Valletta-Hibernians 3-2

Valletta:  N. Revishvili, J. Caruana, S. Borg, R. Briffa, L. Montebello (R. Fenech), H. Barry, A. Da Silva Souza (E. Agius), S. Bajada, I. Maisuradze, A. Nafti (L. Alliyu), L. Dimech

Hibernians: D. Balzan, T. Tabone Desira (A. Cohen), I. Radusinovic, R. Camilleri, J. Lima, C. Failla, Z. Levnaic, B. Kristensen (J. Bezzina), O. Obiefule, L. Edison, J.P. Farrugia (J. Degabriele)

Referee:  T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs:  D. Sultana, J. Spiteri

Additional asst.refs: A. Arciola, P. Farrugia

4th official: A. Camilleri

Scorers: L. Montebello 15, A. Souza 50, R. Briffa 57, L. Edison 77, 90 pen

Yellow cards: L. Edison, I. Maisuradze, L. Dimech, N. Revishvili

Player of the match: A. Da Silva Souza (Valletta)

TMI top 3:  1. A. Da Silva Souza  2. S. Borg  3. L. Edison

Attendance: 2,325

Valletta remain on track for their title showdown with leaders Birkirkara with this victory over Hibernians in spite of going through some anxious moments in the first half and in the late stages.

Hibernians did most of the running and were the better side for most of the first half, but Valletta showed them how to take the chances. An early goal after a quarter hour paved the way to Valletta’s win and two other goals soon after the restart, the Citizens seemed to have finished off sharp but profligate opponents. Lively Hibernians pulled two late goals from Luis Edison, however, to make the final scoreline of this entertaining match look more respectable

Valletta thus remain the only unbeaten side in the Championship Pool and following the 2-0 win over Sliema Wanderers, coach Andre Paus deemed it fit to retain the same starting eleven. That meant that there was no place for Ryan Fenech and Edmond Agius, both available after suspension, as Denni Dos Santos was again omitted from their squad.

Hibernains, themselves unbeaten in their last four matches, were bereft of the suspended Jonathan Pearson, with Clayton Failla starting as left back and Ryan Camilleri moving as centre back alongside Igor Radusinovic.

The Hibernians’ rearguard was culpable in Valletta’s opening goal on the quarter hour, following a good start by the Paolites. Bajada crossed from the left and Souza sent a counter cross from the right for the unmolested Luke Montebello, who had all the time in the world to stop the ball before shooting past the helpless keeper Balzan. The Valletta striker's form and confidence has been building in recent weeks since being given more playing time by coach Paus.

Hibernians’ response after 20 minutes came from an Edison shot that brushed the bar on Lima’s through pass.

Souza missed a good chance to double Valletta’s lead two minutes later as he foraged down the right but played the ball a bit too long with his first touch and was blocked  by the onrushing Hibernians’ keeper.

Suddenly the Citizens disappeared into anonymity as the Paolites began to run the show.

Hibernains had their moments as they pressed hard for an equaliser in the second part of the half. They won a series of corners and Edison and Obiefule  had efforts blocked by the Valletta defence.

Hibernains were extremely unlucky not to draw level on 39 minutes when Edison, challenged by two opponents, made progress through the middle, played the ball wide on the right to the advancing Farrugia who rattled the bar.

With halftime looming, Souza sent a low cross from the right. Again, Montebello was unmarked inside the Hibernians’ area but arrived late and failed to connect.

The second half was anticlimatic as Valletta doused any hope Hibernians mainatined of salvaging some pride with two goals before the hour.

On 50 minutes Hibernians lost possession too clumsily outside their area. Bajada delivered  an excellent cross from the left and Alan Da Silva Souza ran between Radusinovic and Failla to knock the ball past keeper Balzan.

Seven minutes later Roderick Briffa advanced through the middle on Borg’s square pass and beat the Hibernains’ keeper once more with a low drive.

With the points virtually secured, Valletta effected a double substitution on 63 minutes, putting in Ryan Fenech and Lateef Alliyu for Montebello and Nafti respectively and opted to knock the ball around with training ground easiness.

Hibernains also put in Andrew Cohen on 74 minutes and pulled back a consolation goal 13 minutes from time. Luis Edison played one-two with Obiefule, went past Bajada and beat keeper Revishvili with a rsing shot.

Valletta put themselves under unecessary presure on the stroke of full time, when conceding a penalty after defender Caruana tripped susbstitute Degabriele inside the area and Luis Edison reduced the arrears from the spot.

There were only three minutes of added playing time remaining and the final whistle brought some relief to the noisy Valletta fans.