Hibernians revive ambitions

Qormi 0 Hibernians 2

Hibernians revived their ambitions of claiming the Premier League title with a hard-fought victory over Qormi.

Hibernians will be happy to put pressure on Valletta, coming just one point behind the leaders who face Marsaxlok. Qormi's defeat means they remain in the seventh place and now face tough competition from Sliema and Birkirkara for the coveted sixth place.

Thackray sent Cohen crashing to end Hibs' first serious venture towards the Qormi penalty area. However, Cohen who picked himself to take the ensuing free-kick, shot poorly into the hands of Steve Sultana.

In the 9th minute, Jason Vandelannoite swooped at the far post to head Clayton Failla's inswinger but Kouadio was in the right place to head his effort off the line. On the half hour mark, from a corner by Cohen, Vandelannoite headed again the ball into the path of Bjorn Kristensen who pushed it goalwards but Sultana punched the ball to safety.

The Paolities kept pressing for the rest of the half, without ever looking as incisive as they had been in the first few minutes. In the 40th minute, Luke Sciberras blazed wide from good position after Bello-Osagie picked up the overlapping midfielder on the left-flank.

Two minutes after the break, a defensive blunder by Kouadio let in Cohen for the opener. Failla had switched wings to make inroads on the left as he drove the ball low across goal, the defender was unable to get a decisive touch and the nippy midfielder showed lightning speed to touch the ball away form the defender and steered a composed finish beyond Sultana.

Azzopardi went for broke with 30 minutes left, sending on Joseph Chetcuti for Kouadio and he found room to cross from the left. In the 63rd minute, goalmouth scramble following Chetcuti's cross culminated in the ball bouncing off Joseph Farrugia's body before Soares cleared off the line with Muscat beaten.

Four minutes later, Peter Anizoba Chizoba put the ball on the wrong side of the post from an excellent run and cross from the left by Failla.

While there was a goal between the two sides, it was far from comfortable for Hibernians but their nerves were held together when substitute Marcelo Dias's cross from the right flew across the face of goal with Chizoba applying the finishing touch to seal the victory.