Spartans march on thanks to Dodo brace

Ailton Jorge dos Santos Soares ‘Dodo’ scored twice as Hamrun Spartans march on in the BOV Premier League, defeating Birkirkara 2-0 at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Ironically, the Spartans suffered their only defeat to Birkirkara this season but since then they maintained an unbeaten run of fifteen matches in which they dropped ten points in draws, winning the other ten matches.

The Stripes, on the other hand, suffer a first defeat after thirteen positive results.

Hamrun had a perfect start, taking the lead on the 8th minute thanks to Ailton Jorge dos Santos Soares who pounced on a Joseph Mbong assist and hit low past goalkeeper Alessandro Guarnone.

Guarnone blocked a Juan Corbalan effort and then turned into a corner an Arthur Oyama freekick.

In the second half, Ailton Soares then had a close range effort blocked by the Birkirkara goalkeeper. Manuel Bartolo deflected into a corner a Caio Prado effort.

The Spartans doubled the score one minute in added time when Ailton Jorge dos Santos Soares took advantage of Reginald Mbu Alidor’s failure to control the ball in midfield and concluded a great run with a shot from the edge of the area which beat the Birkirkara goalkeeper.

B’KARA Alessandro Guarnone, Enrico Pepe, Yannick Yankam, Luke Montebello, Paul Mbong, Kurt Zammit (38′ Isaac Ntow), Francesco Verde, Cain Attard, Claudio Bonanni (71′ Reginald Mbu Alidor), Caio Henrique Prado Rocha, Alex da Paixao Alves (61′ Roderick Briffa).
Subs not used: Amara Sylla, Neil Friggieri, Glending Farrugia, Owen Sciberras.
Coach: Andre Paus

HAMRUN Manuel Bartolo, Darko Gojkovic, Matthew Guillaumier, Arthur Henrique Oyama (77′ Karl Micallef), Joseph Mbong, Ailton Jorge dos Santos Soares (90′ Xylon Portelli), Franklin Sasere, Elkin Serrano Valero, Juan Corbalan, Predrag Djordjevic, Emerson Marcelina (89′ Abdullahi Ige Adeshina).
Subs not used: Jonathan Debono, Sven Xerri, Christopher Galea, Miguel Tabone.
Coach: Mark Buttigieg

Referee Ishmael Barbara
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Luke Portelli
Fourth Official: Etienne Mangion
Yellow Cards: K. Zammit, J. Mbong, L. Montebello, C. Attard, M. Guillaumier, E. Marcelina
BOV Player of the Match: Ailton Jorge Soares