BIRKIRKARA 1
HIBERNIANS 3
Birkirkara: K. Naumowski, F. Barbosa, M. Guillaumier (O. Rolovic), M. Andelkovic, J. Grech (E. Herrera), K. Zammit, N. Vukanac, C. Concalves, W. Ferreira, R. Scicluna, C. Attard (T. Agius)
Hibernians: A. Hogg, D. Vella, M. Kreuzreigler, R. Soares (J. Bezzina), M. Dias (Jorginho), J. Degabriele, J. Lima (R. Gomes), C. Failla, T. Tabone Desira, J. Mbong, A. Agius
Referee: M. Spiteri
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono
4th official: S. Pace
Scorers: J. Lima 62, J. Mbong 68, J. Degabriele 69, O. Rolovic 90 pen
Yellow cards: F. Barbosa, M. Andelkovic, R. Scicluna
Red cards: M. Andelkovic
Player of the match: J. Degabriele (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Lima 2. J. Degabriele 3. K. Naumowski
Attendance: 644
Champions Hibernians carried on where they had left before the break. A convincing 3-1 win over ten-man Birkirkara, thanks to second half goals from Lima, Mbong and Degabriele, lifts them into fifth place, two points behind the Stripes, as they head towards the right direction in their bid for a top-four finish.
The first half was punctuated by Hibernians' territorial superiority and nervous defending from edgy Birkirkara.
Birkirkara were weakened in bodies in the second half, following Andelkovic's dismissal before the break and completely succumbed to Hibernians' pressure at the end.
Hibernians showed pleasing aspects in their performance, in terms of their discipline and the platform they constructed to press into the final third.
With an extra man for the entire second half, and Birkirkara dire, the main question was whether the champions would summon enough quality to claim three points. This they rather did with conviction and plenty to spare.
Hibernians caretaker coach Mario Muscat dropped Neto and Jorginho and gave Jurgen Degabriele a central role in attack. Marcelo Dias returned after a long absence and started in a wide attacking role on the left, with Joseph Mbong wide on the right. Clayton Failla, also back in the side after missing the match against Lija, played as left back, flanking Kreuzriegler and Agius in central defence, with Tabone Desira on the right and Soares slightly in front of the back four.
Birkirkara had central defender Lucas Maia suspended and started with Herrera and Rolovic on the bench. Matthew Guillaumier partnered Andelkovic in front of their four-man defence, with Barbosa and Vukanac the central pair. Jake Grech and Waldemar Ferreira shared attacking responsibilities, but, surprisingly, lacked any menace.
In fact Hibernians' keeper Andrew Hogg was a relative by-stander throughout the game and was only beaten by Rolovic's late penalty.
Hibernians, visibly refreshed after the break, opened with a high tempo, forcing the Stripes into a collective retreat. They had already gone close on two occasions before the quarter hour.
After 10 minutes, Dias made progress down the left, on a Tabone Desira pass, but his shot ended narrowly off target.
Three minutes later, Degabriele headed Kreuzreigler's cross fractionally wide.
Midway through the half, Birkirkara keeper Naumowski rushed off his line to thwart Mbong, who nearly capitalised on an Attard short back header.
With wide backs Attard and Zammit being exposed time and again, the champions continued to look menacing. Lima and Vella met minimal resistance as they controlled midfield.
On the half hour, Lima's shot from a distance sailed over and the same player had his effort blocked after connecting to a Dias low cross that had cut the entire Birkirkara backline.
Short of the break, Lima ran in for Degabriele's pass but keeper Naumowski saved into a corner.
And deep in the half's five minutes of added time, Birkirkara's midfielder Andlekovic was sent off after fouling Dias and collecting his second booking within minutes. Club official Michael Valenzia was also dismissed from the bench following harsh protests.
That dismissal stretched coach Zammit's options. The Stripes played with two walls of four in the second half, with Grech retreating in midfield when Hibernians won possession.
But Hibernians soon exploited their numerical superiority and hit the Stripes with three goals within seven minutes.
Jackson Lima opened the scoring just past the hour, beating keeper Naumowski with his header off a Failla cross. On 68 minutes Degabriele provided the cross for Joseph Mbong to head in, with the ball hitting the innerside of the post.
Hardly one minute later, Birkirkara were undone by Hibernians' third goal. Jurgen Degabriele completed the route, picking substitute Jorginho's cross to hit at the top left hand corner of Naumowski.
The Birkirkara custodian saved his side from further derision as he blocked shots from Jorginho and Degabriele before the Stripes earned some scant consolation with a 90th minute penalty from substitute Ognjen Rolovic after he was himself floored inside the Hibernians area.
Tarxien dent Balzan’s title hopes
Relegation-haunted Tarxien Rainbows stunned Premier League leaders Balzan yesterday beating them 3-1 in what must have been the most surprising result so far this season.
In so doing, the Rainbows have dented Balzan’s hopes of their first ever title quite seriously. In fact, they could lose the leadership today if Valletta beat Hamrun Spartans.
And with just two matches to play before the end of the campaign, it is obvious that the more experienced Valletta have become absolute favourites to win the title.
Apart from Balzan’s defeat, it was a precious victory for the Rainbows who have lifted themselves to a healthier place in the standings, though not yet out of trouble.
Tarxien thought they had taken the lead on seven minutes when Boubacar Traore found the net after being served by Faria, but the point was disallowed on the flagging of the assistant referee for an offside infringement.
Balzan here took the initiative but rarely looked dangerous in front of goal.
The Rainbows stunned the leaders on 35 minutes when they took a surprise lead. It was again Faria who crossed over for Traore to head past goalie Sean Mintoff.
Balzan reacted and on 41 minutes, Kaljevic controlled the ball well, but saw his effort well saved by goalie Cassar.
Balzan also had another chance before the interval as da Paixao Alves saw his good effort going over.
Balzan were more determined on the changeover, but Cassar made a good save off Ljubomirac and da Paixao again had a good effort going wide.
They went close to an equalizer on 58 minutes as Michael Johnson hit the crossbar with a header, followed by another Cassar save on a Paul Fenech shot.
Tarxien doubled their lead on 74 minutes through Edward Calin, but Balzan fought back into contention, scoring through Alex da Paixao Alves with a low shot.
Balzan appealed in vain for a penalty on 83 minutes when Milos Lepovic might have been fouled, but referee Zammit opted for a yellow card to the Balzan player for simulation. As it was his second card, he was dismissed and Balzan had to continue with 10 men.
Two minutes later, it was 3-1 for the Rainbows as Tounkara beat Mintoff with a low shot.
Atkinson rekindles Saints' hopes in crucial win
LIJA ATHLETIC 1
ST ANDREWS 2
Lija A: J. Martinelli, P. Borg, L. Muscat, D. Scerri, A. Bello Osagie, A. Sammut, M. Clinch, K. Hirose, E. Beu, R. Kooh Sohna (R. Sammut), O. Sidibe
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Borg, M. Miranda Gomez, J. Farrugia, J. Vandelannoite, R. Martin (M. Grima), M. Gauci, K. Atkinson, D. Jackson (J. Walker), K. Reid, T. Blagrove
Referee: L. Texeira (Andorra)
Asst.refs: H. Jourdan, M. San Juan
4th official: J. Guiu
Scorers: K. Atkinson 36, 57, E. Beu 70
Yellow cards: R. Martin, J. Walker, J. Farrugia
Player of the match: K. Atkinson (St Andrews)
TMI top 3: 1. K. Atkinson 2. M. Miranda Gomez 3. E. Beu
St Andrews had won only once in nine matches since the start of this year, but victory against already doomed Lija Athletic yesterday, thanks to a Kevaughn Atkinson brace in a scrappy and poor game, boosted their survival prospects. They now move four points above penultimate team Naxxar Lions and a direct encounter against Tarxien Rainbows still to play on the last day.
St Andrews, in greater need of the points, were more sprightly and fully deserved their win against opponents with such fragile confidence, although they demonstrated some anxiety after Lija halved their two-goal lead 20 minutes from time.
Coach Michael Woods kept faith with most of his players who performed so well in the narrow defeat by Valletta. Only Matthew Gauci and Degran Jackson replaced Tano Azian and Marcus Grima in St Andrews' starting eleven.
Lija made five changes following the drubbing against Hibernians before the break. Abubaker Bello Osagie, Rapha Kooh Sohna and Ousmane Sidibe started the match, with Joanthan Martinelli deputising for Bonnici in goal.
Buoyant by that encouraging performance, St Andrews must have sensed that their already relegated opponents were there for the taking.
But it took them quite a while to make their grip on the match.
Although dominating possession, they struggled to carve out chances and it was only towards the half hour that they really threatened with a Jackson shot from the edge of the area that rebounded off the upright.
Lija responded with a Beu low shot from outside the area that was easily saved by the grounded keeper Calleja Cremona before St Andrews broke the daedlock on 36 minutes.
They were gifted by the Lija keeper's hesitancy as he failed to reach for a Farrugia cross from the right and Kevaughn Atkinson bundled the ball over the line.
St Andrews could have put the match to bed early at the start of the second half but fluffed two good chances within the first ten minutes.
When Reid took the ball in his stride, he cut inside the Lija area from the left but hit wastefully wide.
On 55 minutes, Reid's other effort from outside the area on the left clipped the foot of the far post with the Lija keeper beaten.
But two minutes later, St Andrews doubled their lead when Kevaughn Atkinson picked Reid's cross and beat keeper Martinelli.
Erjon Beu pulled one back for Lija 20 minutes from time, driving a low diagonal shot past Calleja Cremona on a Bello Osagie through pass and Lija discovered a sense of urgency as the game came to a climax. On 82 minutes, a Beu free kick caused panic inside the Saints area and when St Andrews broke away, Reid hesitated too long when faced by the Lija keeper who thwarted him just inside the area.
Samb strikes keep Gzira firmly in third place
Naxxar L. 0
Gzira U. 2
Naxxar L.:J. Polli Gomes, R. SH Caetano, M. Souza Duarte, R. Grech, M. Micallef, D. Falzon, D. Bonnici, DM Bustos (K. Pulo), M. Belhadj (RG Cassar), D. Belhadj (M. Fenech), Y. Messias.
Gzira U.: A. Curmi, R. Briffa, S. Borg, D. Mambouana, C. Gatt Baldacchino, Z. Scerri, E. Zarate Bilbao, H. Garba (K. Thackray), A. Cohen, A. Samb (N. Muscat), N. Okoye (J. Corbolan).
Referee: M. Degabriele.
Asst refs: L. Portelli, W. Debattista.
4th official: J.A. Utulu.
Scorers: A. Samb 2, one pen.,
Yellow cards: C. Gatt Baldacchino, N. Okoye, A. Samb,
Red card: D. Falzon
Player of the match: A. Cohen.
TMI Top 3: 1. A. Cohen, 2. Duane Bonnici, 3. R. Briffa.
Two Samb strikes - one of them a penalty - gave Gzira all the three points against a resilient Naxxar side who had to play for about 70 minutes with a man fewer.
The Lions needed points badly from this match in their quest to avoid relegation, but two somewhat harsh decisions brought about their downfall.
In the first incident, Daren Falzon was deemed to have elbowed a Gzira defender, perhaps unintentionally. He was shown a red card leaving his team playing in 10 men. Soon after, Gzira took the lead through a disputed penalty, but from then onwards, it was always an uphill task for the 10-man Lions.
Gzira showed superiority in the first half, albeit after those two refereeing decisions in their favour.
They dominated midfield play, but Naxxar defended stubbornly and managed to keep in touch.
Playing in numerical inferiority, Naxxar rarely, if ever, threatened the Gzira goal where Anthony Curmi had a relatively easy 45 minutes.
In the second half, despite having a man less, Naxxar were bold enough to take the game to their opponents and created at least two good scoring opportunities.
But having failed to make the most of these chances, they finally had to bow their heads to the Maroons who re-took control of midfield to score a second goal which gave them their three-point assurance.
With the wind blowing behind their backs, Gzira took the initiative and on the 5th minute, a dangerous low cross from Okoye was cleared with difficulty by a Naxxar defender before Samb could conclude.
The match quickly became an uphill task for the Lions as in the 13th minute, they ended up in 10 men when Daren Falzon was deemed to have elbowed a Gzira defender and the official was prompt to show him a red card.
In the 18th minute it was Souza Duarte who cleared to corner from over the line a Samb effort, but from the resultant cornerkick, Mr Degabriele noted an infringement in front of the Naxxar goal and showed no hesitation in awarding Gzira a penalty from which Amadou Samb made no mistake to give the Maroons the lead.
Before the penalty kick was taken, the referee also showed a red card to Naxxar reserve goalie Omar Borg who must have passed some remarks to the 4th official, Mr Utulu.
In the 41st minute, Gzira went close to adding a second goal when following a Cohen good cross, the ball was cleared out to Ndubisi Okoye, whose effort missed the target by a few centimetres.
Soon after the start of the second half, Gzira threatened through a Garba cross-shot which passed across goal, but found no takers in front of goal.
Naxxar almost equalised in the 63rd minute. It had to be a fine save from Curmi off a Duane Bonnici shot after a fine solo incursion into the Gzira area by the latter that kept their minimal lead safe.
In the 67th minute, Curmi was again called into action, this time saving an angled shot from Bustos.
Gzira assured themselves of the three points on the 71st minute. Cohen beautifully set Roderick Briffa on the right and the latter's cross found Samb well placed to head home past a helpless Polli Gomes.
Naxxar retaliated briefly as Messias had a fine effort just missing the target on 76 minutes.
In the 90th minute, Man of the Match Andrew Cohen set substitute Juan Corbolan in the Naxxar area, but his shot went just wide.