ST ANDREWS 2
HIBERNIANS 1
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, E. Beltre’, A. Borg, M. Miranda Gomez, T. Azian (J. Walker), M. Grima, J. Farrugia, M. Gauci, T. Grant, D. Jackson (K. Atkinson), K. Reid (A. Friggieri)s
Hibernians: A. Hogg, D. Vella (J. Bezzina), M. Kreuzriegler, R. Gomes, J. Lima, M. Dias, B. Kristensen, C. Failla (M.A. Filho), A. Agius, J. Mbong (J. Degabriele), M. Sahanek
Referee: M. Spiteri
Asst.refs: C. Francalanza, T. Zammit
4th official: J. Utulu
Scorers: C. Failla 43, M. Miranda Gomez 51, K. Atkinson 90+
Yellow cards: E. Beltre’, C. Failla, T. Azian
Red card: J. Bezzina
Player of the match: M. Dias (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Sahanek 2. M. Miranda Gomez 3. D. Jackson
A moment of brilliance decided the game in dramatic fashion. Deep into five minutes of added time, substitute Kevaughn Atkinson unleashed a cracking shot from some 25 yards out that beat the stranded Hibernians’ keeper Andrew Hogg and give St Andrews an unexpected win and deepen the champions’ crisis of form.
Hibernians needed to bounce back after defeats against Balzan in the league and against Floriana in the Super Cup final within a week.
St Andrews, struggling without a win in their previous seven matches, could perhaps present the right opportunity.
But the Saints played with belief and determination despite their slim total of two league wins before yesterday.
St Andrews had not offered a huge amount by way of attacking threat but when they did venture forward Hibernians’ failure to kill things off meant nerves spread around.
Hibernians created numerous chances throughout and should have won this game.
Clayton Failla gave them the lead with a header, two minutes before the break, beating keeper Calleja Cremona off a Sahanek cross from the right.
The champions had other half chances earlier, as they built up ominous momentum in the first half, with the St Andrews keeper footing out an inswinging Sahanek corner from the right, defender Beltre’ reaching on a Sahanek cross before Lima and Vella putting his header wide on a Lima cross.
Beyond that, Hibernians displayed what has broadly been their problem of late, namely not taking any of the chances they create. They dominated the second half but looked lethargic at times and their attacks lacked the zip and guile to unsettle the well organised St Andrews defence.
They even ended up with Johan Bezzina receiving his marching orders after exchanging insults with Saints’ team manager Alex Busuttill when the ball boy resisted to hand in the ball.
Without Rodolfo Soares, but with Andrei Agius back from suspension, the Paolites’ four-man defence included Kreuzriegler and Dias as wide backs.
Sahanek started instead of Bezzina in midfield and Joseph Mbong again preferred to Jorge Elias as the main striker.
The Saints’ starting line-up showed a rift of changes following defeat against Tarxien Rainbows the previous week. Central defender Blagrove was suspended. Coach Michael Woods dropped Butler and Davis and exiled Friggieri, Atkinson and Walker to the bench.
Their only half chance in the first half fell to Azian, just before Hibernians broke the deadlock, who skied the ball after presented with a good chance by Reid.
Therafter it was back to absorbing the Hibernians pressure.
St Andrews were given a little injection of hope after the break. Six minutes into the second half they drew level with a Misael Miranda Gomez low strike, after collecting Reid’s pass inside the Hibernians’ area.
As time ticked on and Hibernians failed to find a second, it began to feel as if the Saints were holding on. Their goalkeeper Calleja Cremona stretched himself to turn Lima’s long-range drive into a corner on 65 minutes and then block Kreuzriegler’s effort nine minutes later. And when Lima just missed to put his head to a Dias cross, Hibernains dragged on with the expectation that a winner was just around the corner. Instead, they were left shocked by Atkinson’s stunning added-time strike.
FLORIANA 0
BIRKIRKARA 2
Floriana: I. Akpan, E. Pepe (D. Grima), E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg (L. Grech), M. Vella, J. Cabral, A. Cini, A. Oyama, M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina
Birkirkara: P. Schranz, C. Attard, N. Vukanac, L. Maia, K. Zammit, B. De Brito (R. Camenzuli), M. Andelkovic, R. Scicluna, J. Grech (L. Cremona), C. Goncalves, L. Montebello (A. Nilsson)
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, R. Aquilina
4th official: I. Barbara
Scorers: J. Grech 12, L. Montebello 17
Yellow cards: K. Zammit, S. Pisani, N. Vukanac, C. Goncalves, C. Attard
Player of the match: M. Vella (Floriana)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Vella 2. L. Maia 3. M. Andelkovic
Attendance: 716
What had been a good year for Floriana, by their standards, ended in disappointment.
Undone by Birkirkara’s two first-half goals, the Greens succumbed to their second defeat in their last three league matches and their efforts in the Super Cup triumph in midweek might have taken their toll yesterday.
Two early goals, in quick succession, scored by Jake Grech and Luke Montebello, set the tone for this Birkirkara win at the start of the second round.
Birkirkara went into the match on the back of two consecutive wins and two clean sheets against St Andrews and Hamrun Spartans, as they recovered from a poor start to the campaign.
Yesterday, coach Paul Zammit gave starts to Jake Grech and Bruno De Brito, as Floriana, under coach Nicolas Chiesa, showed only one change from the match against Hibernians, with Arthur Oyama replacing Dylan Grima.
Birkirkara started as if intent on proving their attacking capabilities and they made a convicning case. Their ruhlessness, gave them a double advantage before the match was even 20 minutes old.
The first, after 12 minutes, came when Jake Grech raced in for De Brito’s low cross from the left and beat keeper Akpan.
The Stripes made them two five minutes later. Luke Montebello swivelled and turned inside the Floriana area to avoid two opponents before shooting in past Akpan at the top corner.
The goals infused Floriana with some anxiety and the Greens, seven points above their opponents at kick-off, did not produce much in the first half as they struggled in midfield.
Birkirkara defended well, allowing the Greens, who could only threaten with a Fontanella shot that was well saved by goalkeepere Schranz, few clear opportunities.
Floriana put in Leighton Grech for Borg at the start of the second half. They went close to pull one back after five minutes when a Vella powerful free kick thumped against the bar with the Birkirkara keeper probably putting a finger to the ball and then saving well on Oyama from the rebound.
Floriana pushed for an opening. With Maurizio Vella’s growing influence, they dominated possession and the game seemed to distil into a single issue.
On 68 minutes Vella unleashed another powerful shot from the edge of the area that rebounded off the post to the keeper’s right.
But Floriana’s attacking play lacked its usual urgency and with Fontanella largely nullified by Maia and Vukanac, they could not find any rhythm against a solid Birkirkara rearguard, whose stifling tactics saw them hold good for three precious points that move them closer to the top half of the standings.