U*BET FA TROPHY FINAL
QORMI- 1
HIBERNIANS- 3
Qormi:M. Farrugia, K. Thackray, R. Sammut, A. Effiong (J. Chetcuti), M. Avela Perez, L. Sciberras, M. Gauci, E. Zarate, D. Pisani, J. Bondin, L. Grech (M. Bartolo)
Hibernians: D. Balzan, R. Camilleri, J. Pearson (A. Pulis), R. Soares, A. Cohen, B. Kristensen, M. Dias (J. Lima), C. Failla, Z. Levnaic , L. Edison (O. Obeifule), J.P. Farrugia
Referee: A. Azzopardi
Asst refs: E. Spiteri, R. Vella
Additional Asst refs: E. Azzopardi, A. Arciola
4th official: T. Debono
Scorers: L. Edison 53, 67, M. Avila Perez 90, J. Lima 90+
Yellow cards: L. Edison, M. Avila Perez, M. Gauci, R. Camilleri, K. Thackray
Red cards: M. Gauci
Attendance: 4,276
Hibernians made up for their upset in the league with the U*BET FA Trophy win for the tenth time in the club’s history.
This was Hibernians’ fourth decisive match in less than 20 days after their win agains Valletta in the last league match, their lost championship decider against Birkirkara, and the semi-final against Valletta last Saturday, before yesterday’s final.
The Paolites reignited all their energies in the second period after a barren first half which provided little in terms of entertainment and, not surprisingly, no goals.
For almost a whole hour the fuse remained unlit. Then the match came to life as Hibernians made the breakthrough on 53 minutes.
Taking a double lead within 15 minutes through their best player Luis Edison, they remained firmly in command and, playing with an extra man for the last quarter hour, they dominated completely. Qormi’s goal on the stroke of full time did not deter the Paolites from scoring a third in added time to repeat the same scoreline of last year’s Trophy final, between the same teams.
Qormi’s third apperance in the FA Trophy final in the last four seasons, again ended in defeat.
But to be fair, Qormi were never in it yesterday. They suffered a setback within the first 12 minutes of the match, that might have had a bearing on their tactical plans, when their striker Alfred Effiong limped off the field after a strong challenge by Dias and was replaced by Joseph Chetcuti. That demanded Moises Avila Perez to move further upfield but he became too islolated, starved of any service and looking only a peripheral figure.
And with wide playerLeighton Grech subdued by Failla, Qormi were unable to up the tempo.
Their only chance to pull themselves into the match came shortly after conceding the first goal, with Avila Perez, clear inside the Hibernians’ area, being foiled by keeper Balzan.
And when their defender Matthew Gauci was dismissed for a second booking and alreadt trailing by two goals, Qormi knew that their time was up.
The controversial dismissal in the semi-final against Valletta, deprived Hibernians of their regular keeper Mario Muscat, with Daniel Balzan deputising in goal. Otherwise, they were an unchanged team with Zoran Levnaic again given the nod ahead of Jackson Lima.
Hibernians enjoyed slightly more of possession but neither side managed to dominate in a mundane first half, played in strong gales at Ta’ Qali.
Qormi’s Matthew Farrugia was the busier goalkeeper, but always up to task with his handling of high balls. Midway through the half, he was called to tip Failla’s menacing free kick over the bar and into a corner.
The Hibernians’ keeper Balzan was tested twice within five minutes towards the half hour. On a rare occasion, Grech went past Failla on the right and managed to deliver a testing cross, which was headed firmly by Zarate and saved by the keeper. Then Avila Perez stole possession after some hesitancy in the Paolites’ defence on the right. His low diagonal shot was palmed out by Balzan.
It was still goalless for
Jean Paul Farrugia turned well inside the Qormi area on the left. His shot was held out by keeper Farrugia as far as the unmarked Luis Edison who placed his shot at the far post.
Qormi were rattled. They needed to go out of their defensive shell, running the risk of conceding a second goal that would have killed all their hopes.
Hibernians twice threatened after taking the lead. Towards the hour Jean Paul Farrugia was blocked by Sammut as he connected well to Kristensen’s pass and from Failla’s resultant corner, Farrugia’s goal bound header was well saved by the Qormi custodian to keep his side into the game.
On 62 minutes, Qormi created their best opportunity to level matters when Thackray played a through ball to Avila Perez. Keeper Bartolo rushed out to thwart him with a plucky save.
Qormi were made to pay the price for that miss. On 67 minutes Failla penned a free kick from the right and Luis Edison headed in as Qormi were again found wanting in their defending.
To add further misery to an already demorilised Qormi, their defender Gauci was dismissed with a quarter hour remaining for a foul on Edison that earned him a second booking. Lima sent the free kick narrowly off target.
Hibernians should have made better of their extra man. Edison beat Sammut’s challenge and the keeper but his effort was cleared by Pisani.
On 79 minutes Edison threaded a square inviting pass to the unmarked Failla who shot horrendously wide with the goal at his mercy.
The Paolites continued to squander more chances in the dying minutes. Jean Paul Farrugia hit Failla’s cross wide and after a one-two between Kristensen and Edison, Lima was presented with an open chance but again he contrived to miss the target from inside the eight-yard box.
Qormi’s spirits were somehat revived on the stroke of normal time as the Hibernians’s defence was caught on the hop by Moises Avila Perez’s presence inside their area and the Spaniard flicked the ball delicately beyond the reach of the stranded keeper Balzan.
But all hopes were immediately dashed as Krtistensen ran havoc inside the Qormi area, crossed from the right and Jackson Lima made no mistake this time to secure Hibernians’ more tahn deserved triumph.