ZEBBUG  RANGERS-       0

HIBERNIANS –                 5

SILVIO VELLA

Hibernians continued their surge towards the championship win with another spectacular victory over lowly Zebbug Rangers, to extend their lead in the BoV Premier League to 11 points over second place Birkirkara, who play against Mosta today.

After an opening half full of verve and swagger, during which they scored four times, Hibernians lowered a gear but still played with training ground easiness to show that when they are in the mood, there are few, if any, teams in the country that can offer any resistance.

Hibernians might have leant heavily on Luis Edison’s splurge of goals this season, but in his absence, due to suspension, yesterday, others were rousing themsleves instead for the leaders. Five goals were scored by four players in a collective showing of devastating ruthlessness and one which adds fuel to the general belief that Branco Nisevic’s men will be crowned champions this season.

Zebbug were dissected just as emphatically by the slippery movement of Andrew Cohen, Clayton Failla and Bjorn Kristensen and the menace of Jorginho’s finishing.

The leaders have now scored 11 goals in their last three league matches and remain unbetaen in 24 outings.

Hibernians looked comfortable enough with three defenders, Soares, Agius and Gomes covering all the width of the pitch at the back, allowing Clayton Failla and Joseph Mbong to surge forward down the flanks.

With the Paolites taking a stranglehold in midfield, Zebbug’s prospects had looked bleak already by the first half hour, despite the eager running of Muchardi, Barbetti or Paris.

A goal after only eight minutes play, set the pace early, as Zebbug looked only a pale shadow of the team that upset champioons Valletta the previous week.

Kristensen played a wide pass to Jorginho who left the onrushing keeper Bartolo stranded and steered the ball into an unattended goal.

Hibernians’ second goal midway through the half brought some contestation from Zebbug who claimed Cohen was in an irregular position when he took possession inside the Zebbug half, advanced on the right before playing a square pass to the advancing Clayton Failla to drill his shot past keeper Bartolo.

The goal unnerved Zebbug, who suffered further misery towards the half hour. On a Failla floating free kick, Andrei Agius headed in Hibernians’ third to settle the issue.

The lively and effective Cohen was presented with a good chance by Jorginho but shot straight on the keeper before the Hibernians’ captain drove a low direct free kick from outside the area past the Zebbug wall, leaving Bartolo hooked to his line.

Zebbug’s only reaction came two minutes from the break. Montebello almost capitalised on some hesitancy in the Hibernians’ defence, as Gomes was down injured, but his shot was palmed out by keeper Bonello, only for Paris to shoot the rebound tamely in his safe hands.

By leaving Mauricio Britto in the dressing room for the second half and then withdrawing Luke Montebello short of the hour, Zebbug’s signs of resignation were evident.

Hibernians might have shown some mercy, and even replaced keeper Bonello with Jurgen Borg, but still looked potent going forward. On 52 minutes keeper Bartolo did well to hold out Jorginho’s blistering shot. Failla missed the target on the loose ball. Jorginho again went close  with his header on a Failla corner before Zebbug briefly showed up with a Ciantar shot from the left that hit the outside of the post.

There was still time for Hibernians to score their fifth on 79 minutes. The Zebbug keeper was caught between two minds on Failla’s cross from the left and Andrew Cohen grabbed the opportunity to head in at the far post.

That was a measure of Hibernians’ control of the match. Otherwise it was a matter of the league leaders playing for time.

PIETA HOTSPURS-         1

SLIEMA WANDERERS -  1

SILVIO VELLA

Sliema Wanderers’ Jekylle-and-Hyde season lurched back to the dark side yesterday with a deflated draw against Pieta Hotspurs that denied them a third league win on the trot and they now remain three points adrift of Floriana in sixth place.

This was a contest dotted with spicy challenges and errors on the ball, the majority of the latter coming from Sliema in the first half.

The Wanderers were supposed to carry plenty of threat but were fortunate to be enjoying their lead at halftime, courtesy of a personal iniative by Djumo Bocar after a dismal 40 minutes during which they looked poor from back to front. There was a lack of composure further upfield and the awry passsing of Pisanu, Calcado and Cilia was beginning to frustrate the Sliema supporters until Bocar took the ball in his stride, advanced from midfield down the right, leaving his opponents standing like statues as he slotted the ball low past helpless keeper Montfort.

At the time, John Mintoff was being treated on the sidelines and he was eventually substituted by Aiden Friggieri.

Pieta were attemping to address an abysmal run of four winless matches. Injuries to Charles Newuche and Ricardo Costa, as well as the suspension of Claudio Frances, deprived them of three of their foreigners. Kyle Cesare, as well as the returning Orosco Anonam, were given starts instead.

But Pieta were again toothless in attack, with Luke Micallef only a peripheral figure. Yesterday they were solid, rather than inventive with some good understanding between Leonardo Fortunato and Christian Grech at the back and the relentless running of Rafael Rodrigues in midfield.

Within minutes, Sliema twice had to make tactical changes by the hour. The introduction of central defender Clifford Gatt Baldacchino for Pisanu, allowed Marco Potezica to move further up in midfield but another injury to Andrea Scozzese forced coach Stephen Azzopardi to put in Joseph Borg and retreat Potezica again in defence.

After that, Pieta looked menacing as the Sliema keeper rushed off his line to reach for Gabriel’s cross from the left before Anonam could connect. Grech’s shot on the loose ball was blocked by the Sliema crowded defence.

Sliema seemed content to sit on their lead when it could have worked in their favour had they tried to pose some problems to the Pieta defence and their complacency played a dirty trick in the dying minutes. With one minute of normal time remaining, defender Leonardo Fortunato turned attacker to head Pisani’s corner from the right at the far pos, beyond the reach of keeper Zammit and earn his side a deserved draw.

Floriana continue to fight for European football

Stewart Said

Floriana continued with their positive momentum as they claimed the second consecutive win and the fourth positive result as they defeated Tarxien Rainbows 2-1. The match was characterised by various clashes by both sets of players during the game that shifted attention from the few attacks from both teams.

Tarxien played a good game but their lack of a consistent goalscorer, is affecting their consistency. This was the third consecutive defeat for the Rainbows and this defeat continues to make the situation in the table more difficult. 

Floriana coach Giovanni Tedesco made three changes from the win against Pieta, when Manuel Briffa, Mano Micallef and Amadou Samb were given starting berths instead of Steve Bonnici, Sacha Borg and Matteo Piciollo respectively.

Three changes also for Tarxien coach Clive Mizzi as Sean Mintoff returned to guard the posts instead of Jonathan Debono, Jose Angel Pereira took the placeof Ryan Sammut while Alex Cini starting instead of Darlington Obinna. 

The first part of the game was balanced as both teams tried to gain control of the game but Tarxien took the lead on the first real action of the game. Referee Sandro Spiteri pointed to the penalty spot after assistent referee Duncan Sultana judged a foul by Manuel Briffa on Alex Cini in the penalty area. From the penalty spot, Triston Caruana beat Matthew Calleja Cremona with a low shot.    

But Floriana equalised just two minutes later when from a cross by Amadou Samb, Manuel Acevedo deflected the ball in his own net for an unfortunate own-goal.

On the 50th minute Tarxien went close to take the lead as they won a free-kick exactly outside the box. From the same free-kick, the shot by Vallecillo was tipped into a corner by Calleja Cremona. Seven minutes later, the Rainbows went close again when Jose Angel Pereira made a good run from the left side and crossed to Soly Mouhamed but his shot was denied by the upright.

On the 69th minute a low shot by Mouhamed finished off target. But Floriana scored the winning goal on the 82nd minute as Vito Plut made a good run on the left side, dribbled past Owen Bugeja and crossed in the middle where Amadou Samb was in the right place at the right time to slot home.      

Tarxien tried their last efforts but had to finish the game with then men when on the 92nd minute Soly Mouhamed was shown a straight red card after an argument with various players.

Guerrero gives back the winning track to Balzan

Stewart Said

NAXXAR L...........1

BALZAN..............2

Balzan returned to winning ways as they defeated Naxxar Lions 2-1 in a good and intense game. This win was very important for Balzan as they responded to Floriana’s win and kept the fourth place. But they had to beat the valiant effort by Naxxar who tried once again to come out of a game with a point but failed to suffer their second consecutive defeat.

Naxxar coach Jesmond Zerafa made one change from the defeat against Birkirkara as Temile returned to start instead of Pablo Doffo. On the other hand Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri made two changes from the draw against Mosta as Guobadia took the place of Piccioni while Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza was prefered to Terence Agius.

Naxxar took the lead in their first action after a minute when Gilmar da Silva Ribeiro was fouled in the penalty area by Serrano Valero and referee Marco Borg ordered a penalty. From the penalty spot Terence Vella beat Sultana with a good penalty. On the 8th minute a powerful shot by Frank Temile was turned into a corner by Sultana.

Balzan started to take more initiative and on the 24th minute a low shot by Jean Pierre Mifsud Trigannza finished off target. Naxxar went close to the second goal on the 35th minute when a free-kick on the second post by Gilmar was tipped into a corner by Sultana. A minute later Balzan had the best action of the half when Guerrero passed to Mifsud Triganza, who tried with a first time shot, Azzopardi saved partially but from the rebound, the header by Serrano Valero was denied by the crossbar.     

Balzan were given a penalty on the 45th minute when Andrew Scicluna fouled Bojan Kaljevic in in the penalty area and referee marco Borg made the right call and pointed to the spot. From the 11 metre Bojan Kaljevic beat Azzopardi with a perfect low shot to Azzopardi’s left corner.

The match continued to be balanced and Balzan went close on the 54th minute when Grioli gave a good through ball to Kaljevic who controlled on his chest and fired a powerful ball that was denied by the crossbar. A minute later Kaljevic again tried but this time his central shot was parried by Azzopardi.

Naxxar went close on the 58th minute but the shot by Gilmar hit the side netting. A minute later the diagonal shot by Temile was tipped into a corner by Sultana.

Balzan scored what had to be the winning goal on the 82nd minute when Oscar Guerrero passed to Kaljevic who passed back with a backheel, the Colombian controlled and with a low shot on the first post managed to beat Azzopardi.

Two minutes later Naxxar had the opportunity to equalise but Sultana saved the shot from close range by Jorge Santos Silva. Naxxar tried in stoppage time from goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi who tried to help his team mates but Sultana saved well.