Hibernians too strong for Mqabba

Hibernians 4
Failla 2, 10; Edison 51, Anizoba 90;
Mqabba 1
Mamic 11;

Hibs backed up their reputation as title contenders as they cruised to a 4-1 victory over Mqabba to open up a four-point gap on second-placed Valletta at the top of the standings.

As in their game against Mosta on Monday, Hibs were boosted by an early red card to an opponent but this time, the leaders translated their numerical advantage into a dominant display.

Their flair proved too much for Mqabba who, having lost striker Bojan Mamic after just 14 minutes, ended the match with nine men and three goals in arrears against the superior Hibs.

Solid at the back and midfield, Hibs illuminated the Tedesco Stadium with a string of flowing moves as Clayton Failla maintained his revival when crowning another man-of-the-match performance with two goals.

Hibs could not have hoped for a better lift-off as they opened the scoring after just two minutes.

A prolonged attack had Mqabba on the backfoot as Marcelo Dias’s cross from the left was partially cleared by the defenders.

Edison pounced on the hesitancy of the Mqabba players and forced his way through before squaring to Failla who drove past goalkeeper Kris Calleja.

The Paolites did the early running and soon doubled their lead. Once more, it was Failla who did the damage as the in-form winger raced past Branislav Timotic to hammer the ball home from Dias’s pass.

Two goals down inside the opening 10 minutes, Mqabba looked bruised and battered but the Reds re-opened the issue immediately.

Mamic concluded a fine diagonal run down the left with a dipping cross-shot that caught Hibs goalkeeper Mario Muscat unawares.

Mamic’s goal ought to have rejuvenated Mqabba but the Serbian striker blotted his copybook by getting a straight red card for swinging a foot at Failla in retaliation.

Inevitably, Mamic’s dismissal forced Mqabba coach Clive Mizzi into a tactical reshuffle. Thiado dos Santos Mazzitelli was ordered to lead the forward line by himself as Mizzi switched to 4-4-1.

On 21 minutes, Hibs came close to increasing their lead as Andrew Cohen’s free-kick strayed tantalisingly across the face of goal but found no takers.

Hibs stayed in command. At times, their pressure confused the overworked Mqabba rearguard.

On one occasion, Edward Herrera’s mazy run took him into Calleja’s box but the wing-back was eventually dispossessed.

Clayton Pisani’s half-time whistle came with Hibs 2-1 up.

Four minutes into the second half, Failla underlined his rich vein of form as his ghosting run forced Mark Anthony Psaila into hauling the Hibs player to the ground. The Mqabba defender was booked for his offence and Cohen’s free-kick was easily saved by Calleja.

Hardly two minutes passed and Hibs all but sealed the issue.

Breaking clear on the counter, Edison left Timotic and Psaila in his wake before delivering a perfect centre towards Edison who tapped home at the far post.

Another powerful run by Dias almost led to a fourth Hibs goal as he made headway on the right before setting up Herrera whose rising effort was pushed against the crossbar by Calleja.

It was one-way traffic now as the confident Hibs continued to pummel Mqabba.

Edison pulled the back for the sprinting Failla but his grounder was kept out by Calleja.

Such was Hibs’ supremacy that Peter Anizoba, who had just come on for the hobbling Dias, almost scored with his first touch but Calleja neutralised his effort.

With 18 minutes remaining, Anizoba ran into the box but his angled grounder rolled wide of the far post.

Mqabba’s misery was compounded on 77 minutes when Timotic was expelled after receiving a second caution for impeding Edison from advancing.

Four minutes from time, substitute Steve Pisani blasted wide from a favourable position as Hibs pressed for more goals.

Anizoba’s cross-cum-shot from inside the box rolled towards the far post where the unmarked Edison lunged forward but his scrambled effort was somehow blocked by the goalkeeper.

There was no stopping Hibs though as Anizoba extended their advantage with a thunderous drive that gave Calleja no chance.

Hibernians: M. Muscat-5, R. Camilleri-6, A. Xuereb-6, A. Pulis-6.5, R. Soares-6.5, M. Dias-7 (65 P. Anizoba-7), A. Cohen-6, C. Failla-7.5, E. Herrera-7 (79 S. Pisani), B. Kristensen-6.5 (79 J. Pearson), L. Edison-7.

Mqabba FC: K. Calleja-5, P. Grima-5, M. Potezica-5, B. Timotic, M.A. Psaila-4, M. Briffa-5, D. Azzopardi-4, T. Mazzitelli-6 (79 R. Duca), C. Calleja-5.5 (66 J.P. Muscat-4), C. Micallef-5 (56 S. Magro-4), B. Mamic.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow cards: Micallef; Potezica; Cohen; Timotic; Psaila.

Red cards: Mamic (M) 14; Timotic (M) 77.

BOV player of the match: Clayton Failla (Hibernians).