Last-gasp Cohen foils Valletta

Valletta 1
Hibernians 1

Direct clashes between Valletta and Hibs seldom fail to live up to expectations in terms of ente rtainment and excitement.

Their first showdown of the 2007-08 Premier League was in keeping with that tradition as these two heavyweights of Maltese football produced another compelling encounter.

Early days these may be but both Valletta and Hibs came into their third league meeting needing the three points after a somewhat tentative start to the season.

Valletta drew first blood after just 13 minutes but thereafter, they ceded the initiative to Hibs, preferring instead to play on the counter.

The Paolites enjoyed the lion's share of possession but both sides created a hatful of chances with Mario Muscat and Saviour Darmanin, the goalkeepers of Hibs and Valletta, repelling almost everything that was thrown at them.

Valletta seemed to have done enough to hold on to their slim lead but Hibs were rewarded for their perseverance when Andrew Cohen headed in an 87th minute equaliser.

Suspension deprived Paul Zammit and Robert Gatt, the respective coaches of Valletta and Hibs, of a key player each.

Striker Ian Zammit was ineligible yesterday after his late red card in Valletta's 3-1 victory over Pietà. The same for Clayton Failla who was sent off in Hibs' 1-0 defeat to Floriana.

Failla's absence smoothed the way for Nigerian midfielder Uzeh Edafe to make his first start for Hibs, incidentally against his former team.

In defence, Jonathan Caruana was preferred to Aaron Xuereb while Nigerian-born striker Ndubisi Chuk-unyere was included in Hibs' squad for the the first time this season.

The return from injury of Stefan Giglio softened the disappointment caused by the absence of Zammit as the Valletta-born midfielder made his first official appearance since rejoining his home club from Sliema Wanderers this summer.

Barely a minute from the referee's initial whistle had expired when Valletta threatened to seize the lead.

Fastening onto an excellent through-pass from Gilbert Agius, Dyson Falzon drifted into the Hibs box but his effort was repelled by the on-rushing Muscat.

The Hibs' keeper appeared to have been hit in the face as he dived at Falzon's feet and spent a good two minutes lying on the pitch, raising fears among the Paolites' fans about his fitness to continue the match. Much to latter's relief, Muscat was back on his feet after receiving treatment from his team's medical personnel.

A jinking run by Cohen set the alarm bells ringing for Valletta as the nippy Hibs forward skipped past tackles from Kenneth Scicluna and Massimo Grima but his low strike was kept out by Darmanin.

The scoreboard was showing 13 minutes when Valletta earned themselves a glorious chance to put their noses ahead.

Hibs defender Adrian Pulis felt impelled to make a tackle as Giglio ghosted into the box but his intervention only served to send the Valletta midfielder tumbling to the ground. Referee Joe Attard pointed to the spot and Giglio coolly despatched the ball past Muscat.

It was then Hibs' turn to claim a penalty when, after 19 minutes, Scerri's grounder came off Josef Mifsud but Attard deemed that the Valletta defender had not used his hands to snuff out the danger.

The game continued to ebb and flow as Hibs went searching for an equaliser but, three minute shy of the half hour, the Citizens almost doubled their lead.

Lurking in the inside-right channel, Agius had time and space to pick out Monesterolo at the near post. The Argentine's flick was pushed out by Muscat who was alert to stop Monesterolo's follow-up.

At the other end, another Argentine, Hibs forward Julio Alcorse, powered through two City defenders but his angled grounder lacked the power to trouble Darmanin.

At the start of the second half David Camilleri came on for the injured Giglio.

Less than a minute after the restart, Agius and Falzon combined well but the final effort from the City captain was tamed by Muscat.

Darmanin did likewise at the other end, denying Alcorse who had shown exquisite footwork in surging his way into the box.

Hibs could have fallen two goals behind had the sliding Falzon made contact with Agius's curling cross from the right.

Within minutes, the score might have become 1-1 had Renie Forace not cleared a menacing low ball from Scerri who was looking to serve the unmarked Alcorse at the far post.

Valletta were now being subjected to unrelenting pressure by Hibs, Massimo Grima averting a potentially harmful situation for his side when belting away Cohen's cross from inside the penalty area.

Monesterolo could have given Valletta a breather but his diagonal effort hit the side-netting.

Hibs' response saw Scerri hitting wide after another set-piece cross from Cohen and Pulis did the same with a shot on the turn.

With 13 minutes of normal time remaining, a fine interchange between the enterprising Camilleri and Agius procured an opening for Monesterolo but the latter's chip was tipped away by the excellent Muscat.

Darmanin distinguished himself on 87 minutes with another fine save on Scerri's header but the loose ball dropped at the feet of Edmond Agius who re-directed it into the goalmouth. Cohen dashed towards goal to head the ball past Darmanin and send the Hibs fans in raptures.

Valletta: S. Darmanin-7.5, K. Scicluna-5.5, M. Grima-6, J. Mifsud-6.5, R. Forace-7, H. Backhaus-6, S. Giglio-6 ('46 D. Camilleri-6.5), C. Mattocks-6 ('78 J. Bondin), G. Agius-6, D. Falzon-6.5, S. Monesterolo-6.

Hibs: M. Muscat-7.5, A. Pulis-5, J. Caruana-6.5, K. Cassar-6 ('86 J. Vella), R. Mintoff-6.5, E. Agius-6, A. Cohen-7, P. Doffo-6.5, T. Scerri-6.5, J. Alcorse-6.5 ('66 N. Chukunyere-5.5), U. Edafe-6.5.

Referee: Joe Attard.

Scorers: Giglio 13 pen.; Cohen 87.

Yellow cards: Edafe; Mifsud; Cassar; Scerri.

BoV Player of the Match: Gilbert Agius (Valletta).

Next fixtures - National Stadium

Friday
4 p.m. Hibernians vs Mqabba
6 p.m. Floriana vs Sliema Wanderers.

Saturday
4 p.m. Hamrun Spartans vs Pietà Hotspurs
6 p.m. Msida SJ vs Valletta.

Sunday
5 p.m. Birkirkara vs Marsaxlokk.