HIBERNIANS 0
VALLETTA 0
Hibernians: A. Hogg, D. Vella, R. Soares, M. Dias, C. Failla (M. Kreuzriegler), B. Kristensen (M. Filho), J. Degabriele, J. Lima, J. Bezzina, A. Agius, M. Sahanek (J. Elias)
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, S. Malano, M. Picciollo, K. Nwoko (R. Muscat), J. Borg, J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, D. Dos Santos(C. Pani)
Referee: M. Spiteri
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, T. Debono
Additional asst.refs: A.M. Sant, E. Mangion
4th official: R. Vella
Yellow cards: M. Dias, J. Cruz, J. Zerafa, A. Agius, J. Bezzina, S. Borg, M. Filho, J. Bonello
Red cards: J. Zerafa
Player of the match: R. Saleh (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Bezzina 2. R. Saleh 3. A. Hogg
Attendance: 2,087
Although ending goalless, this was a spiky, absorbing contest, simmering with occasional tensions between two of the most in-form sides at the moment.
With Gzira United and Balzan breathing behind their neck, Valletta could not afford to drop points against stiff opponents like Hibernians.
Their ambitions to widen the gap to four points at the top were undermined by Joseph Zerafa's dismissal shortly before the hour and, with ten men, Valletta lost the personality they had shown in the first half.
It still might come as a remarkable feat even if that will be of little consolation.
From Hibernians prespective, perhaps the most disappointing aspect of their performance was that they failed to win the game with an extra man.
The Citizens came here having kept successive clean sheets.
They made only one change from the previous match, dropping Umeh Uchenna for Joseph Zerafa.
Hibernians coach Mark Miller preferred Jurgen Degabriele to Jorge Elias in attack, playing in a wide position on the right, allowing Marco Sahanek space through the middle. Jackson Lima played in a more advanced midfield role.
The first half was played at a high tempo as both sides probed for an early goal that would give them the edge. It wasn't vintage in attack though even if both goalkeepers distinguished themselves with superlative saves to keep the game goalless at halftime.
When Degabriele pounced on a short Camilleri pass and advanced inside the area, he shot against the side netting.
Midway through the half, a Piciollo shot from a distance was repelled by keeper Hogg. The Hibernians' custodian was forced into another sharp save past the half hour, holding out an arrow-like drive from Steve Borg.
On the other end, Bonello came to Valletta's rescue shortly before the break, footing out Vella's low shot after advancing inside the Valletta area on a Bezzina cross from the left.
Hibernians had to withdraw the injured Kristensen before halftime.
Valletta showed slightly more inspiration after the interval and they had gone close twice within as many minutes, with a Denni effort that finsihed narrowly wide and a Nwoko shot on the turn saved by keeper Hogg.
But as soon as Valletta looked likely to take the upperhand, their defender Zerafa was sent off after picking his second yellow card of the match.
Valletta coach Popovic tried to regroup his side, dropping Jean Borg as left back and putting in Claudio Pani for Denni.
But intensity dipped.
Past the hour, Degabriele, put through by Bezzina, saw his low shot blocked by Bonello's foot.
Jorge Elias replaced the injured Sahanek for the Paolites on 72 minutes and Valletta introduced Michael Mifsud for the final quarter hour.
Despite their numerical superiority, Hibernians were struggling to prise apart Valletta. They threatened but without creating too much of a clear-cut note and the match dragged on to a stalemate.
Sliema stretch their winning streak
ST ANDREWS 0
SLIEMA WANDERERS 2
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, P. Nehemiah, A. Borg, M. Grima, A. Friggieri, M. Miranda Gomez, T. Azian (L. Grech), J. Farrugia, J. Walker, M. Davis, T. Blagrove
Sliema W: G. Zammit, N. Gavric, S. Bianciardi, M. Muchardi, F. Temile, J. De Assis (G. Aquilina), E. Agius, F. Queros (R. Spiteri), J. Mintoff, P. Xuereb (M. Sansone), R. Correa
Referee: I. Barbara
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, D. Petrovic
4th official: G. Tonna
Scorers: J. De Assis 58, N. Gavric 76
Yellow cards: F. Temile, A. Borg
Player of the match: M. Muchardi (Sliema W)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Muchardi 2. F. Queros 3. M. Calleja Cremona
Sliema Wanderers stretched their winning run to four league matches with another convincing victory over St Andrews to leave them flapping near the foot of the table
After a goalless first half, during which Sliema wasted a hatful of opportunities and were almost punished by their opponents, superior Wanderers improved as the game wore on and scored twice through Jefferson De Assis and defender Nikola Gavric to make sure of the points.
Sliema made some rotational changes, Nikola Gavric, Peter Xuereb and Ricardo Correa replacing Pearson, Aquilina and Adamovic, but they also have a couple of pressing injury problems like Alex Muscat and Mark Scerri.
St Andrews, with Fausto Craighero taking charge after the departure of coach Marco Glumac, were a depleted side yesterday. Suspensions deprived them of Pena Beltre', Kyle Butler and Matthew Gauci. Atkinson and Grant did not feature in the squad while Riccardo Martin was named as a substitute.
They looked good for the first 45 minutes but were extinguished early in the second half when conceding Sliema's opener and then a second goal, 20 minutes later, that gave the scoreline a more accurate reflection of the chasm between the teams.
As expected, Sliema started with some urgency. They hurled a couple of crosses inside the Saints' area. Their keeper Matthew Calleja Cremona had to block a Muchiardi shot, following a Temile corner, after the quarter hour, but otherwise it was routine work for the St Andrews shot stopper.
Midway through the half, Calleja Cremona fumbled a Queros corner but De Assis skied the ball from close range.
St Andrews were carrying an expert spoiling exercise and, with the match still goalless towards the half hour, a Farrugia direct free kick was smartly tipped over the bar by the Sliema keeper Glenn Zammit.
Showing some excessive nervousness, Sliema kept fluffing chances, with the erratic De Assis being the main culprit. He completely missed the target, after Gavric headed a Mintoff free kick towards him. Then, after Queros slipped a pass to him, the Sliema striker shot over.
With Sliema exhibiting such wastefulness, St Andrews' belief kept rising. On 38 minutes Miranda Gomez hit the foot of the post with a rasping low drive from the edge of the area.
Sliema needed to make a fast start and be more ruthless in the second half. Substitute Michele Sansone had his header, off a Correa cross, blocked by the Saints' keeper in two attempts.
Sliema's composure increased and short of the hour they managed to breach the St Andrews' defence when Jefferson De Assis went past Blagrove from the right and beat Calleja Cremona with a low diagonal shot.
That goal set the tone for a one-sided second half in which St Andrews were outplayed.
The Saints were undone by another goal on 76 minutes as the Wanderers continued to find gaps to expoit in their defence. Sliema won a corner after a De Assis good effort was turned away by keeper Calleja Cremona and from the resultant Queros flag kick, Nikola Gavric scored with a header.
De Assis could also add another goal but, after put clear by Temile, he shot feebly at the goalkeeper, before making way for Gabriel Aquilina.
But already resigned to their fate, there was never any prospect of a St Andrews' comeback.