Ħamrun Spartans and Hibernians meet on Today at the Tony Bezzina Stadium with kick-off at 6.30pm, in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the YoHealth Malta Premier League season. The match comes only a week after the two sides faced each other in the Super Cup final, a dramatic contest won by Hibernians with a decisive goal in the last seconds of extra time.
Ħamrun come into this league clash as the competition’s most consistent side, having collected 34 points in the Opening Round and remaining unbeaten in the Closing Round with 12 points from three wins and three draws. They are currently on a nine-match unbeaten run in the league and have kept five consecutive clean sheets, underlining the defensive strength that has been a major feature of their campaign.
Hibernians arrive with a different story, having taken 23 points in the Opening Round and 10 points in the Closing Round, but they remain a serious attacking threat and have scored in each of their last five league matches. Despite their recent Super Cup success, the league meeting between the two sides earlier this season went Ħamrun’s way, with the Spartans winning 2-0 on Matchday 7. Recent league history also favours Ħamrun strongly, with the Spartans winning seven of the last ten Premier League meetings, drawing twice and losing only once, and they have failed to score in just two of those encounters.
Both teams will have to cope with key absences, with Ħamrun missing Matias Nicolas Garcia through suspension while Hibernians will be without Charleston Silva Dos Santos. Attention will once again be on Ħamrun’s Joseph Mbong, who has been influential with six goals and seven assists, while Hibernians’ main danger comes from Cleiton who is on eight goals. With Ħamrun having scored 34 league goals and Hibernians 35, the contest is set up as a clash between the league’s tightest defensive run and one of its most consistent attacks.
On the touchline, Ħamrun coach Giacomo Modica will face Hibernians’ Branko Nišević for the second time in the league this season, after Modica won their first meeting.
The match will be officiated by Daniel Portelli, who has averaged over three goals per match this season along with a high number of bookings, suggesting another competitive and intense encounter could be on the cards.
