spi- teri, Chris Francalanza Fourth Official: Glen Tonna BOV Player of the Match: Ma- tias Muchardi (Sliema) Floriana scored a goal in each half to beat Naxxar Lions 2-0 Floriana .........................2 Naxxar Lions ..................0 WARREN ZAMMIT THE Greens made a great start to the match as they went ahead af- ter just two minutes. Following a defensive mistake, Juninho Cabral passed the ball towards Mario Fontanello who finished inside an open goal. Naxxar responded on the 8th minute. Yuri de Jesus Messias hit a powerful shot that went slightly over. Floriana went close again on the 17th minute. Juninho Cabral saw his shot from a free-kick going marginally off target. Five minutes later, Matheus Ver- isimo Casarotto attempted to lob the ball past Matthew Farrugia, but his effort went over. Naxxar started the second half looking to equalise and had a good opportunity on the 49th minute. Djilali Belhadj sent a shot that was neutralised by Grech. Floriana doubled their advan- tage on the 66th minute. From a free-kick, Maurizio Vella sent an excellent cross towards Fontanella whose header gave Luan Polli no chance. Nicolas Chiesa's side kept on in- sisting and threatened again on the 79th minute. Vella went inside the penalty area and hit a shot that was parried by Polli. Floriana could have scored again, but found Polli in their way. Naxx- ar's goalkeeper denied both Cabral and Fontanella. Floriana starting line-up: Matthew Farrugia, Sebastian Nayar, Enrico Pepe, Enzo Ruiz, Maurizio Vella, Juninho Cabral, Jurgen Pisani, Alex Cini, Dylan Grima, Mario Fonta- nella, Emerson Marcelina Naxxar Lions starting line-up: Luan Polli Gomes, Rafael Henr- iques Santos Caetano, Mailson Souza Duarte Junior, Ryan Grech, Manolito Micallef, Ryan Gilmour Cassar, Matheus Verisimo Casa- rotto, Mark Fenech, Oussenyou El- hadji Ndoye, Djilali Belhadj, Yuri de Jesus Messias Referee: Emanuel Grech Assistant Referees: Duncan Sul- tana Dusan Petrovic Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann BOV Player of the Match: Mario Fontanella (Floriana) Floriana put two past Naxxar Lions PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE BORG