PEMBROKE ATHLETA-HIBERNIANS 1-1

Pembroke: M. Muscat, Z. Levnaic, A. Cini, L. Cutajar (R. Tanti),O. Bugeja, L. Grech, P. Barbetti (S. Arab), G. Villalobos, K. O’Brien, A. Martz, J. Togbah (A. Laudisi)

Hibernians: R. Briffa, J. Pearson, J. Lima, R. Soares, A. Cohen (G. Ribeiro), B. Kristensen, C. Failla, A. Agius, J. Mbong (M. Dias), Jorginho, J. Silva

Referee: L. Do Nascimento (Andorra)

Asst.refs: R. Carvalho, A. Terraze

4th official: I.Villamayor

Scorers: Jorginho 58, A. Martz 90+

Yellow cards: A. Agius, J. Togbah, J. Pearson, C. Failla, R. Briffa

Red cards: A. Agius

Player of the match: Jorginho (Hibernians)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Martz  2. J. Lima 3. R. Briffa

Attendance: 925

SILVIO VELLA

Pembroke halted a run of three successive defeats with this deserved draw against champions Hibernians as they made the best of their extra man for a whole hour, after the Paolites had central defender Andrei Agius sent off.

This draw, even if this point garnered at the death, felt like a victory for the league newcomers. It was a game that could have gone either way, with a plethora of chances for both sides, but after Jorginho’s  58th minute lead had looked like giving the champions three points Austin Martz responded in the third minute of injury time to ensure a share of the spoils.

Hibernians tweaked their side, resting Rui Garcia and Marcelo Dias, giving starts to Jonathan Pearson and Joseph Mbong and they never looked at their very best yesterday.

But that is hardly an excuse for their sluggish first half, during which they looked listless and despite all the running were hardly ever productive.

Former great Mario Muscat, starting in the Pembroke goal, was only troubled by a Jackson Lima early shot, a Cohen harmelss effort from the edge of the area and a Failla direct free kick. Muscat was always equal to task.

The most noteworthy episode of the half was the dismissal of Hibernians’ defender Andrei Agius, shortly past the half hour and following his second booking within minutes.

Pembroke, who had Laudisi not fully fit, gave a start to Leighton Grech to add to the speed of their strikinbg force of Martz and Togbah.

Despite forced to substitute the injured Louis Cutajar after only ten minutes, Pembroke  displayed plenty of spirit and also had their moments.

Midway through the half, Grech nipped inside the area past a static Pearson, his low cross shot was picked up by O’Brien who shot against the side netting.

On the half hour, a well rehearsed Barbetti low freekick, had Martz shooting low, only for keeper Briffa to hold out.

Hibernians were back on track in the second half though. Jorge Silva headed Jorginho’s cross slightly over before Martz’ rising shot on the other end was tipped into a corner by keeper Briffa.

On 57 minutes, keeper Muscat had to stretch himself to hold out Jorginho’s powerful drive, his stretched arms felling Cohen, but only a corner was awarded.

At this point, carelessness seemed contagious. Hardly a minute later, keeper Muscat missed the ball as he rushed out to meet a Failla sailing free kick and Jorginho could head in to give the Paolites some relief.

Pembroke’s defence slumbered a bit. Lima went close again with a long range effort and on 67 minutes, Jorginho was put through by Lima but Muscat blocked his goalbound effort and again turned into a corner Failla’s diagonal drive.

For the final ten minutes,  young keeper Rudi Briffa turned when severly tested by Laudisi’ shot on the turn. From the resultant corner, Villalobos’ rising shot went slightly over. Immediately after, Grech went inside the Paolites’ area from the right but was foiled again by the plucky Briffa.

In late frantic moments, Briffa again blocked Martz’s low but was finally rendered helpless deep into four minutes of added time as he first repelled substitute Arab’s shot, only for Austin Martz to fire in the top corner and earn Pembroke a deserved equaliser.

TARXIEN RAINBOWS-   1

FLORIANA-                      1

Tarxien R: A. Cassar, E. Baker, M. Caruana, B. De Oliveira, T. Tabone Desira, T. Caruana, L. Omeruo, C. Hevia Menendez (R. Bajada), L. Montebello (D. Meira Santos), A. Alves, J. Oliveira (A. Azzopardi)

Floriana: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Monticelli (S. Pisani), E. Pepe (S. Bonnici), Clyde Borg, Conor Borg (M. Piciollo), Juninho Cabral, J. Pisani, A. Scozzese, E. Briffa, N. Chiesa, M. Fontanella

Referee: R. Stewart (Wales)

Asst.refs; I. Bird, J. Bryant

4th official: I. Griffith

Scorers: J. Oliveira 12, M. Fontanella 84 pen

Yellow cards: Conor Borg, B. De Oliveira

Player of the match: B. De Oliveira

TMI top 3: 1. B. De Oliveira  2. A. Alves  3. Scozzese

SILVIO VELLA

Floriana stretched their unbeaten run to four matches now, salvaging a point with a late penalty, after trailing Tarxien Rainbows for more than an hour.

Tarxien’s central defender Bruno De Oliveira, who was outstanding at the back, was involved in the penalty incident, judged by Welsh assistant referee to have handled the ball inside the area

Both teams went into this match buoyed by wins in midweek and separated by only one point at kick off.

Floriana had beaten St Andrews 3-2, with their third win on the trot, while Tarxien Rainbows recovered from defeat against Hibernians with a 5-0 trashing of Naxxar Lions.

Floriana and Tarxien would have moved up to second in the Premier League with a win but a draw  scuppered that plan.

Injury to their forward Joao Oliveira at the start of the second half might have blunted some of Tarxien’s cutting edge but their too laid-back approach allowed their opponents to take the initiative too early, after taking the lead through Oliveira’s direct free kick.

Floriana coach Luis Oliveira, who is demanding more stability in his side, made  no less than five changes from their previous match, giving starts to Antonio Monticelli, Enrico Pepe, Juninho Cabral as well as Clyde and Conor Borg. Matteo Picciollo was again exiled to the bench.

Manuel Caruana and Timothy Tabone Desira were both back for the Rainbows as coach Jacques Scerri gave a rare start to Luke Montebello in attack yesterday. The latter’s move inside the Floriana area in the opening minutes, presented Menendez with a good chance but the Spaniard shot horribly over.

It took Tarxien just 12 minutes to open the score. Joao Pedro Oliveira’s curling freekick over the Floriana wall frpm the left beat keeper Calleja Cremona, who arrived late on the ball.

The Rainbows somehow retreated after taking the lead. Fontanella controlled Chiesa’s long ball inside the Tarxien area but his shot on the turn was turned into a corner by keeper Cassar.

Past the half hour, Chiesa picked a short defensive clearance. His grounder was blocked by the Tarxien keeper. It was only towards the end of the half that Tarxien again troubled Calleja Cremona, the Floriana shot stoper called to hold out Montebello’s shot from close range.

Early in the second half, Tarxien’s Pedro Oliveira was stretchered off and forced to be replaced by Ayrton Azzopardi. Soon after, coach Scerri withdrew Montebello and introduced Danilo Meira Santos.

Floriana’s counter was the inclusion of Piciollo for Conor Borg.

Floriana tried to move the ball forward but were woefully short of penetration. Tarxien, who had taken a very laid back approach, tried to hit on the counter. They went close of increasing their advantage on 75 minutes.  Meira Santos ran through on Triston Caruana’s pass but his shot was repelled by keeper Calleja Cremona.

As they looked cruising to a narrow win, Tarxien were punished with six minutes remaining, conceding a penalty for Bruno De Oliveira’s handling insode the area.

Mario Fontanella tucked it away to spare Floriana defeat.