Hibernians 5
Birkirkara 0
Hibenrians made the best of inferior opponents to win comfortably against Birkirkara on Day 2 of the Euro Cup and catch Valletta with three points.
Hibernians always showed the better ideas, created the best chances and scored five times, but were denied by the woodwork and by some good goalkeeping from the young Birkirkara custodian Karl Magri.
The Stripes were cagey in their play, lacked penetrative power and only Shodiya showed the best touches in their otherwise toothless attack.
Their defence, with Rodrigo Pereira and Joseph Zerafa at the centre, showed flaws against Hibernians’ more direct approach and could have ended with a heavier defeat.
Birkirkara, who finished fourth last season, gave a start to a couple of fringe players, namely young goalkeeper Karl Magri and striker Michael Camilleri. The Stripes had Gareth Sciberras suspended, while Shawn Bajada was also absent.
The only notable absentees for Hibernians were Edward Herrera, Jackson Lima and Luis Edison, although Marcelo Dias and Steve Pisani were only named among the substitutes. Back in their team, after being loaned out last season, were Jean Paul Farrugia and Triston Caruana, who were given the nod, alongside Johann Bezzina by new coach Michael Woods. Hibernians’ back four yesterday were Soares and Vandelannoite, with Pulis and Camilleri the wide backs.
The Paolites were totally superior to their opponents in the first half and could have had a more comfortable cushion than two goals by halftime.
Hibernians set the pace with an early goal after only six minutes play when Caruana won possession against Zerafa on the right, played the ball immediately to Cohen who crossed for Jean Paul Farrugia to head past the keeper.
Short of the quarter hour, Hibernians doubled their lead. Cohen was again involved, putting Clayton Failla clear through the middle. The Birkirkara keeper rushed off his line to block the first effort but was then beaten on the rebound.
But Magri kept his side into the game as he produced two smart saves to deny Farrugia with a close range effort midway through the half and then blocked Cohen’s progression on 38 minutes.
In between, Pulis went close with a rising shot that narrowly missed the target.
Birkirkara’s best chance, in a rather mundane first half, came three minutes before the break. Shodiya put Jorge Silva through but he was blocked by keeper Muscat, with the ball rebounding off the bar.
Play became more sterile in the second period, as both sides were too predictable in their build-ups and created few openings. Still Hibernians remained the more dangerous. On 54 minutes they were unlucky when, on a Farrugia pass, Failla ran through the Birkirkara defence, lobbed the ball over the onrushing keeper but hit the upright.
But there was no denying Hibernians on the hour. A misunderstanding between keeper Magri and Zerafa on a short headed back pass, allowed Jean Paul Farrugia to lob the ball into an unattended net.
Magri kept denying Hibenrians. He turned Failla’s effort into a corner and foiled Farrugia in two attempts.
But after Birkirkara had defender Pereira sent off for acrude tackle 12 minutes form time, Hibernians capitalised to add two more goals. Substitute Steve Pisani headed in Cohen’s free kicck on 80 minutes and in added time the Paolites again had a Cohen strike rebounding off the bar for Jean Paul Farrugia to head in and complete his hat-trick
Hibernians: M. Muscat, R. Camilleri (M. Gauci), R. Soares, J. Vandelannoite, A. Pulis, B. Kristensen (S. Pisani), C. Failla (M. Dias), J. Bezzina, T. Caruana, J.P. Farrugia, A. Cohen
Birkirkara: K. Magri, M. Camilleri (I. Schembri), J. Zerafa (P. Borg), N. Vukanac, R. Muscat, P. Fenech (F. Zammit), R. Scicluna, R. Pereira, J. Silva, S. Shodiya, R. Camenzuli
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, S. Attard
4th official: M. Borg
Scorers: J. P. Farrugia 6, 60, 91, C. Failla 14, S. Pisani 80
Yellow cards: J. Zerafa, J. Bezzina, J. Pereira
Red card: J. Pereira
Attendance: 438