Sliema Wanderers beat Hamrun Spartans to clinch Summer Cup

PRE-SEASON SUMMER CUP 2024

10.8.24
National Stadium, Ta’ Qali
FINAL

HAMRUN SPARTANS…1
SLIEMA WANDERERS…2
(HT 0-1)

0-1 Geoffrey Acheampong 15, 0-2 Murilo Freire, pen, 49, 1-2 Raphael Lopes 90+3

Sliema Wanderers rounded off their pre-season in style tonight by adding the Summer Cup to their silverware, just three months after winning the prestigious FA Trophy. It was a deserved victory for the Blues who were over-all the better team and, even after the expulsion of Steve Pisani mid-way the second half. The Spartans threatened a few times in the ten minutes after the unnecessary red card, but apart from that period never really troubled Sliema.

Sliema Wanderers took an early 15^th minute lead when Serginho combined well with Adam Magri Overend, setting up Geoffrey Acheampong in the box, shaking off Mayron Marques rather easily and beating Celio with a diagonal shot. Moments later, Pisani sent Vito Plut through but his attempt from the edge of the box sailed high. Just before the half hour mark, Magri Overend’s shot also sailed high, but it were the Blues who most definitely showed the better ideas in the opening phase. Celio was called back into action on 41 minutes, blocking a tricky grounder of Pisani.

Four minutes after the re-start, Sliema were awarded a penalty for a handsball incident involving Joseph Mbong. Brazilian Sliema captain Murilo Freire made no mistake to neatly place his spotkick behind Celio. Sliema were reduced to ten when Pisani made an unnecessary foul on midfield on Hamrun substitute Daniel Letherby on 65 minutes, a moment of madness which will cost Pisani at least the first match of the new Premier Division campaign against Mosta.

With a man more, Wendel Barros tried his luck from the edge of the box a few minutes later, but his grounder was saved by Emeka without any difficulty. On 77 minutes, Emeka made a splendid save on a Sven Xerri header from a corner kick and not much later, a Roko Prsa header sailed inches over the crossbar. Deep into stoppage time, Emeka had no reply to a Raphael Lopes bombshell, which brought back some hopes for the current Maltese champions but it was too little too late for the Spartans.

After the match, MFA Vice President Adrian Casha handed over the Cup to Wanderers captain Murilo Freire and the Sliema clan.

Images copyright Walter Sargent