FLORIANA 0
HIBERNIANS 1
Floriana: I. Akpan, S. Nayar, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, C. Borg, M. Vella, A. Cini, A. Oyama (L. Grech), E. Marcelina, M. Fontanella
Hibernians: A. Hogg, D. Vella, M. Kreuzriegler, R. Gomes, J. Lima, B. Kristenesen (G. Gorozia), R. Soares, J. Mbong, A. Agius, Jorginho (J. Bezzina), J. Moreira (J. Degabriele)
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst.refs: M. Scerri, D. Sultana
Additional asst.refs: A.M. Sant, E. Mangion
4th official: W. Debattista
Scorers: Jorginho 75 pen
Yellow cards: J. Mbong, S. Pisani, J. Pisani, E. Ruiz
Player of the match: Jorginho (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Mbong 2. M. Vella 3. A. Oyama
Attendance: 1,030
This narrow victory from an unimpressive display gives champions Hibernians some respite in their fight for the top places. A late Jorginho penalty, might have rewarded them for some coherent play in the second half after a disjointed first, but it could be seen as an injustice on Floriana.
Both sides failed to maintain a consistent run of league form. The champions had taken only one point from three previous winless matches while the Greens had lost two of their last four.
Too much of what they had offered up yesterday was inadequate. Uncertainty prevailed with so many players straining to rediscover form and rhythm.
Offering little as an attacking force, both teams need to be more aggressive, more intense if they want to keep up the challenge.
Dias was missing for Hibernians, with Joseph Mbong starting in defence instead. Otherwise, coach Mark Miller kept the same set-up as the previous week’s goalless draw against Hamrun Spartans.
The absence of both Clayton Failla and Johann Bezzina, sitting on the bench depite eligible to play, meant that the onus was on Kristensen and Lima to provide some craft and guile behind Jorginho and Moreira. Yet Hibernians created little in a flat opening 45 minutes during which they never worked the Floriana keeper.
On their part, Floriana had Dylan Grima suspended but Enzo Ruiz returned from suspension in defence. Emerson Marcelina replaced the injured Cabral as Akpan started in goal.
Floriana had spells of dominance in the first half, with Maurizio Vella neat and inventive on the ball from the heart of midfield, but their neat passing was invariably a second too slow, allowing Hibernains to keep their compact shape and barely fear penetration.
When, towards the half hour, they tried to break the Hibernians’ rearguard with a Vella through pass to Fontanella down the right, keeper Hogg rushed out to block the Floriana forward.
With halftime looming, Nayar went past Vella, crossed from the right but Lima cleared into a corner before Oyama could connect. From the resultant free kick Ruiz headed firmly at goal but keeper Hogg saved.
The closest Hibernians came to scoring in that period was in added time with a Lima direct free kick going over.
Hibernians showed slightly more enterprise after the interval, with the incursions of Mbong down the right. On the hour, Akpan stretched himself to fist out Kreuzreigler’s insidous cross from the left. Kreuzriegler had his shot deflected into a corner by Ruiz five minutes later.
The game badly needed a goal as the second half degenerated into a sterile encounter.
Hibernians introduced their latest recruit, the Georgian midfielder Giorgi Gorozia, replacing Kristensen, for the last 20 minutes.
The newcomer was involved in the incident that earned Hibernians a penalty five minutes later when he fell on Akpan’s outstretched legs after the Floriana keeper had lost the ball on an Mbong cross from the right.
Jorginho stepped up to score from the penalty spot.
Floriana’s response came six minutes before the end with Jurgen Pisani heading Vella’s free kick towards the top corner but Jorginho managed to head the ball out.
Floriana were lucky to get away with another penalty shout from Hibernians after Cini blocked Degabriele’s effort with his arm inside the area.
MOSTA 0
BIRKIRKARA 3
Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, D. Xuerteb (K. Frendo), T. Veronese, K. Magro, D. Mansi, T. Farrugua, R. Ekani (Z. Brincat), D. Nworah, I. Maric (J. Tanti), A. Wendel
Birkirkara: K. Naumowski, E. Herrera, F. Barbosa, M. Andelkovic, J. Grech, N. Micallef, K. Zammit, N. Vukanac, C. Concalves, S. Dimitrov (Z. Cassar), B. De Brito (A. Attard)
Referee: M. Degabriele
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, D. Petrovic
4th official: E.Grech
Scorers: S. Dimitrov 38, B. De Brito 56, J. Grech 60
Yellow cards: K. Zammit, D. Xuereb, S. Dimitrov, M. Andelkovic, E. Herrera, T. Veronese
Player of the match: J. Grech (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. S. Dimitrov 2. J. Grech 3. T. Veronese
Hot on the heels of their impressive win against Gzira United last weekend, Birkirkara clinched another three points against Mosta, with Srdjan Dimitrov and Jake Grech again making a telling contribution, with a goal and an assist each. De Brito scored another in between.
Andelkovic’s distribution was particularly eye-catching for Birkirkara. Dimitrov and Grech were willing runners on the flanks.
Birkirkara’s mental strength has increased and their fitness with it. Their quality, belief and determination have come shining through. Results are proving that now.
Coach Paul Zammit must be content that the Stripes are in the mix, only one point behind fourth-placed Floriana, as his authoritative side made it five league wins in a row without conceding.
Both teams’ recent revival had left the sides seven points apart at the start of this game.
The intensity with which Mosta demolished Lija the previous week, was back in evidence yesterday, at least in the opening half, as coach Johann Scicluna made only one change. Thomas Veronese returned from suspension to fill the void of Edison Zarate who has now joined Gzira United.
Their defensive resilience held their opponents out for a good 38 minutes, until Dimitrov gave the Stripes a first half-lead. But once Birkirkara stepped up a level, and scored two quick goals by the hour, they had no response.
Mosta made the most assertive start with Ferreira shooting from a tight angle on the right and Birkirkara keeper Naumowski turning into a corner.
Birkirkara’s response three minutes later came from a Dimitrov rising shot.
By contrast, the Birkirkara coach had selection problems after UEFA’s hefty bans of Luke Montebello, Ryan Camenzuli and Lyewelan Cremona in midweek. Ryan Scicluna was also suspended for one match following four cautions.
The young Neil Micallef was one of four new starters but his contribution on the field lasted only seven minutes when stretchered off with an injury.
Nikola Vukanac returned in defence as Luca Maia was dropped from the squad due to their quota of foreign players taking part.
Birkirkara took the lead after 38 minutes when substitute Zammit played the ball wide on the left towards Grech, whose cross was headed in by Srdjan Dimitrov.
Up until that point Mosta had frustrated the Stripes and restricted them to one decent opportunity, on the half hour, when Dimitrov’s powerful shot from outside the area was smartly saved by Mosta keeper Andreas Vella.
Mosta moved forward whenever the chance came calling. On 35 minutes Veronese, put through by Wendal, galloped down the left flank but his shot went wide.
And after falling behind, Mosta threatened again with a Veronese inswinging free kick, fisted out by the Birkirkara keeper, and a long range effort by Magro that narrowly missed the target.
Still, Birkirkara were worth their halftime lead.
That lead doubled 11 minutes after the interval. Bruno Fernandez De Brito controlled the ball just outside the Mosta area and beat keeper Vella with a low strike at the left hand side.
That goal left Mosta deflated. Within four more minutes they conceded for the third time. Jake Grech’s tap-in, on a Dimitrov inviting low cross from the right, converted the easiest of chances and killed all of Mosta’s hopes as they never really threatened again to recover from that bruising.