Hibernians-Birkirkara 1-2

Hibernians: M. Muscat, K. Spiteri, R. Briffa (T. Fleri Soler), A. Xuereb, A. Pulis, P. Doffo, M. Bartolo, J. Vella, T. Caruana, J. Xerri (J. Farrugia), A. Cohen (T. Farrugia)

Birkirkara: A. Bledzewski, M.A. Bonnici, R. Sammut, W. Camenzuli, E. Barbara, M. Galea (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), R. Briffa (J. Holland), D. Larrosa (P. Monye), C. Micallef, K. Scicluna, A. Ciantar

Referee: A.M. Sant Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, K. Borg 4th official: M. Borg

Scorers: E. Barbara (2), T. Farrugia

Yellow card: A. Cohen, W. Camenzuli

Player of the match: Etienne Barbara (Birkirkara)

TMI top three: 1. W. Camenzuli 2. A. Ciantar 3. E. Barbara

Birkirkara made it three wins out of as many matches under coach John Buttigieg as they beat an understrength Hibernians side yesterday in a more emphatic manner than the final scoreline suggests.

Birkirkara’s revival sees them climb to third place in the standings, well oncourse for a European berth which looked beyond them until a few weeks ago.

Hibernians were handicapped by the absences of key players like Agius, Da Silva and Chukunyere, all suspended, and although they had Pulis back in defence, they could never match their overall superior opponents.

The teams had radically different experiences in their previous outings. Birkirkara had beaten Msida to the tune of 3-1 while Hibernians went down against Sliema Wanderers after taking an early lead.

Birkirkara had Mallia missing while Monye was exiled to the bench. Their back-four line was made up of Micallef, Scicluna, Sammut and Bonnici in a 4-4-2 plan.

The most talked about episodes of a one-sided first half were two debateable penalty incidents, both involving Birkirkara, which one was ignored while the other awarded.

The first, after 12 minutes play, looked more evident from the press box as Ciantar was floored by a Pulis tackle from behind inside the 18-yard box. The referee however did not interrupt play despite the players’ protests.

Birkirkara were then awarded a more disputed penalty past the half hour after Larrosa, put through inside the area by Gale’s back-heeled pass, fell when tackled by Spiteri.

Etienne Barbara sent keeper Muscat the wrong way with the spot kick to put his side in front.

In between these two incidents, Birkirkara had gone close on several occasions to deserve their lead. Camenzuli’s long range shot was saved into a corner by Muscat who also footed out Galea’s low drive from the right. Then again Xuereb, standing on the goal line, cleared the ball before Galea could connect on Barbara’s cross from the byeline.

Hibernians looked aenemic going forward, although Birkirkara’s keeper Bledzewski was the first to be tested with a Cohen blistering shot, tipped over the bar, after only three minutes.

But otherwise, they failed to break down Birkirkara’s rearguard and consequently suffered a double blow just before the break. Cohen lost possession to Ciantar in midfield, after dribbling an opponent too many. Etienne Barbara chased the long ball played forward and placed it beyond keeper Muscat’s reach to give Birkirkara a two-goal cushion by halftime.

The second half was even less enterprising than the first with Hibernians failing to make a reaction, enabling Birkirkara to defend their lead with minimal difficulty. Galea’s diagonal shot narrowly missed the target and on 65 minutes Barbara’s shot, following a short free-kick played by Camenzuli, thumped against the upright to Muscat’s right.

Ciantar was foiled by keeper Muscat when well served by Galea before Birkirkara’s keeper Bledzewski produced a sublime one-handed save to thwart Bartolo’s powerful shot as late as the 72nd minute.

By the time Hibernians brought in all three of their substitutes, the game was clearly lost although deep in added time, the Paolites pulled one back through substitute Terence Farrugia, who shot in a short Birkirkara defensive clearance on a corner from the right. But that served only for statistical purposes.