The Malta Independent 23 April 2024, Tuesday
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BOV Premier League: Paolites back to winning ways with two goals in a minute

Simon Farrugia Saturday, 12 January 2019, 17:00 Last update: about 6 years ago
Photos: Domenic Aquilina
Photos: Domenic Aquilina

Pieta H.           0
Hibernians      2

Pieta H. : N. Vella, T. Ose ( H. Singh 46’), C. Degabriele (S.Pisani 88’), N. Pace Cocks, P. Chimezie, J. Busuttil, G. Mensah, J. Artiaga, C. Grech, I. Jalo (S. Okoh 78’), A. Macedo Neto

Hibernians : A. Hogg, D. Vella, N. Radojevic, J. Mbong, M. Dias, J. Degabriele ( A. Vella 90’ ), B. Kristensen ( C. Zammit 90’, I. Ntow,  TMarcolino(D. Xuereb 88’), A. Agius, A. Fonseca Tiago

RefereeDarryl Agius

Asst refsRoberto Vella, Mitchell Scerri

4th officialFyodor Zammit

ScorersJ. Mbong 35’, og A. Macedo Neto 36’

Yellow cards: Correa, Jalo

Player of the match: Tiago Fonseca (Hibernians)

Hibernians resumed their commitments with a win which keeps them at the top of the standings when in the first match played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium they beat lowly Pieta by two first half goals. This was the tenth consecutive positive result for Hibernians.

For Pieta this was their fourth defeat on the trot after having succumbed to TarxienHamrun and SliemaWanderers prior to this match. Thus they are still in the thick of the relegation zone.

Their opponents Hibernians failed to win their last match before the break against Balzan which was preceeded by eight consecutive wins. In the first round Hibernians prevailed by a 2-1 scoreline.

The Hotspurs made two changes from the team which was defeated by Sliema with Christian Degabriele and Juan Manuel Artiaga Roa being replaced by Travis Bartolo and Dylan Agius

On the other hand Hibernians fielded the same starting line up which drew their last match against Balzan.

Hibernians were the first to venture forward and on 19 minutes they protested for a penalty after they allegedthat Isaac Ntow was brought down in the area by Jan Busuttil. 

Ten minutes later a low drive from Fonseca following a good solo run was blocked with ease by Vella.

The Paolites were doing all the early running and it was no surpise when on 36 minutes they forged ahead.  Bjorn Kristensen was there to take control of proceedings following some hesitation in the Pieta rearguard and his pass found Joseph Mbong with his shot from the right flank leaving Vella stranded.

And just a minute had elapsed when Hibernians doubled their lead.  With Pieta still trying to come to terms Fonseca’s shot was partially blocked by Vella with the ball hitting Pieta’s Macedo Neto head and finishing in his own net.

On resumption Pieta were first to make their way pastthe opposing defence when in the 49th minute a Mensah shot from just outside the area went just wide.

The Hotspurs kept on their insistence to try and reducethe gap and on the hour off a Mensah cross Chimezie’s header brought the best out of Hogg who palmed onto a corner.

But it was Hibernians who were unlucky nineteenminutes from the end of the match when they hit thewoodwork through Taylon Marcolino

Till the end it was all Hibernians once again and in the72nd minute Degabriele tested Vella but the latter wasalert to block on time. The final whistle found thePaolites grabbing another three precious points in theirquest to win the highest priża in local football. Thegoing seems tough but the Paolites are on the righttrack. 

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