HIBERNIANS- 4
MOSTA - 0
Hibernians: A. Hogg, R. Soares, D. Boljevic, M. Dias (D. Vella), J. Lima, C. Failla (M. Moore), B. Kristensen, Jorginho (J. Bezzina), J. Degabriele, G. Ribeiro, A. Agius
Mosta: Y. Cini, A. Caruana, M. Toth, T. Farrugia, F. Onwudinjo, Z. Brincat (K. Jackson), D. Fenech, N. Priso (K. Reid), K. Frendo, H. Miranda (N. Frendo), C. Romero
Referee; E. Mangion
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, C. Azzopardi
4th official: T. Farrugia Cann
Scorers: G. Ribeiro 9, 53, Jorginho 21, B. Kristensen 30
Yellow cards: F. Onwudinjo
Player of the match: G. Ribeiro (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. G. Ribeiro 2. C. Failla 3. F. Onwudinjo
Attendance: 724
SILVIO VELLA
Hibernians extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a convincing victory against lowly Mosta that takes them temporarily two points above Balzan at the summit. The Paolites’ intent to pummel inferior opponents into submission from the very start, worked well as they took a three-goal lead by the half hour as Mosta served a feeble performance.
Gilmar Ribeiro, who scored a brace, was their penetrative and inventive man, with his pace persistently troubling the Mosta rearguard. He was rightly voted the man of the match.
Mosta again were a changed side with coach Hornyak dropping Oseghale, Mifsud Triganza, Calcado, Magro and Jackson for this match.
That rotation did not help to settle the instability in the relegation-threatened side. And after falling behind early, they had few options other than keeping nine men behind the ball in a danger-limitation exercise.
Photos Domenic Aquilina
Mosta remained far too slapdash, consistently forfeiting possession too cheaply and looked vulnerable defensively throughout.
The coach will be deeply concerned by yet another game in which his side failed to score, were thoroughly outclassed and displayed strictly limited fighting spirit.
Dejan Boljevic played as left back for the Paolites, with Clayton Failla in a more advanced role in front of him. That gave Hibernians more attacking options although it took them some time to settle. But their superior passing soon established them as much the better team.
All came in handy for Hibernians after nine minutes though. Failla played a pass to Gilmar Ribeiro who unleashed a powerful drive at the top corner from outside the Mosta area to give his side the lead.
Playing with more confidence, Hibernians continued to dominate and towards the quarter hour, a Lima cross from the left was missed by the Hibernians’ forwards.
On 21 minutes, Mosta conceded again from a set piece after Hibernians were awarded a free kick from near the byeline on the left following keeper Cini’s handling outside the area. Ribeiro played the ball short to Failla who let it run loose towards Jorginho to hit in a powerful shot, with the ball taking a deflection off Miranda before going in.
Degabriele headed Dias’ cross over five minutes later.
On the half hour came Hibernians’ third goal. Mosta keeper Cini looked unconvincing as he mistimed his sortie, to reach before the advancing Degabriele on a lofted long ball played by Bjorn Kristensen from half pitch, allowing the ball to fall behind him.
Holding to a three-goal cushion, Hibernians did not exert themselves too much in the second period but Mosta were still living dangerously. And on 53 minutes the Mosta defence was caught cold again.
Dias was able to direct a cross from the left towards the middle for the unattended Gilmar Ribeiro to run in and beat Cini courtesy of a close-range shot.
In spells, the game became rather scrappy after that, with both teams effecting all their three substitutions.
And even if, for a little while, Mosta succeeded in preventing Hibernians from passing out from the back and slowing their tempo, that failed to change the final outcome.
VALLETTA- 4
PEMBROKE A: 0
Valletta: D. Bartkus, J. Caruana (R. Briffa), S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano, J. Borg, C. Pani (L. Cremona), U. Uchenna, M. Velasco, L. Montebello (M. Mifsud), V. Alihno
Pembroke A: M. Calleja Cremona, O. Bugeja (T. Fenech), S. Racic, Z. Levnaic, D. Jawad, I. Roppas, G. Nagaoka, T. Radovnikovic, J. Okonkwo, B. Farrugia (D. Falzon), S. Eboh
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, C. Francalanza
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: L. Montebello 26, M. Velasco 56, U Uchenna 73, M. Mifsud 83
Yellow cards: M. Calleja Cremona, S. Eboh, L. Cremona, D. Falzon
Player of the match: V. Alihno (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. S. Malano 2. V. Alihno 3. B. Farrugia
SILVIO VELLA
Luke Montebello, Maximiliano Velasco, Umeh Uchenna and Michael Mifsud scored for Valletta, who were nowhere close to their best yesterday but they still easily beat a struggling Pembroke side.
Valletta were full value for a result that keeps them in the rearview mirror of leaders Balzan, whom they play next Friday.
Valletta have now won their last four league matches, conceding only once, and look well geared for the final straight.
Pembroke, bereft of confidence, and relegation bound, have now gone without a win in the league since the end of January as they remain rooted at the bottom of the BoV Premier League.
Pembroke, who had lost to Balzan the previous week, reshuffled their side completely and dropped goalkeeper Tabone, defenders Miguel Attard and Giannopoulos, Barbetti, Darren Falzon and Kooh Sohna.
Photos Domenic Aquilina
Coach Shakjiri tried to freshen up his side as Owen Bugeja and Zoran Levnaic returned in defence and Joseph Okonkwo in midfield, with Stefan Racic starting in attack after missing out on some matches lately. Bugeja was forced to be substituted after only 12 minutes.
Valletta made four changes from the previous week. Steve Borg and Jonathan Caruana were back in defence, Valdo Alihno started in midfield instead of Llywelyn Cremona and Luke Montebello retained his place in attack for the still injured Rowen Muscat. Leandro Aguirre was suspended.
It had been tight and tactical at the outset, with Pembroke closing the sapce between the lines and Valletta struggling to manouvre.
It might have been a forced change for Valletta when Pani was retreated after 19 minutes and replaced by Cremona.
Luke Montebello changed the complexion of the afternoon with the breakthrough midway through the half. He connected to Malano’s cross from the right, after the Pembroke defence made a mess with their clearance, to beat keeper Calleja Cremona with a scissors kick.
It came out of nothing but this is the sort of thing that can happen when Valletta are afforded a chance to go in front.
Although the champions kept control, with Alihno, Cremona and Uchenna coming to boss the middle of the pitch, there was little action of note in either final third in the firts half.
Pembroke showed up with a Racic direct free kick that keeper Bartkus saved well upon the resumption. Soon after, Valletta threatened as Malano ran through the Pembroke defence from the middle and as he tried to lob the ball over the onrushing keeper Calleja Cremona, Farrugia cleared into a corner.
But any hopes Pembroke had of salvaging something from this game were extinguished well before the hour when Valletta doubled their lead. Malano played a through pass to Alihno who played the ball square to Maximillian Velasco to beat the Pembroke offside trap, advance and shoot past the helpless keeper.
Umeh Uchenna’s goal on 73 minutes put the result beyond doubt and it followed a piece of superb solo effort by the Valletta midfielder who had the ability to explode a right-footed shot past the Pembroke keeper.
The Valletta fans were all on their feet to applaud the introduction of Roderick Briffa on 76 minutes after a long lay off.
Michael Mifsud, who had gone in as a substitute for Montebello, wrapped things up with a fourth goal seven minutes from time, taking possession inside the area before beating keeper Calleja Cremona with a piece of clinical finish.
Gzira U. 0
Sliema W. 1
Gzira U.: Jur. Borg, Jacob Borg, C. Gatt Baldacchino, S. Diamoutene, I. Azzopardi, JC Corbalan (CA Reyna), L. Zome, M. Avila Perez, Z. Scerri, A. Cohen (I. Adeshina), G. Conti (A. Machedo Neto).
Sliema W.: G. Sarao, A. Muscat, F. Temile (R. Spiteri), D. Dos Santos, W. Salomon (M. Sansone), J. Pearson, J. Mintoff (M. Muchardi), R. Correa, JP Farrugia, L. Incorvaja, G. Aquilina.
Referee: M. Apap.
Asst refs: D. Sultana, W. Debattista.
Asst additional refs: S. Pace, J. A. Utulu.
4th official: T. Debono.
Scorer: G. Aquilina.
Yellow cards: C. Gatt Baldacchino, D. Dos Santos, I. Azzopardi, A. Cohen,
Player of the match: D. Dos Santos.
TMI Top 3: 1. D. Dos Santos, 2. A. Cohen, 3. R. Correa.
Henry Brincat
Sliema Wanderers scored a late goal through Gabriel Aquilina to overcome rival neighbours Gzira United in yesterday’s derby at the Gzira Stadium.
Despite their victory, Sliema remain sixth on 32 points, while Gzira remain ninth on 24 points.
It was a richly deserved win for the Wanderers whose dominance, especially in the second half, was rewarded with that late strike which ended all the Maroons’ hopes of eventually winning a point.
Sliema had Mark Scerri and Bianciardi missing the match through suspension, while Gzira had all players available.
Play was more or less balanced in the first half, but Sliema had perhaps more possession, but were much more creative than the Maroons.
In fact, with Denni dos Santos dominating midfield, they approached the Gzira area with a lot of confidence, but were only limited to shots from outside the area.
Gzira were determined at the back with central defenders Clifford Gatt Baldacchino and Souleymane Diamoutene well in command.
In midfield veteran Andrew Cohen was very active, but Sliema were superior in this sector and the Maroons front line was almost inexistent – their strikers never really tested goalie Sarao during the opening 45 minutes.
In the second half, the match followed the same pattern, but Sliema now enjoyed a lot more possession and created much more than they did in the first half.
But they missed some really good chances and the Maroons could therefore breathe freely as they defended grimly in an effort to emerge with a point.
But their hopes were dashed to the ground in the 89th minute when Sliema scored their winning goal.
They tried to save the match in the final minutes, but the end, it was Sliema who had the last laugh.
The first action arrived on four minutes. It was a Denni dos Santos solo move ending with a curling shot that was punched away by goalie Jurgen Borg.
In the 10th minute it was again dos Santos to receive a good ball from Salomon, but had his rising shot going wide.
Sliema insisted on attack and eight minutes later, Temile tried his luck with a low shot from the edge of the area, but the ball went wide.
In the 32nd minute, Jurgen Borg had to dive sideways to turn to corner with difficulty a dos Santos freekick.
Sliema maintained some midfield dominance till the end of the first half, but neither side managed to breach their opponents’ defence.
In the 49th minute, Sliema were awarded a freekick, but Ricardo Correa’s shot was easily saved by goalie Jurgen Borg.
Two minutes later, Sliema appealed for a penalty when Farrugia appeared to have been floored in the area by Gatt Baldacchino, but the official, close to the action, ignored their protests and waved play on.
The Wanderers almost opened the scoring on the 65th minute when Gzira goalie Jurgen Borg was a great protagonist for his side as he just managed to tip the ball to a corner from a dangerous shot by Temile.
Four minutes later, the Blues again went close through Farrugia who had a close range effort cleared from over the line by Antonio Machedo.
Soon after, it was Farrugia who set Temile in the heart of the Gzira area, but the latter’s effort was weak and central and provided no trouble for Borg.
Ten minutes before the end Sliema again missed a sitter when Farrugia set dos Santos in the area; the Brazilian controlled the ball well but then lifted the ball over the onrushing goalie Borg, but also over the crossbar.
Sliema finally broke the deadlock in the 89th minute. A Ryan Spiteri shot was partially blocked by goalie Borg and there was Gabriel Aquilina to score from close in.
St Andrews 1
Tarxien R. 0
St Andrews: J. Galea, W Che, M. Johnson, K. Kesinovic, F. Udoh, N. Belacevic (R. Darmanin), I. Paz, Z. Kastrevec, J. Farrugia, A. Friggieri (J. Walker), K. Nwoko (D. Camilleri).
Tarxien R.: P. Schranz, E. Baker, E. Marcellina, T. Caruana (D. Micallef), D. Ponce (J. Galea), A. Nilsson, A. Agius (A. Azzopardi), D. Zerafa, A. da Paixao, M. Tabone, S. Borg.
Referee: S. Spiteri.
Asst refs: E. Spiteri, R. Aquilina.
4th official: C. Pisani.
Scorer: M. Johnson.
Yellow cards: M. Johnson, S. Borg.
Player of the match: M. Johnson.
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Johnson, 2. Z. Kastrevec, 3. A. Da Paixao.
Attendance: 423.
Henry Brincat
A lone goal by Michael Johnson in first half added time was enough for St Andrews to defeat Tarxien Rainbows.
Thanks to these three points, the Saints have moved up one place in the standings as they have joined Hamrun Spartans in eighth place, with 27 points.
The Saints coach Danilo Doncic had to do without the suspended Beltre and McKay for this match, while Tarxien were back to full strength with the return from suspension of da Paixao.
In the first half, play was more or less balanced but actions were few and far between.
Play was mainly restricted to midfield for very long stretches and really became boring as neither team managed a decent shot to test the two opposing goalkeepers.
Play did not improve much in the second half. The Saints frustrated the Rainbows who had to face stiff resistance as Danilo Doncic’s side elected to defend their slender lead.
So well-knitted was the Saints defence that Tarxien only near the end threatened to score an equaliser as goalkeeper Jake Galea was never really tested.
In the 17th minute, Aidan Friggieri indulged in a solo action which led him into the Tarxien area, but then lost the ball to Rainbows defender Daniel Zerafa who failed to control properly, giving the Saints an opportunity from a corner which, however, proved nothing.
Five minutes later, Marcelina’s pass to a teammate was intercepted by Friggieri, but the Saints striker hit weakly and wide.
In the 30th minute, Kyrian Nwoko had a shot blocked by a Tarxien defender. Moments later, from a Udoh cross, Nwoko was blocked by two defenders who thwarted and prevented the Saints striker from heading goalwards from a very favourable position.
In the 38th minute, Tarxien midfielder Marcellina failed to clear his lines in front of the area and Kastrevec was left with a good chance to strike, but his effort went just over the bar.
In the 41st minute, Tarxien managed to find the Saints’ net through da Paixao, but the point was disallowed on the flagging of the assistant referee for an offside.
In first half added time, goalie Schranz turned protagonist as he excellently turned to corner a close range effort from Kastrevec. But from the resultant cornerkick, taken by Ivan Paz, it was Michael Johnson who rose above friend and foe to head into the net via the crossbar, to give his side a first half lead.
Tarxien immediately went on the offensive in the second half in search of an equaliser and in the 49th minute, from a Tristan Caruana freekick, Baker saw his shot joing just wide.
On 79 minutes, Saints goalie Jake Galea did well to turn to corner a Julian Galea close range effort.
Near the end, both sides had a good chance to score. First it was St Andrews substitute Dale Camilleri who missed a good chance, sending the ball over the bar from an ideal position.
At the other end, it was Baker failed to connect to an inviting cross from Julian Galea.