GZIRA UNITED-  4

FLORIANA -         3

 

Gzira U: J. Borg, C. Gatt Baldacchino, I. Azzopardi, S. Diamoutene, J. Bondin (J. Borg), J. Corbolan, M. Avila Perez, L. Zome, Z. Scerri, A. Machedo Neto (E. Amaira), I. Adeshina (A. White)

Floriana: J. Haber, A. Monticelli, E. Pepe, I. Varela, S. Nayar (S. Pisani), M. Vella, A. Cini, N. Chiesa, A. Samb (C. Borg), M. Fontanella, R. Camenzuli

Referee: M. Degabriele

Asst.refs: J. Spiteri, C. Francalanza

4th official: E. Mangion

Scorers: I. Varela 42, I. Adeshina 46, i. Azzopardi 50, J. Corbolan 57, L. Zome 69, R. Camenzuli 79, M. Fontanella 90+

Yellow cards: A. Cini, A. Monticelli, M. Avila Perez

Player of the match: L. Zome (Gzira U)

TMI top 3: 1. M. Avila Perez  2. I. Adeshina  3. L. Zome

This was a rare Gzira win that went contrary to the script.

Ignacio Varela seemed to have quashed any chance of such a victory when he fired Floriana into the lead towards the end of the first half but, as it turned out, that served  to make Gzira’s feat more sensational.

Gzira received a lift-off after trhe change of ends and, within 23 minutes of the second half, they had turned the tables completely when Ige Adeshina equalised. Then Ian Azzopardi gave them the lead as Juan Carlos Corbolan and Louis Zome  added further goals for a deserved victory for the underdog .

Gzira pursued glory with a tenacity that unhinged their opponents in the second half. Floriana got two late goals to make it look a more respectable result but their performance was inept and lead them to a second consecutive league defeat.

Gzira were without Italian goalkeeper Boerchio, who left the club during the week, and the young Jurgen Borg played in goal instead.

Floriana had striker Amadou Samb back after suspension and gave a debut start to new Spanish defensive midfielder Sebastian Nayar. They channelled many of their build-ups through him. Steve Pisani and Clyde Borg were exiled to the bench while centre back Enzo Ruiz was suspended.

Samb tried to look menacing with his runs down the right but the delivery of his crosses was rather poor.

An early effort by Chiesa missed the target and midway through the half, a Chiesa deep cross from the right was headed wide by Fontanella.

Gzira started ruffling their opponents with some tidy play although they lacked the slightest hint of penetration, with Ige Adeshina ploughing a lone furrow.

And with Floriana holding to more possession, they finally broke the deadlock three minutes before the break. Fontanella intelligently lobbed the ball forward to Samb who was quick to cross low for Ignacio Varela  to connect and beat keeper Borg from close range.

A heavy downpour at the start of the second half enabled Gzira to grow into the game. After hardly one minute, Ige Adeshina ran for a loose ball inside the Floriana area and although he was pressed by two opponents, he drilled an unstoppable shot at the roof of the net.

Only four minutes later, Gzira went in front. Avila Perez played a short free kick from outside the Floriana area for Ian Azzopardi to hit the ball powerfully past keeper Haber.

The Greens were shocked but reacted immediately when Samb headed the ball down towards Varela, whose shot was blcoked by the Gzira goalkeeper. Then, from a Camenzuli cross, Samb headed narrowly over.

As the rain came down, Gzira pushed on. The frustration was compounded for Floriana short of the hour though. A surging run by Juan Carlos Corbolan down the right flank, ended with him steering the ball in between keeper Haber’s legs.

Floriana’s travails soon worsened. On 69 minutes Louis Zome cut towards the middle and when allowed space, he unleashed a low drive that hit the foot of the post and the ball rebounded in goal off Haber’s back.

As Gzira were all over their opponents, who withdrew Nayar and Chiesa, Scerri tested keeper Haber with a powerful shot from a distance.

There was some scant consolation for Floriana 11 minutes before the end with a late goal from Ryan Camenzuli, who controlled a short clearance before hitting the ball past keeper Borg.

And to make it look more farcical, Floriana were awarded a penalty in the game’s added time as Jacob Borg fouled Fontanella. Keeper Borg managed to hold out Fontanella’s shot but was beaten on the rebound from the same player.

HIBERNIANS -  1

BIRKIRKARA-    2

 

Hibernians: A. Hogg, R. Soares, M. Dias, J. Lima (J. Mbong), B. Kristensen, Jorginho, C. Failla (D. Boljevic), J. Bezzina (D. Vella), J. Degabriele, M. Jallow, A. Agius

Birkirkara: H. Bonello, C. Bubalovic, G. Sciberras, J. Zerafa, M. Andelkovic, S. Dimitrov, V. Plut (E. Agius), N. Vukanac, M. Alba (R. Scicluna), C. Attard, P. Jovic (E. Herrera)

Referee: M. Apap

Asst.refs: D. Sultana, W. Debattista

4th official: E. Mangion

Scorers: J. Degabriele 55, V. Plut 62, N. Vukanac 80

Yellow cards: A. Agius, C.Bubalovic, C. Attard

Player of the match: G. Sciberras (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3: 1. G. Sciberras  2. A. Hogg  3. J. Zerafa

Attendance: 1095

 

Hard as they try to do all they can to unsettle Balzan’s title persuit, Hibernians again missed the chance to go top of the standings, after Balzan dropped the points against Tarxien Rainbows on Saturday.

Yesterday the Paolites were beaten by a determined Birkirkara side, succumbing twice after having taken the lead through Jurgen Degabriele early in the second half, under continuous rain at Ta’ Qali.

This was Hibernians’ first defeat in the New Year after three positive matches and leaves them two points adrift of the leaders.

The game was entertaining, with both sides showing attacking intent.

Contrary to their opaque performance and defeat against Valletta the previous week, Birkirkara yesterday played with great togetherness, tenacity and, crucially, a desire to win. They came back from a goal down to beat Hibernians with goals from Vito Plut and Nikola Vukanac.

Victory now lifts them above Floriana into fourth place as their aspirations for further progress are far from diminished.

Birkirkara gave a start to their new Argentine midfielder, Miguel Angel Alba. Pedrag Jovic played for the suspended Gary Muir in defence as Joseph Zerafa started instead of Matthew Guillaumier.

Hibernians had Marcelo Dias back after missing the previous match.

In an evenly balanced first half, that produced very few clear chances, Hibernians’ Andrew Hogg was slightly the busier keeper as he was called into action twice past the quarter hour. Hogg had to stretch himself to hold out Sciberras’ low diagonal shot and then Dimtrov again tested the Hibernians’ shot stopper with a long range shot that was smartly repelled by Hogg.

Hibernians had gone very close in the opening minutes from a Lima corner from the left that Agius headed narrowly wide. The Paolites threatened twice short of the half hour with invting crosses, from the right by Dias and Jallow,  that found no supports and the chances went begging.

Photos Domenic Aquilina

For periods late in the half, the Stripes pinned their opponenst inside their own half with some slick passing and flowing football. But on 42 minutes Krsitensen’s drive from a distance was parried by keeper Bonello, Lima shot in the loose ball but the goal was disllowed for an offside position.

Before halftime, keeper Hogg was again called to save another low drive from Sciberras, whose incursions from the right were causing some anxious moments to the Hibernians’ defence.

It was still goalless at halftime.

The heavy rain that continued to fall at the National Stadium, made it more difficult for both sets of players but play more unpredictable. Within ten minutes of the restart, Hibernians forged ahead. Jurgen Degabriele reached for Kristensen’s through ball before keeper Bonello. He shot his first effort against the bar but was quick to hit in the rebound.

Birkirkara’s response came seven minutes later. Vito Plut chased an Alba long ball to go past the Paolites’ static defence and beat keeper Hogg with a low strike and level matters.

Hibernains were finding the going tough in central midfield, as Birkikrkara introduced Edward Herrera and Ryan Scicluna, but creditably refused to give up.

Both teams could ill afford to fluff their lines at this juncture and the withdrawal of Bezzina and Failla for Hibernians, might have given Birkirkara the edge. Perhaps relaxing a little, Hibernians were experiencing some slapdash moements.

Ten minutes from time, from a Dimitrov corner from the right, defender Nikola Vukanac rose high to head past keeper Hogg and give Birkirkara a win their display deserved.

Hibernians’ late efforts proved futile even because a Jorginho effort was cleared off the line by the Birkirkara defence.