Hibernians 3

Melita FC 1

Hibernians and Melita went into this game with high spirits. Hibernians, winning their previous two matches needed to maintain their perfect start to join Birkirkara and Valletta at the top. Melita performed well in a 3-3 draw against Rabat Ajax the previous week and wanted to improve on that showing.

But the tactrically superior Hibernians capitalised on Melita’s vulnerability in defence and put them on the back foot with their pace and vigour. They built a three-goal lead by the first half and could hold off the amateurs’ tame rally which enabled them to pull one back in the second.

Both sides trimmed their sides for yesterday’s match. Melita were without Gribbon and dropped both Baldacchino Orland and Simon Galea to the bench.

Hibernians also named Johann Bezzina and Zoran Levnaic among the substitutes, giving starts to Adrian Pulis and Anderson Ribeiro.

Hibernians, although playing with less vibrancy, were superior for the first 45 minutes and opened the goal account early. They were already three up by the first half hour, asserting their authority on the match.

After eight minutes, the ever improving Ryan Camilleri played a deep cross from the right, Melita keeper Zahra palmed out the ball before Pisani could connect but Andrew Cohen was quick to slot the loose ball in and celebrate by showing ‘100’ beneath his shirt, indicating the goal milestone for his club.

Cohen was the provider for Hibernians’ second goal on the quarter hour as he played the ball forward for Jackson Lima to advance on the right and chip the ball over keeper Zahra.

On 24 minutes, Camilleri sent another inviting cross from the right but the advancing Ribeiro contrived to loft the ball in front of goal.

But Hibernians’ third goal was in the air. It came a minute short of the half hour mark after Jackson Lima chested a Kristensen cross, went past Vella Petroni with alarming ease and lobbed the ball over the keeper with a diagonal shot that hit the innerside of the far post.

Vella Petroni was substituted and Melita introduced a new Serbian central defender Ivan Tufegdzic, with Alhinho moving on the left flank.

Melita’s best chance in the first half came on 23 minutes when Luke Micallef ran clear on the right but instead of going for goal, he squared the ball to Negrin who shot feebly on keeper Muscat.

With the points virtually secured, Hibernians, as is normal practice, eased off psychologically.

The boys in red rolled up their sleeves, although belatedly, and hit back on 52 minutes as Julian Galea chased a long ball forward by Vukanic, beat the Hibernians offside trap and, with only keeper Muscat in his way, steered the ball low beyond his reach.

Melita kept trying. Vukanic sent his effort narrowly wide past the hour and a claim for a penalty was turned down following Camilleri’s hard challenge on Negrin inside the area.

Nwoba and Levnaic were also introduced as late substitutes by Hibernians who grew increasingly wasteful, fluffing three clear chances that would have earned them a cricket score. Dias arrived fractioanlly late on a Lima cross. Nwoba shot over when clear in front of the Melita keeper and Kristensen also lofted the ball from a promising position after the Melita defence had failed to clear Lima’s headed effort.

It was a more respectable result for Melita at the end.

Hibernians: M. Muscat, R. Camilleri, J. Pearson (Z. Levnaic), R. Soares, M. Dias, A. Cohen, B. Kristensen, A. Pulis, S. Pisani (J. Bezzina), A. Ribeiro (J. Nwoba), J. Lima

Melita: K. Zahra, K. Vella Petroni (I. Tufegdzic), D. Gravino, R. Alhinho, A. Caruana Scicluna (M. Valenzia), L. Micallef, J. Galea, L. Sammut (T. Terpougoff), K. Micallef, K. Micallef, L. Armaro Negrin, J. Vukanic

Referee: A. Arciola

Asst.refs: S. Attard, A. Grech

4th official: M. Spiteri

Scorers: A. Cohen 8, J. Lima 15, 29, J. Galea 52

Yellow cards: K. Micallef, A. Caruana Scicluna, I. Tufegdzic, R. Camilleri

Player of the match: Ryan Camilleri (Hibernians)

TMI top 3: 1. R. Camilleri 2. J. Lima 3. J. Vukanic