Ħamrun Spartans took a major step towards retaining the league title after securing a hard-fought win over Floriana, keeping alive the possibility of a direct one-off final against the Greens for the YoHealth Malta Premier crown.

Although they remain in second place, the Spartans now move onto 28 points with one match still to play, strengthening their chances of holding that position and avoiding the uncertainty of the Final Four.

For Floriana, the defeat has limited impact in the broader picture. The Greens had already wrapped up top spot in the Closing Round Top Six and now await confirmation on whether they progress straight to the final or must once again negotiate the Final Four route.

Floriana Start Strongly, Ħamrun Strike First

Floriana began brightly and created the first real opening when Rui Areias met a cross with a firm header, forcing Ħamrun goalkeeper Henry Bonello into a sharp save to tip the ball behind for a corner.

Despite Floriana’s positive opening, it was Ħamrun who took the lead after capitalising on a costly defensive mistake. A slip in the Floriana backline allowed Eleke Blessing to react quickest and punish the error by slotting home.

The Greens responded well and were handed a way back into the contest when Ryan Camenzuli brought down Paul Mbong inside the area. The referee pointed immediately to the penalty spot and Zack Scerri made no mistake, confidently sending Bonello the wrong way to level matters.

The equaliser lifted the tempo of the game, with Ħamrun pressing for another goal before the interval. Floriana, however, held firm and reached half-time level, though they suffered a setback when Rui Areias was forced off injured and replaced by Emerson Piscopo late in the half.

Spartans Take Control After the Break

Floriana made another change at the restart, introducing Myles Beerman for Paul Mbong, while Ħamrun coach Giacomo Modica sought more attacking edge by sending on Eder and Jonny.

The second half became more tactical and fragmented, with several stoppages and substitutions disrupting the flow. Jake Grech and Mustapha Jah entered for Floriana, while Kleris Sheber was introduced for Ħamrun.

Clear chances were limited, although Matthew Guillaumier came close for the Spartans with a long-range effort that drifted narrowly wide.

As the game wore on, Ħamrun increasingly took control and Floriana goalkeeper Pablo Picon was called into action several times to keep his side in contention.

Mbong Delivers Decisive Blow

The breakthrough eventually arrived when Joseph Mbong rounded Picon and calmly finished into an empty net to restore Ħamrun’s advantage.

With Floriana pushing numbers forward in search of another equaliser, spaces began to open at the back and Mbong struck again, timing his run perfectly to beat the offside trap before finishing clinically.

Ħamrun completed an emphatic victory deep into stoppage time when Valerio Carboni unleashed a powerful long-range strike that beat Picon and sealed all three points.

Title Race Still Alive

The result keeps Ħamrun firmly in contention to defend their championship and gives them real momentum heading into the final round of fixtures. Floriana, meanwhile, remain in a strong position overall despite a setback that exposed some defensive vulnerabilities at a crucial stage of the season.