HIBERNIANS  0

QORMI            1  

Hibernians: M. Muscat, S. Chircop, R. Soares, R. Camilleri, Z. Levnaic (J.P. Farrugia), B. Kristensen, U. Nwoko (J. Nwoba), A. Ribeiro (A. Kardeck), C. Failla, M. Dias, A. Cohen

Qormi: M. Farrugia, K. Thackray, J. Chetcuti (G. Buttigieg), A. Bello-Osagie , L. Sciberras, S. Siritto, E. Zarate, J. Bondin, A. Cassar, S. Wellman, L. Grech

Referee:   T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs:  A. Camilleri, M. Scerri

4th official: K. Azzopardi

Scorers:  L. Grech 82

Yellow cards:  S. Wellman, U. Nwoko, J. Bondin, Z. Levnaic, M. Dias, R. Soares

Player of the match: E. Zarate (Qormi)

TMI top 3:  1. E. Zarate  2. L. Sciberras  3. R. Camilleri

Qormi struck late through Leighton Grech to clinch a surprise but deserved victory against Hibernians and maintain their revival, stretching their unbeaten run to four matches.

In a low key match, on the newly laid surface of Ta’Qali, Qormi looked better in the second half and made the most of Hibernians’ inept performance yesterday to take full points that lift them to within one of seventh placed Tarxien Rainbows.

Qormi  were good value for their victory for their energy, desire and dash of quality. They have also tightened up of late and this was the second consecutive clean sheet.

Hibernians faltered after three wins on the trot, looking short of ideas and worse still lacking conviction throughout. The failure to capitalise on long periods of possession in the first half, finally cost them.They seem to be falling below their usual impeccable standards with too much regularity.

Their only genuine threat came from Andrew Cohen’s effort which hit the bar just before the break, although Qormi were also denied by the woodwork, on Stephen Wellman’s free kick in the second period.

Both teams had won their matches in convincing style the previous week without conceding. Qormi easily disposed of bottom placed Rabat Ajax with three clear goals, while Hibernians showed more superiority against Mosta than their 1-0 scoreline would suggest.

Suspensions forced both coaches to make changes in their line-ups. Scott Chircop was given a start instead of defender Adrian Pulis for Hibernians while Stephen Wellman and Luke Sciberras replaced Roderick Sammut and  Matthew Gauci for Qormi.

This first round fixture between the two teams had produced six goals and plenty of entertainment but yesterday both ingredients were  completely missing.

The first half was pretty dismal stuff, with Hibernians enjoying plenty of possession without ever being productive. Hibernians relied on the inventive of their highly involved Udo Nwoko for supply from midfield but he was countered by Qormi’s Edison Zarate, who was always responsible to carve chances in Hibernians’ rearguard.

After a mundane quarter hour, Dias delivered a low ball across the face of the Qormi goal, but Ribeiro and Cohen both failed to connect.

Cohen’s free kick from the left was fisted out by Qormi’s keeper Farrugia. Ribeiro’s shot on Nwoko’s pass was blocked by the Qormi defence.

Midway through the half, Soares headed a Failla corner off target in one of many rehearsed set pieces by the Paoilites.

Towards the half hour Levnaic bundled Bello-Osagie inside the Hibernians area on Zarate’s cross, on one of the rare occasions that Qormi ventured into enemy territory, but the referee ignored Qormi’s claims for a penalty.

The first decent shot on target was delayed until one minute from the break, courtesy of a Bello-Osagie grounder which keeper Muscat saved well.

On the other end on Ribeirio’s effort, the ball was deflected in the path of Cohen who shot against the underside of the bar and a good chance went begging.

At the start of the second half, Camilleri twice saved Hibernians from awkward situations in defence when he stopped incursions by Chetcuti and Bello-Osagie with timely clearances.

Hibernians put in John Nwoba for Nwoko and later Brazilian forward Allan Kardeck replaced Ribeiro.

But Qormi carved the better chances, although play remained mostly chaotic. On 69 minutes Wellman thumped his fierce free kick from outside the area on the right against the upright.

On 80 minutes Siritto went past Camilleri and Chircop from midfield but was caught up by Dias who cleared the danger.

Two minutes later Qormi struck the fatal blow when Chetcuti played the ball down the left for the advancing Leighton Grech to dupe Soares with his movement and beat keeper Muscat with a low diagonal drive.

Dejected Hibernians were unable to summon any effort and even Jean Paul Farrugia’s late introduction failed to stimulate their damp spirit.