Mosta-Hibernians 2-1

Mosta: O. Borg, I. Grech, T. Farrugia, A. Carrozza, R. Grech, K. Zammit (A. Cini), M. Micallef, I. Zammit, B. Kaljevic (D. Pereira),  M. Brincat, G.M. Piccioni (Y. Messias)

Hibernians: J. Borg, T. Tabone Desira (Z. Levnaic), I. Radusinovic, R. Camilleri, J. Pearson (S. Chircop), A. Cohen, B. Kristensen, J. Lima, C. Failla, O. Obiefule, L. Edison (J. Degabriele)

Referee:  T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs:  J. Spiteri, D. Castillo

4th official: C. Lautier

Scorers: B. Kaljevic 13, 53, O. Obiefule 88

Yellow cards: M. Brincat

Player of the match: B. Kaljevic (Mosta)

TMI top 3:  1. B. Kaljevic  2. M. Brincat  3. O. Obiefule

Attendance: 1,089

Mosta started their committments in the Champiosnhip Pool with a win against third place Hibernians and maintained their winning momentum with this sixth consecutive league victory under coach Enrico Piccioni.

In truth, Mosta had the better of a tight but mundane first half but once they took an early lead and started to employ a direct approach toward the Hibernians’ goal, there was only one outcome.

In attack, Bojan Kaljevic and Gian Marco Piccioni combined to some telling effect and with Ian Zammit behind them and Kurt Zammit, Manolito Micallef and Ryan Grech tirelss workers in midfield, Mosta dserved the points as Kaljevic hit a brace.

Hibernians thus missed the chance to catch up with Valletta in second place as they were outplayed and outmuscled by sharper opponents. It had been a careless performance by the Paolites, but the most disappointing part was their lack of enough committment.

Hibernians welcomed back Clayton Failla after suspension, Ryan Camilleri returned after missing the previous match and the fully recoverd Andrew Cohen starting the match. Johan Bezzina was suspended in an otherwise by now familiar line-up for the Paolites.

Hibernians have been heavily relying on Obinna Obiefule for their goals lately. Yesterday, with Luis Edison only a peripheral figure, Obiefule  scored late in the game, albeit of little significance, his eigth goal in the team’s last five matches, to take his tally to ten already.

Mosta somehow surprised their opponents, breaking the deadlock before the match was half an hour old. The in-form Kurt Zammit played a through ball for Bojan Kaljevic to chase and beat the onrushing Hibernians’ keeper Jurgen Borg with a low drive.

At the time, Hibernians were playing with ten men as their defender Jonathan Perason was receiving treatment on teh touchline. He was subsequently substituted by Scott Chircop on 16 minutes, with Ryan Camilleri moving in the centre of the defence.

With Mosta taking the initiative, Hibernians were struggling on the flanks. Right back Tabone Desira, in particular, was at pains to hold the incursions of Micallef and Kaljevic. Mosta came up with routine shots from Piccioni and Ian Zammit but a lull in proceedings followed with very little action of note in either final third.

Hibernians showed some more vigour after the interval with Lima going close with a long range shot and Cohen’s low drive blocked by keeper Omar Borg. But any hopes Hibernians might have harboured of salvaging anything in this second half, soon vanished when Mosta hit them with a second goal on 53 minutes.

The Mosta goal was of the finest execution, Piccioni and Kaljevic combining well with the former playing a forward pass for Kaljevic to beat Camilleri on the run and the onrushing keeper Borg with his grounder.

Visibly rattled, Hibernians introduced Zoran Levnaic for Tabone Desira and reverted to three men at the back. They threatened towards the hour when the Mosta keeper Omar Borg missed the flight of the ball on a Cohen free kick but Obiefule failed to put his effort on target.

The Hibernians’ Nigerian forward was blocked by Brincat into a corner and on 66 minutes, Kristensen’s rasping shot was saved with some difficulty by keeper Omar Borg in two attempts.

On 74 minutes the inocuous Luis Edison controlled Failla’s cross but hit wide.

Mosta, who crowded their defence, still looked menacing on the break. On 84 minutes Piccioni ran clear as he chased a Farrugia through pass but shot against the foot of the post.

There was some scant consolation for sorry Hibernians two minutes from the end. Obinna Obiefule headed in Cohen’s cross but that served only for statistical purposes.