Hibernians easily disposed of bottom of the table side Sliema thanks to a brace by the best player on the field of play Jurgen Degabriele and thanks to a great goal from Wilfried Domoraud, who had a very good performance yesterday.
Jurgen Degabriele confirmed his magical moment and after saving Malta with a last-gasp goal in Larnaca, opened Hibernians’ account with a great freekick in the first half, and doubling the score in one of Sliema’s good moments of the game.
It was an easy victory for the league leaders, even though playing the last quarter of the match with ten men, against a sorry Sliema side who was only in flashes in the game. The Wanderers are in serious relegation trouble now and must improve considerably as this season’s fight against relegation is not going to be an easy task.
Hibernians did the early running but Sliema were never really in danger. Hibs’ first attempt caem on 13 minutes when Bjorn Kristensen headed slightly over the bar from an ideal position. After the Paolites early running, Sliema came back in the match, easing the pressuer form their defence and gaining ground in attack.
Half way through the first half Hibernians had a Domaruad freekick hitting the side netting and minutes later a Jurgen Degabriele goal was disallowed for an offside position. Hibernians broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when a Jurgen Degabriele precise freekick finished at the top corner of the net. Sliema replied three minutes later with a Danny Holla freekick going inches wide.
On the resumption Sliema pushed forward and gave the impression that they could put the leaders in difficulty and a Berisha effort just missed the target. But Hibernians had other ideas and killed the match with two well taken goals in the space of four minutes.
On 57 minutes Domoraud was unstoppable on the left and crossed towards Jurgen degabriele who could not miss such an inviting opportunity hitting home from close range. Four minutes later and Sliema’s fate was sealed when Domoraud powered his way forward and from the edge of the area fired a great shot that gave the Sliema custodian no chance to save for a very good goal.
The game was now dead and buried, even though Hibernians defender Ferdinando Apap tried to complicate things for his side when he received a second booking and will now miss next Sunday’s clash against Valletta.
But with ten men Hibernians controlled Sliema’s feeble reaction as the Blues were now resigned to their fate and completely demotivated, with the Paolites easy cruising to their fifth victory of the season to maintain their leadership in the Premier League.
Photo James Galea
