Hibernians 1
Floriana 1
Hibernians: M. Muscat, R. Camilleri, A. Xuereb, R. Soares, E. Herrera (P. Anizoba), D. Balbinot, C. Failla, B. Kristensen (T. Caruana), A. Cohen, M. Dias, L. Edison
Floriana: J. Borg, D. Pisani, M. Micallef, P. Doffo, O. Bugeja, I. Woods (Jos Borg), A. Grabowski, L. Pessanha, C. Cassar (J. Mintoff), T. Paris (R. Darmanin), C. Borg
Referee: C. Lautier
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, S. Attard
4th official: G. Tonna
Scorers: L. Edison 45, A. Grabowski 90+
Yellow cards: M. Dias, D. Pisani, L. Passanha, O. Bugeja, L. Edison, T. Caruana, Jos Borg
Player of the match: L. Edison (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Micallef 2. A. Cohen 3. A. Grabowski
Hibernians paid dearly for their laid back approach in the second half, after taking a one-goal lead on the stroke of halftime and also contriving to miss a penalty minutes earlier, apart from twice hitting the woodwork. They now drop to second place, one point behind leaders Valletta.
Floriana’s equaliser, scored by Andre Graboswki in added time, denied Hibernians the win and earned them a late point that looked beyond them. That interrupted Floriana’s losing streak of two consecutive defeats.
Besides the long injuries of Tyrone Farrugia and Christian Caruana, Floriana also had a goalkeeping problem. With Manuel Bartolo handed a one-match ban by the MFA, after his sending off against Birkirkara, and Anamoo suspended by the club, teenager Jurgen Borg started in goal.
Hibernians made only one change to the side that drew with Hamrun Spartans the previous week. Diego Balbinot was back in defence and Soares was pushed in midfield with Triston Caruana making way.
Floriana made the more assertive start and pinned Hibernians inside their own half for the initial ten minutes, going close with a Grabowski incursion, after robbing Balbinot of the ball, blocked by keeper Muscat, and an effort by Pessanha going wide.
Gradually Hibernians started to find pace and rhythm of their own, especially when Cohen and Luis Edison started to combine to some telling effect.
On the quarter hour, Failla, deployed again as left back in the absence of Adrian Pulis, played a long ball forward for Edison who volleyed over the bar.
On 22 minutes Failla thumped his free kick against the bar but the action was interrupted for offside.
Woods limped off for Floriana midway through the half and was substituted by Joseph Borg.
Hibernians continued to look more potent going forward as they took the bit between their teeth, with Luis Edison again their main protagonist.
Past the half hour, the Brazilian forward hit the underside of the bar on a Cohen pass and Failla’s inswinging corner was turned into another corner with difficulty by keeper Borg.
Four minutes from the break, Edison ran in for Cohen’s through ball, after Kristensen had played him an intelligent back-heeled pass, and was tripped by Doffo inside the area.
Keeper Borg dived the right way to hold out Edision’s low penalty.
But the Brazilian atoned for that miss on the stroke of halftime when he chased a long ball forward by Camilleri from the right and beat the keeper with a smart volley.
Floriana put in John Mintoff for Cassar in the second period but still struggled to penetrate the Paolites’ defence.
Not that Hibernians looked much better after the interval as they tried to defend their narrow lead. When more golas did not follow however, they lost a little vigour.
An innocuous Bjorn Kristensen in midfield was substituted by Triston Caruana past the hour and later Hibernians also included Peter Anizoba for Herrera. But that failed to lift their game.
Floriana came up with a Clyde Borg shot from a distance.
On 77 minutes, their coach Michael Woods was sent off after a petty skirmish with Hibernians’ player Dias on a loose ball that went out near the Floriana bench.
Hibernains went close in the late stages. Bugeja headed Failla’s curling free kick into a corner and Luis Edison skied the ball inside the area on a Cohen pass.
Deep into added time, Hibernians were stunned by Floriana’s equaliser. Substitute Darmanin headed a free kick inside the Hibernians’ area and Andre Grabowski was quick to beat an opponent and keeper Muscat with a low diagonal strike to the delight of the Floriana fans.