Superior Slovenians too strong for Hibs

Hibernians 0
NK Goirica 3
Velikonja 35, 59; Cvijanovic 57

NK Gorica, of Slovenia, proved too strong for Hibernians in the opening leg of the Intertoto Cup first round as two quick goals early in the second half all but killed off the Maltese club's hopes of qualification as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat.

Having to do without the suspended Argentine midfielder Pablo Doffo, the Paolites found the going tough against NK Gorica as they never managed to get their game going.

The Paolites came into this match on the back of a disappointing season in which they missed out on a place in the Championship Pool. Robert Gatt's men tried hard to get a positive result and keep the tie open ahead of next week's second leg in Slovenia. However, that was not to be.

The match was played in very hot and humid conditions making the task of both sets of players even more difficult.

The first chance of the match came from the visitors after six minutes. Enes Demirovic tried his luck from a free-kick on the left channel but his effort flew just past the upright. The Gorica captain was at it again from a similar situation minutes later but his shot finished just over.

Hibs's response finally arrived on 22 minutes when Jonathan Xerri created some space on the right before sending a dangerous cross-shot that was well punched away to a corner by Gorica goalkeeper Vasja Simcic.

On 34 minutes, Hibs goalkeeper Mario Muscat came to his side's rescue when he produced an excellent reflex save to keep out Etien Velikonja's shot.

However, the Paolites' resistance was breached a minute later.

It was Velikonja again who threatened when his first attempt came off the bar but from the rebound the NK Gorica forward made no mistake when he rifled the ball home off a deflection by Hibs defender Aaron Xuereb.

Three minutes from the interval Hibs came close to restore equilibrium when Clayton Failla was well served by the energetic Andrew Cohen but the U-21 winger saw his shot just missing the target.

After the interval, Gorica kept up the initiative and on 49 minutes Admir Krsic fired a rasping drive that was well blocked by Hibs goalkeeper Muscat.

The Paolites seemed to struggle to contain their opponents and three minutes later Milan Osterc was first to a Nebojsa Kovacevic cross but his header was deflected to a corner.

Gorica doubled their advantage on 57 minutes when from a Krsic delivery, Goran Cvijanovic drilled the ball over the advancing Muscat.

The match was all but over two minutes later when Velikonja slotted the ball past Muscat after he was again set up by Krsic.

The Paolites had a glorious chance to pull a goal back on 72 minutes when Cohen found Terence Scerri but the towering forward drove the ball wide in front of a gaping goal.

Late on it was the turn of Cohen to try his luck from the distance but his effort was blocked by Gorica goalkeeper Simcic.

Hibernians
M. Muscat, T. Fleri Soler, A. Xuereb, J. Caruana, A. Pulis, E. Uzeh, J. Pearson ('55 M. Bonnici), C. Failla ('89 A. Mifsud), J. Xerri ('79 T. Caruana), A. Cohen, T. Scerri.

NK Gorica
V. Simcic, A. Zarifovic, S. Komel, S. Zivec, A. Krsic ('73 D. Smitran), B. Djukic, N. Kovacevic, G. Cvijanovic, E. Demirovic, M. Osterc ('62 M. Kovacevic), E. Velikonja ('66 G. Galesic).

Referee Ovidiu Alin Hategan (Romania).

Yellow cards Failla, Uzeh.