Valletta go extra mile to keep treble dream alive

Valletta 1
Denni 99;
Hibernians 0

(after extra-time)

For much of the regular 90 minutes, it looked as though the Valletta players looked jaded and devoid of inspiration as they laboured to establish a foothold in their U*Bet FA Trophy quarter-final against Hibs.

The Paolites had battled valiantly to stifle Valletta’s creativity with their players displaying remarkable commitment in pursuit of a berth in the semi-finals of the U*Bet FA Trophy.

For a period in the second half, it appeared that Hibs’ efforts were going to pay the desired dividends as their increasing pressure had the erstwhile low-key Citizens in a tangle but the Trophy holders refused to wilt.

Urged on by the rejuvenated Ryan Fenech, Valletta seized the initiative in the closing stages. The woodwork kept the gallant but fading Hibs in it as Fenech’s drive came off the post but it proved to be a temporary as Valletta clicked into gear in extra-time to strike the knock-out blow through Denni and keep their treble dream alive.

With Roderick Briffa still sidelined with a hamstring problem, the unavailability of regular centre-half Jonathan Caruana, who was down with flu, added to Valletta coach Jesmond Zerafa’s defensive concerns.

Having filled in for Briffa at right-back in the last two matches, Steve Borg was restored to central defence where he partnered Brazilian Ramon while Edmond Agius was detailed to patrol the right flank.

Zerafa’s changes were not restricted to defence as injury deprived the City coach of Gilbert Agius. The Valletta captain was replaced by Jamie Pace who was making a return to the first team after suspension kept him out of Sunday’s derby win. Also earning a recall to Valletta’s first team was Kevin Sammut who flanked Pace in central midfield.

The absence of three first-choice Valletta players will have heightened Hibs coach Mark Miller’s spirits ahead of this FA Trophy clash.

Miller’s team selection contained one surprise as Matt Clarke was assigned a starting role in place of Dutch winger Abdellilah Taki who started on the bench after being unwell for most of the week.

Clarke’s inclusion was perhaps indicative of Miller’s intent to increase his side’s physical prowess, especially in set-pieces. The towering English defender picked up the left-back role as Adrian Pulis moved to midfield in a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Valletta’s tactical configuration was 4-3-1-2 with Terrence Scerri and Andrade leading their attack and Denni operating in the proverbial hole between midfield and the forward line.

The early exchanges were bereft of constructive football with the result that scoring opportunities were non-existent.

On 19 minutes, Hibs goalkeeper Mario Muscat ventured out of his box to intercept a long ball but he made a hash of controlling the ball. Andrade pounced on the loose ball but the Brazilian was promptly closed down by Clarke.

It was not before 28 minutes from the start of the game had elapsed when either goalkeeper was forced into his first intervention. Valletta’s Andrew Hogg did well to dive to his right to block a dangerous Andrew Cohen’s cross-cum-shot from a free-kick.

Hibs’ strategy in these early stages was to deliver the ball to either Cohen or Paul McManus who made constant runs forward in an attempt to pull the City defence out of shape. For all his commitment, the Scottish striker struggled to make an impact as he was well marshalled by Ramon.

With 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Valletta had the best chance to forge ahead when Andrade’s cross from the right sailed towards the unmarked Denni but the latter’s tame header presented no trouble to Muscat.

A City counter-attack disconcerted the Hibs rearguard as Scerri teed up Denni in a central position but the Brazilian’s drive was blocked by Muscat.

At the other end, Borg got in Edward Herrera’s way after the Hibs winger had surged past Ramon.

Referee Andre Arciola’s half-time whistle came as something of a relief after 45 minutes of dull football. Valletta terribly missed Gilbert Agius’s calming influence in midfield as they found it hard to find their usual rhythm in the opening period. Miller made his first substitution three minutes into the second half, sending on Bjorn Kristensen for Pulis.

Moments later, Muscat thwarted Valletta when he pushed away Ryan Fenech’s well-hit free-kick.

Three minutes past the hour, Hibs fashioned a chance when Hart’s swerving cross from the left was met by McManus whose powerful header sailed over.

Hart arrowed a low shot that was blocked by Hogg as the reinvigorated Hibs, driven on by the dynamic Hart, pressed forward with renewed intent. Hogg made himself big as he rose to palm away Cohen’s dipping cross from a free-kick.

The Paolites’ mounting pressure led to a series of corners. From one of these, taken as usual by Cohen, the ball drifted towards the goalmouth where the diving Jonathan Pearson headed over.

With 14 minutes left, Zerafa introduced Ian Zammit for Scerri. Eleven minutes from time, the Hibs defence partially cleared a free-kick from Denni as the ball dropped to Fenech who mustered another rasping drive but Muscat stood firm as he pawed the ball away.

The game opened up in the final stages. A prolonged Hibs move saw Cohen release Herrera on the edge of the box but the wing-back blasted over.

Valletta squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to go ahead five minutes from time. Andrade drifted into the box from the right and swept past Pearson before hitting a low cross. Zammit failed to make proper contact with the ball but it rolled into the path of the unchallenged Fenech who looked odds-on to score but his strike came off the near post.

Rescued by the woodwork, Hibs withheld Valletta’s late pressure to force extra-time.

Andrade threatened to give the Citizens the lead inside the first two minutes when he waltzed his way into the area from the right but his angled effort was kept out by Muscat.

Valletta tore into Hibs at the start of extra-time. Denni advanced before laying the ball to Andrade whose piledriver sailed wide after taking a deflection. It now looked a matter of when not if Valletta would score and this they did after nine minutes.

Andrade engineered the move with a diagonal run in the inside-right channel before picking out Fenech whose low cross whistled past Muscat and towards the unmarked Denni who had the easiest of jobs poking the ball home.

Valletta should have killed off Hibs when, two minutes into the second half of extra-time, Fenech made another storming run into the box from the left before pulling the ball back. Muscat got a hand to the ball but it squirmed towards Denni who scuffed his shot high.

With Hibs struggling to make a reaction, Pearson tried to breathe life into his team with a ferocious shot from the distance which ended just high after glancing off a red-shirted player.

Five minutes from the end, Valletta should really have rubberstamped their win when Andrade and Denni combined brilliantly in the box but the latter’s weak flick from close in was saved by Muscat.

Valletta
A. Hogg, I. Azzopardi, Ramon, S. Borg, R. Fenech (120 O. Temile), E. Agius, J. Pace, K. Sammut, Denni, Andrade, T. Scerri (76 I. Zammit).

Hibernians
M. Muscat, E. Herrera, M. Clarke, A. Xuereb, A. Pulis (48 B. Kristensen), J. Pearson, P. Osei, R. Hart, A. Cohen, P. McManus (100 A. Taki), R. Camilleri (79 T. Caruana).

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Yellow cards: Agius; Cohen; Zammit; Sammut; Xuereb.

Attendance: 3,236.