Ħamrun Spartans suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Maccabi Tel-Aviv after conceding a stoppage-time goal in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie, played at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.
The Maltese champions put on an impressive display and were the better side for long stretches of the match, creating multiple chances and dominating large phases of the game.
Their pressure was finally rewarded in the 70th minute when Saliou Thioune intercepted a poor defensive pass inside the box and was brought down, prompting Estonian referee Kristo Tohver to point to the spot. N’Dri Koffi calmly stepped up and converted the penalty to give Ħamrun a deserved lead.
Ħamrun pressed for a second, but against the run of play, Maccabi Tel-Aviv found an equaliser. A corner led to a loose ball falling kindly to Roy Revivo, who slotted it past Henry Bonello to make it 1-1.
Just when the match seemed destined for a draw, disaster struck for Ħamrun in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Elad Madmon pounced from close range to score the winner for the Israeli side, giving them a narrow advantage ahead of next week’s second leg.
The return leg is scheduled for Thursday, 8 August in Backa Topola, Serbia.
Match stats:
UEFA Europa League – 3rd Qualifying Round, 1st Leg.
Ħamrun Spartans 1–2 Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
Tony Bezzina Stadium, 1 August 2025.
Sports Editor
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