Hamrun Spartan 0 – 1 Lincoln Red Imps
First leg, First Round Champions League
Lincoln Red Imps started their Champions League campaign with some fortune as they took an early lead, which they protected until the final minute. Playing at the Centenary Stadium in Ta’ Qali, Malta, against Hamrun Spartans, Lincoln Red Imps found themselves with a player advantage in the first half before Britto scored.
A 37th-minute goal from Ethan Britto rubbed salt into the wounds of Hamrun Spartans, as Lincoln Red Imps took the lead against a Maltese side reduced to ten men after just ten minutes of play. A straight red card for Elionay forced the hosts to play against Gibraltar’s league champions with one less player for the next eighty minutes.
The goal before halftime came after Lincoln had placed Hamrun under significant pressure.
Lincoln’s fortunes did not continue for long. Kike, who had been booked earlier, received a second yellow card and was sent off in the final minutes of the first half. Lincoln’s one-man advantage was now lost at a crucial time when they had just dealt the hosts a blow by scoring late in the half. Lincoln also lived on the edge with De Barr being booked in injury time. The Gibraltar international had started playing behind Kike and Villacanas.
The final ten minutes saw Lincoln Red Imps bombarded by Hamrun as they searched for the equaliser. The match, which had seen Javi Munoz start with just five Gibraltar players, saw Graeme Torrilla fielded for the first time with the senior team in a competitive match since coming back from injury.
A flurry of yellow cards throughout the match saw eight players booked. De Barr, who was among them, was replaced by newcomer Cid Alvarez in the final minutes. The Gibraltar international was caught offside a couple of times before his replacement as Lincoln tried to take the game back to their opponents. A save from Santana, Lincoln’s keeper, alongside a block of an attempt from Prsa in the final two minutes, saw Lincoln protecting their lead.
As they arrived at 90 minutes, Lincoln Red Imps faced five added minutes in which they had to protect the lead they had gained early in the game. Playing a total of seven added minutes, Lincoln Red Imps protected their lead, which sees them hosting Hamrun Spartans at the Europa Sports Park next week with a goal advantage.
The 1-0 victory in Malta provides Lincoln Red Imps with an opportunity to push through the first round of the Champions League once again if they can maintain their composure and secure their lead.
