Birkirkara 2
Hibernians 0
Birkirkara: R. Gauci, R. Scicluna, N. Vukanac, J. Zerafa, R. Camenzuli, R. Muscat, G. Sciberras, S. Bajada, A. Buhagiar, A. Moises (M. Camilleri), S. Shodiya (J.P. Mifsud Triganza)
Coach: P. Zammit
Hibernians: M. Muscat, J.Pearson (P. Anizoba), J. Vandelannoite (M. Dias), R. Soares, R. Camilleri, B. Kristensen (J. Bezzina), A. Cohen, J. Lima, E. Herrera, C. Failla, L. Edison
Coach: M. Miller
Referee: M. Apap
Asst.refs: W. Debattista, J. Camilleri
4th official: M. Borg
Scorers: S. Shodiya 41, R. Camenzuli 85
Yellow cards: A. Buhagiar, S. Shodiya, S. Bajada, C. Failla
Red cards: R. Muscat, N. Vukanac
Player of the match: S. Shodiya (Birkirkara)
TMI top 3: 1. G. Sciberras 2. S. Bajada 3. E. Herrera
Attendance: 977
Nine-man Birkirkara produced a remarkable victory to cut short any remote hopes Hibernians might have entertained of challenging leaders Valletta.
The Stripes, bereft of two regular players, the suspended central defender Rodrigo Pereira and the injured midfielder Paul Fenech, had to play an entire second half with 10 men after Rowen Muscat’s sending off on 35 minutes and had also Nikolai Vukanac sent off past the hour and yet they managed to score two goals, coming towards the end of each half, to beat a disappointing Hibernians side, lacking creativity and a cutting edge. Birkirkara produced a performance full of energy and industry that brought them a deserved win.
By virtue of Hibernians’ defeat, a point today will suffice for Valletta to clinch the championship with two matches remaining.
Hibernians were aware that they could not afford to drop any points. Yet they lacked enough self belief to accomplish that.
Their plans were undermined by the profligacy of Luis Edison in front of goal. The Brazilian, who has lost much of his lethality in attack of late, headed a Failla cross narrowly over in the opening minutes and then, on a Failla free kick, he reached before the Birkirkara keeper, only to head over.
A talked-about episode was Rowen Muscat’s dismissal on 35 minutes. With play interrupted for Hibernians to take a free kick, the Birkirkara midfielder threw a blow at Kristensen, which the referee was quick to spot.
Hibernians went close twice again with headed efforts from Edison and Kristensen.
But it was Birkirkara who took the lead four minutes before halftime. Moises cross from the left was missed by Soares, the ball hit Camilleri and fell in the path of Shola Shodiya, whose shot caught keeper Muscat off balance.
Hibernians were quick to put in Marcelo Dias for Vandelannoite and before the half was over, keeper Gauci fisted out Lima’s menacing inswinging corner from the left.
With Birkirkara retreating further, Hibernians tries to capitalise on their numerical superiority in the second period.
Herrera was unlucky when he ended a personal run with a shot that rebounded off the bar and on 55 minutes Edison headed wastefully wide Herrera’s testing cross from the right.
On the hour, Edison headed in Herrera’s cross but the goal was controversially disallowed for a fractional offside position of the Brazilian. Minutes earlier, Birkirkara also had a Camenzuli goal ruled out by the assistant when Moises was caught offside as he headed Bajada’s free kick towards goal.
The match took yet another twist on 65 minutes when Birkirkara’s defender Nikolai Vukanac also received marching orders for making contact with Cohen with an extended foot as both were involved in an aerial tussle.
Hibernians tried to up their efforts but were hampered by Birkirkara’s disciplined defence as Joseph Zerafa moved in the centre.
Cohen headed Lima’s cross over and on 75 minutes Lima’s free kick was cleared in the path of Failla who was in turn blocked by keeper Gauci.
Five minutes later Edison shot off target from close range and five minutes from time, Birkirkara struck the fatal blow. Mifsud Triganza, who had just gone in as substitute, provided the cross from the right, cutting the unbalanced Hibernians defence and Ryan Camenzuli anticipated Soares to beat keeper Muscat for his side’s second and assuring goal.