Ħamrun Spartans missed the chance to take a major step toward securing a Top Six berth as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a determined Naxxar Lions side at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

The Spartans, buoyed by their resilient midweek display against Lausanne-Sport in the UEFA Conference League, were favourites to claim all three points. And when Saliou Thioune fired them ahead early on, it seemed only a matter of time before they would cruise to victory.

However, Naxxar responded immediately through Edward Bolanos, whose sharp finish levelled the score, and the Lions’ disciplined defending ensured they left with a valuable point.

The draw moves Ħamrun up to third place on 16 points, but Giacomo Modica’s side now face two pivotal fixtures — against leaders Floriana on Wednesday and Birkirkara on Saturday — that will determine their Top Six fate.

Modica rotated his squad heavily from Thursday’s European tie, with only Henry Bonello, Emerson Marcelina, Merlin Hadži, and Thioune retaining their places.

Ħamrun started strongly, taking the lead after 18 minutes when Thioune’s effort found the net past goalkeeper Matthias Debono. But Naxxar hit back swiftly — just four minutes later Bolanos struck again, guiding the ball beyond Bonello to make it 1-1.

The Spartans almost regained the advantage before the interval when Hadži’s header rattled the crossbar, but despite their pressure after the break, they failed to break down a resilient Naxxar defence.

The Lions stood firm to collect a hard-earned point, leaving Ħamrun ruing a missed opportunity in their push for a top-half finish.