Hamrun Spartans returned to winning ways as a brace by Caetano Calil enabled them to come from behind an beat Birkirkara 2-1 at the Centenary Stadium on Friday. A win which puts the Spartans in joint-sixth place with the Stripes on the 12-point mark.

For Birkirkara, this was the fourth defeat this season – the third one in the last four matches.

The Spartans had two new players making their debut – French strikers Wilfried Domoraud and Donneil Alain Moukanza. Domoraud and Moukanza were two of five changes which coach Giovanni Tedesco made after the defeat to Hibernians. Manuel Bartolo was back in goal along with Antonio Monticelli and Njongo Priso. They replaced goalkeeper Sean Cini, Jorge Pandiani, Sebastian Nayar, Kevin Tulimieri and the suspended Carlos Henneberg.

For Birkirkara, Matthew Guillaumier and Michael Mifsud replaced Jake Grech and Petar Orlandic.

Birkirkara took the lead on the 8th minute when Marcelinho’s effort from the left was partially saved by Bartolo and off the rebound, Carlos Alberto Chavarria placed the ball at the back of the net.

Hamrun equalised on the 35th when off an assist by Domoraud from the left, Caetano Calil hit home past Naumovski.

Ten minutes in the second half, Mifsud served Andjelkovic whose conclusion was deflected by Bartolo onto the upright and into a corner.

The Spartans notched the winner on the 73rd minute thanks to a powerful drive by Caetano Calil which gave goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski no chance.

HAMRUN Manuel Bartolo, Antonio Monticelli, Enrico Pepe, Triston Caruana, Wilfried Domoraud, Matthew Robert Gauci, Njongo Priso, Karl Micallef, Donneil Alain Moukanza, Orestis Nikolopoulos, Caetano Calil.
Subs not used: Sean Cini, Karl Schembri, Cain Cutajar, Darren Borg, Ryan Darmanin, Jeremy Busuttil, Bradley Schembri.
Coach: Giovanni Tedesco
Asst. Coach: Daniele Campisi

B’KARA Kristijan Naumovski, Danilo Augusto Chapoval, Matthew Guillaumier (74’ Jake Grech), Mislav Andjelkovic, Paul Fenech, Kurt Zammit, Eduardo Ferreira dos Santos, Michael Mifsud (63’ Thiago de Souza de Brito), Cain Attard (63’ Edward Herrera), Marcelo Franca de Siqueira, Carlos Alberto Chavarria Rodriguez.
Subs not used: David Cassar, Terence Agius, Gianluca Zammit, Myles Beerman.
Coach: Paul Zammit
Asst. Coach: Daniele Campisi

Referee: Darryl Agius
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Dusan Petrovic
Fourth Official: Glen Tonna
Yellow Cards: Caruana, Pepe, Andjelkovic, Gauci, Attard, Monticelli, Priso
BOV Player of the Match: Caetano Calil
Attendance: 436