VALLETTA                          2

HIBERNIANS                      1

Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano (J. Borg), M. Piciollo, E. Beltre’, J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, R. Muscat, M. Alba (C. Pani), A. Prosa (K. Nwoko)

Hibernians: A. Hogg, D. Vella, M. Kreuzreigler, R. Soares, C. Failla (J. Mbong), J. Bezzina (J. Degabriele), J. Lima, T. Tabone Desira, A. Agius, Jorginho, G. Gorozia (A. Neto)

Referee: A.M. Sant

Asst.refs: R. Vella, P. Apap

Additional asst.refs: F. Zammit, E. Mangion

4th official: T. Debono

Scorers: S. Malano 25. A. Prosa 30, J. Degabriele 43

Yellow cards: J. Lima, E. Beltre’, A. Agius, J. Mbong, R. Soares

Player of the match: S. Malano (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. S. Malano 2. J. Zerafa 3. J. Lima

Attendance: 2,571

Valletta kept up the pressure on the Premier League leaders Balzan, with a convincing 2-1 victory over reigning champions Hibernians at Ta’ Qali yesterday.

With Balzan winning on Saturday and opening a four-point lead at the top, the pressure was on Valletta who could not afford any slip in order to close the gap to one point with four games to go.

The final score does not reflect Valletta’s supremacy throughout the game. Goals by Malano and Prosa in the opening half set them on course for this win, before Hibernians pulled one back through substitute Jurgen Degabriele by halftime and then almost stopped Valletta’s hearts beating after hitting the bar in the match’s added time.

Valletta squandered several chances in the second half that held them from sending the match to bed early and almost paid a hefty price.

Hibernians laboured through much of this contest, against a Valletta team with big title ambitions of their own.

Hibernians had to get used to life after Mark Miller, who parted ways with the club last week. With Mario Muscat, their goalkeeper’s coach, directing proceedings from the touchline, the champions stayed tight, with a line of three in front of their back four, without Joseph Mbong yesterday. Jurgen Degabriele was also dropped to the bench, with Johan Bezzina and Timothy Tabone Desira starting instead, but was introduced after the half hour to replace the limping Bezzina.

To the latter fell the match’s first chance after 23 minutes, when he created an opening in the Valletta defence, but the ball spun off the legs of the grounded Bonello, back in their goal yesterday.

Valletta coach Danilo Doncic read the first half right. The Citizens were dominant and assertive. They also had a plan that was working. With Albert Prosa playing as the central striker, Piciollo and Saleh were given freedom to roam in the wide areas behind him, opening spaces for Alba, Malano and Muscat to advance from the middle in a 4-3-3 formation.

They quickly gained the upperhand and built a comfortable two-goal cushion within five minutes before the half hour. Midway through the half, Salah advanced down the right and crossed for Santiago Malano to drive the ball low past keeper Hogg.

Malano also instigated Valletta’s second on the half hour, as he headed the ball towards the middle, on an Alba lofted free kick from midfield inside the Hibernians area, and Albert Prosa was on hand to knock it over the line.

Jurgen Degabriele gave the Paolites some renewed heart two minutes before the break as he hit Lima’s cross from the left on the volley past keeper Bonello.

Valletta’s nerves were jangled unduly.

Their task in the second half was to keep their foot on Hibernians’ throat. They continued to play with spirit and craft.

On 54 minutes Zerafa shot against the side netting when served by Piciollo’s back-heeled pass. Then Piciollo went past Tabone Desira down the left. Hogg intercepted his cross.

A rare chance by Hibernians on the hour had Gorozia’s effort blocked into a corner by the Valletta defence, before the Citizens replaced Alba with Claudio Pani.

Although the Paolites put in  Arlindo Neto and Joseph Mbong, Valletta went in search of the assuring third goal and looked the more likely to score.

On an inviting Zerafa cross from the left, Salah arrived clumsily to shoot wide. And when Piciollo outpaced Soares inside the Hibernians area, his shot missed the target.

And the match built towards a crescendo finish, thanks to Valletta’s increased efforts to make the points safe.

In the final ten minutes, on a low cross from other substitute Kyrian Nwoko, Andrei Agius slipped but Piciollo put his effort narrowly wide.

Saleh also put Nwoko through but keeper Hogg rushed out to block at his feet.

Despite all their territorial dominance, Valletta had to survive a late scare deep into five minutes of added time. They were almost caught cold by a Degabriele shot that rebounded off the bar and back in play before Valletta could clear the danger and breathe freely again.

They remain unbeaten in the new year.

Gzira stride into third with goal feast

MOSTA                               3

GZIRA UNITED                  5

Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, M. Sammartino, T. Veronese (J. Grech) K. Magro, D. Bartulovic, T. Farrugia, Z. Brincat (K. Frendo), D. Xuereb, I. Maric, D. Nworha (I. Bangoura)

Gzira U: A. Curmi, R. Briffa, S. Borg, C. Gatt Baldacchino, D. Mambouana, M. Avila Perez, A. Cohen (M. Neto), E. Zarate (J. Corbolan), H. Garba (L. Brincat), N. Muscat, N. Okoye

Referee: P. Farrugia

Asst.refs: J. Spiteri, W. Debattista

4th official: J. Utulu

Scorers: A. Cohen 8, 11, D. Bartulovic 16 pen, 83, N. Okoye 18, 52 L. Ferreira 34, H. Garba 49

Yellow cards: D. Nworha, K. Magro, T. Veronese, D. Xuereb

Player of the match: A. Cohen (Gzira U)

TMI top 3: 1. A. Cohen 2. N. Muscat 3. N. Okoye

Andrew Cohen returned from suspension yesterday and scored twice within three minutes to pave this comfotable win for Gzira United, against messy Mosta, that lifts them into third place, one point above Birkirkara.

His display invigorated the Maroons’ challenge for a top four finish and highlighted the shorcomings of their opponents.

Dominant in central midfield against opponents averse to competing for second balls, Gzira’s duo of Cohen and Nikolai Muscat, impressive as they were, have rarely enjoyed such a straightforward afternoon.

Gzira scored at will even if they had striker Amadou Samb missing through suspension, with Ndubisi Okoye also scoring a brace and Haruna Garba getting the fifth.

For the second consecutive week, lax defending proved the catalyst behind another heavy defeat that leaves Mosta winless in five matches now.

Mosta’s fragility at the back was exposed early. They were already two goals down within the opening 11 minutes after Andrew Cohen first volleyed Muscat’s cross from the left over goalkeeper Andreas Vella from outside the area.

On 11 minutes, following Okoye’s good work  and low cross from the byeline on the right, Cohen spipped the ball past the helpless Mosta keeper.

Mosta, who had defender Davide Mansi also suspended yesterday, halved the deficit past the quarter hour when awarded a penalty after Gatt Baldacchino felled Farrugia inside the area. Damir Bartulovic tucked it away. This was the first goal Mosta have scored in their last five outings.

Their joy was short-lived though. Two minutes later Ndubisi Okoye turned and twisted inside the Mosta area and found space to beat keeper Vella with a low drive to re-establish a two-goal cushion.

The spectators were treated to more inept defending on 34 minutes. Gzira’s central defender Mambouana cleared the ball straight at Mosta’s Bartulovic who advanced clear, but after being thwarted by keeper Curmi, Leonardo Ferreira headed in from close range.

Gzira were quick to stretch their advantage and make it look more comfortable after the interval. On 49 minutes, Cohen played a long pass forward for Haruna Garba who, free of company, advanced to chip the ball over the onrushing keeper.

With Mosta totally in disarray, their goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net again three minutes later, this time beaten by Ndubisi Okoye who rattled in at the near post from the right after being served by Muscat.

With the points virtually secured, Gzira eased down. But by the time Bartulovic advanced inside the the Mosta area, going past Gatt Baldacchino, sending a low cross shot that was cleared by Borg, almost an hour had elapsed.

But there was still time for one more goal and that came from Mosta seven minutes from the end as Damir Bartulovic headed in a Veronese corner from the left.

However, that failed to hold Gzira from toasting an important win.