Hibernians: M. Muscat, J. Caruana, E. Herrera, A. Pulis, R. Camilleri, R. Galabov, C. Callejas, C. Obi Ikechukwu, A. Cohen, B. Camilleri (L. Grech), T. Caruana (J. Pearson)

Sliema W: S.Agius, A. Muscat (M. Ciantar), I. Azzopardi, J. Mifsud, R. Fenech (C. Gatt Baldacchino), M. Scerri, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (M. Bartolo), I. Woods, L. Dronca, I. Ciantar, C. Failla

Referee: A. M. Sant Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, M. Debono 4th official: M. Borg

Scorer: A. Muscat

Yellow cards: M. Scerri, C. Callejas, E. Herrera, J. Caruana, I. Ciantar

Red card: M. Scerri

Trophy holders Sliema Wanderers won the Super Cup beating champions Hibernians in yesterday’s final with a spectacular Alex Muscat goal – beating the out of place Hibernians keeper Muscat with a perfect lob.

This, despite playing for more than an hour with ten men after Mark Scerri’s sending off for dissent.

The Wanderers - whose win could have been even bigger against greatly inferior opponents - when twice denied by the woodwork, thus laid claim as serious title contenders when the new season kicks off this weekend.

Sliema flexed their muscles in the transfer market this summer and tried to show their potential on as well as off the field.

They fielded four of their five newcomers, with only Clifford Gatt Baldacchino not starting the match. But there was no place for Matthew Bartolo, John Mintoff or Miguel Ciantar in the Wanderers’ starting eleven.

They looked sharper on the ball in the initial stages. Hibernians’ keeper Muscat was immediately called into action as he turned a Woods’ effort into a corner and a Ryan Fenech free kick went slightly over.

But as the half wore on, the Wanderers let the initiative slip from their grip.

Hibernians were eager to make that count but they looked rather jaded, devoid of self belief, the main characteristic which crowned them champions last season.

This season, Miller’s team has lost Failla, Terence Scerri and Soares Borges. Undoubtedly a trident not easy to replace. Yesterday, the Poalites were even bereft of the injured Aaron Xuereb. Pearson only went in as a second half substitute.

Their new face in attack, a certain Obi Ikechukwu, failed to impress. His contribution was two headed efforts and a looping shot, all off target. His runs were often stopped when caught in offside positions.

Ben Camilleri also performed below his best yesterday, especially with his poor delivery and was rightly substituted in the second half.

So it was left to Andrew Cohen to provide some inventive. When inside the Sliema area, on 21 minutes he tried to lob over keeper Agius who was out of his line, but the ball sailed wide. Another dipper of his failed to surprise Agius some time later and landed on top of the net.

On 25 minutes, the match could have taken a twist in Hibernians’ favour when Mark Scerri fouled Ben Camilleri outside the area and, after protesting too loud for a booking, was shown red by referee Sant.

Hibernians still looked impotent and unable to capitalise on their numerical superiority. Sliema went close shortly before the break when a Failla free kick was tipped over the bar into a corner by keeper Muscat.

Sliema regained the upper hand in the second half and created a couple of scoring opportunities that almost saw them take the lead. Mifsud Triganza’s header on Ciantar’s sailing cross was blocked by the grounded Muscat. Past the hour Mifsud Triganza’s powerful shot was parried by the keeper who deflected the ball against the upright only to rebound into play.

Sliema were calling the tune and although Hibernians had claims for a penalty, rightly ignored by the referee when Azzopardi tackled Cohen inside the area, the Wanderers held the grip between their teeth.

But their breakthrough 15 minutes from time still caught many by surprise – especially Hibernians keeper Mario Muscat – who was sighted well off his line by Alex Muscat to beat him with a perfect lob from just outside the centre circle.

It was more than Sliema deserved and Hibernians could only rely on their keeper, who made a point blank save on Failla, and the upright, which repelled substitute Miguel Ciantar’s grounder in the late stages, to avoid further derision and a more embarrassing defeat.

Sliema’s jubilation reached its climax when captain Ivan Woods was presented with the trophy by MFA vice president Carmelo Bartolo.