Hibernians 1

Floriana 0

Hibernians: M. Muscat, E. Herrera, A. Xuereb, R. Soares, J. Pearson, C. Failla, A. Cohen, J. Lima, M. Dias (J. Vandelannoite), B. Kristensen, L. Edison

Floriana: P. Jansen, C. Cassar (T. Paris), J. Alandson (A. Grabowski), J. Borg (R. Darmanin), D. Pisani, I. Woods, C. Caruana, M. Micallef, P. Doffo, O. Bugeja, E. Akoto

Referee: M. Borg

Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, T. Debono

4th official: A. Azzopardi

Scorers: C. Failla 85 pen

Yellow cards: C. Caruana, M. Dias, E. Akoto, M. Micallef, I. Woods, B. Kristensen

Hibernians march into the semi-finals of the U*BET FA Trophy courtesy of a Clayton Failla penalty in the last five minutes of normal time against holders Floriana.

This was a rematch of last week’s league game between two strong contenders for this season’s honour. And, same as the previous week, more was promised rather than delivered.

This time, however, Hibernians deserved their win for making the better efforts, especially in the second half as they were frustrated time and again by Floriana’s keeper Patrick Jansen, making his second appearance in the Greens’ goal. And with some more luck, Floriana could have even stretched the game into extra time.

Floriana almost kept an unchanged side. Christian Cassar started the match but was injured after 18 minutes and forced to be substituted by Thomas Paris.

Hibernians gave a start to Dias, dropping Vandelannoite to the bench and were boosted by the return of Bjorn Kristensen in midfield.

Both tactically well organised, the sides stifled each other in midfield with the goalkeepers hardly needing to be in attendance in the first half.

The only noteworthy episodes were two half chances, one at each end. Towards the half hour, Edison’s shot from the right went across the face of the Floriana goal. And before the break, keeper Muscat palmed out Alandson’s cross from the left in the path of Joseph Borg who shot over from outside the area.

Hibernians looked more fried up after the restart and were denied twice inside as many minutes by the Floriana keeper Jansen. The Dutch shot stopper repelled Edison’s shot and then stretched himself to turn Kristensen’s grounder into a corner.

On the other end, Joseph Borg arrived fractionally late on a Doffo free kick.

The Floriana keeper kept his side into the match on 68 minutes, when Hibernians looked menacing with a long raking ball by Failla, as he blocked Edison’s shot and Xuereb’s header on the loose ball.

Three minutes later, Dias was stretchered off with Vandelannoite going in.

With only five minutes of normal time remaining, came the match’s decisive twist.

As Edison chased a long ball by Cohen he was felled inside the area by Akoto, who was lucky to escape with only a caution.

Clayton Failla stepped up to convert the all important penalty that knocked the holders out of the competition and keeps the Paolites well on track, even if denied a second goal in added time by keeper Jansen who blocked Edsion on Herrera’s through pass.