Birkirkara make it five in a row

Birkirkara 2
Hibernians 1

Down to ten men for the last 10 minutes and seemingly on the back foot in the face of Hibs' pressure, Birkirkara defied the odds by hitting a late goal to outgun Hibs 2-1 in yesterday's Super Cup showdown.

George Mallia was the Stripes' hero with a last-ditch winner after his defensive allies had endured some tense moments following the sending-off of goalkeeper Sean Sullivan for two bookable offences.

Birkirkara's resilience and Mallia's killer punch meant that the Stripes will keep the Super Cup in their trophy cabinet for the fifth year in a row. Stephen Azzopardi's delight at the arrival of Sullivan was reflected in his decision to hand the former Valletta goalkeeper his first start barely three days after completing his transfer move.

Sullivan was the last line of defence in a Birkirkara team replete with established players but still devoid of a host of other stalwarts, the likes of Michael Galea, Etienne Barbara, Jonathan Holland, Antoine Zahra, Adrian Ciantar and Roderick Briffa.

Hibs had another Roderick Briffa in their initial line-up but the Malta midfielder's namesake is a defender the Paolites snapped up on loan from St Andrew's in the close season.

Briffa and Pablo Cesar Doffo, from Argentina, made their first competitive appearance in a Hibs shirt yesterday. Injuries to Andrew Cohen, Jonathan Caruana and Jonathan Pearson, the unavailability of Adrian Pulis and the uncertainty over Falkirk target Udo Nwoko, left Hibs coach Robert Gatt with limited resources.

An interchange between Angelo Paradiso and William Camenzuli ended with the latter delivering a low shot which was easily parried by the well-placed Mario Muscat. This came after four minutes.

Birkirkara were the brighter side early on. Their efforts should have procured a breakthrough after seven minutes but for a fine Muscat block on Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza's volley. Lino Galea had been responsible for carving the inviting opening with an accurate pass to Mifsud Triganza from the inside-left channel.

On 14 minutes, Mallia attacked the unplugged space on Hibernians' left before putting over a shot which landed atop the crossbar.

The champions continued to call the early shots, Muscat keeping out a Mifsud Triganza grounder after Camenzuli's powerful incursion had unsettled the Hibs rearguard. As the first half moved past the halfway mark, the rhythm dropped.

It was not before three minutes past the half hour that a noteworthy chance was created. It came from the feet of Italian Paradiso whose free-kick flashed just wide.

Birkirkara appealed for a penalty when Mifsud Triganza looked to have been pulled by Aaron Xuereb inside the box but referee Chris Lautier was unmoved.

On the stroke of half-time, Doffo tried to surprise Sullivan with a free-kick that ended just wide. In their next attack, Birkirkara snatched the lead.

Calascione nodded past Muscat from close range following a Mifsud Triganza assist at the end of a sustained attack that had the Hibs defence in a quandary.

One goal down and largely second best in the first half, Hibs needed to react. Eight minutes into the second half, Ndubisi Chukunyere, picked out by Xuereb, powered past the tackles of Roderick Sammut and Mark Anthony Bonnici but his cross found no takers. Three minutes later, Chukunyere, full of incisive running, combined with his new foreign team-mate Doffo to produce an equaliser for Hibs. Doffo delivered the final touch, steering a low shot past the diving Sullivan.

Birkirkara might have restored their lead soon after when Mifsud Triganza's piledriver sailed just wide after taking a deflection.

On another occasion, Mifsud Triganza was thwarted by the agility of Muscat who arched backwards to tip away a dipping volley. Chukunyere was now causing Birkirkara endless problems with his pulverising fusion of pace, raising hopes among the Hibs' fans of a return to his best form.

Rather surprisingly, it was Birkirkara's French-Moroccan winger Hatim Sbai, yesterday employed in a defensive position, who tried to get the measure of Chukunyere.

Ten minutes from time, Sullivan's debut came to a bitter end after a late challenge on the advancing Scerri earned him a second caution and a red card. Andrzej Bledzewski replaced substitute Patrick Borg and saved Clayton Failla's effort from the free-kick.

Four minutes from time, Scerri swept past Bledzewski but his effort to curl the ball home from the distance proved futile.

Against all expectations, Bir-kirkara nosed ahead two minutes from time, Mallia firing home from routine distance after successive efforts from Mifsud Triganza and Paradiso had somehow been repelled by the Hibs defence.

Bledzewski then preserved Bir-kirkara's lead when pushing out Scerri's goalbound effort.

Birkirkara: S. Sullivan, M.A. Bonnici, L. Galea, R. Sammut ('79 P. Borg, '80 A. Bledzewski), W. Camenzuli, M. Calascione, H. Sbai, K. Scicluna, A. Paradiso, J.P. Mifsud Triganza, G. Mallia.

Hibernians: M. Muscat, K. Cassar ('89 T. Caruana), R. Mintoff, A. Xuereb, N. Chukunyere, P.C. Doffo, E. Agius, C. Failla, R. Briffa, M. Bartolo, T. Scerri.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Scorers: Calascione 45; Doffo 57; Mallia 88.

Yellow Cards: Doffo; Sullivan.

Red Card: Sullivan 80.