Birkirkara 1
Mifsud Triganza 88;
Hibernians 0
With Valletta, the erstwhile runaway leaders, unexpectedly forfeiting two points in their clash with Rabat Ajax, the onus was on Birkirkara and Hibs to win and recoup some lost ground.
As Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit rightly pointed out on the eve of the match, both teams had a point to prove after low-key showings in their last outing with their first-round clash shaping up as an early audition for the right to be considered as Valletta’s main challengers.
All these factors fuelled expectations of a gripping contest but for the best part of the match was anything but as both teams lacked a cutting edge with the result that scoring opportunities were rare.
Such was the dearth of attacking football that a goalless stalemate looked the inevitable outcome to a dull match but a rare move of genuine quality changed all that as Birkirkara struck a late goal to snatch victory at the death.
Having come on as a substitute for the injured Shola Shodiya Haruna, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza delivered a sumptuous finish to settle a largely uninspiring game in which both teams failed to vindicate their status as title challengers.
That will have mattered little for Birkirkara as their primary aim was to atone for their 3-1 defeat to Ħamrun Spartans with a win that would enable them to stay in touch with Valletta.
The pressure and fear of dropping further off the pace meant that both teams took few risks but Hibs, without a win in their last four matches, were ultimately undone by the sheer quality of Mifsud Triganza’s finish.
Yet, Hibs’ performance had left much to be desired as their creative elements looked jaded with the returning Andrew Cohen and Jackson Lima failing to provide the spark in midfield. Adrian Pulis and Zoran Levnaic were ruled out by suspension but Woods didn’t limit himself to just two changes from the 2-2 derby draw with Tarxien.
One of the main casualties of Hibs’ last two performances was experienced goalkeeper Mario Muscat who was omitted from the starting XI yesterday as Woods opted in favour of Daniel Balzan.
Winger Steve Pisani was preferred to Ayrton Azzopardi while Brandon Muscat and Cohen, making his comeback after recovering from an elbow injury, replaced Pulis and Levnaic.
Hibs’ 4-1-4-1 formation had Jean Paul Farrugia as its attacking fulcrum with Pisani and Marcelo Dias tearing up the wings and Cohen and Jackson Lima pushing through the middle.
Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit restored Nikola Vukanac and Ryan Camenzuli to the starting XI. Midfielder Paul Fenech was out, suspended, while striker Mifsud Triganza was among the substitutes.
Camenzuli and Edward Herrera, yesterday facing his former team-mates, were assigned the two wide midfield positions with Nigerian Shodiya Haruna and Brazilian Jhonnattann forming a two-pronged attack as Zammit’s tactical module was a cross between 4-3-3 and 4-4-2.
Hibs were first to threaten. The scoreboard marked 11 minutes gone when Jackson Lima’s cross from a left-wing corner soared into the goalmouth where Bjorn Kristensen jumped highest but his header flew into a wall of yellow-shirted players.
The early proceedings were marked by a paucity of scoring chances as the two teams took a while to hit their stride. Farrugia was wide with a low shot from the edge of the box while Birkirkara’s Jhonnattann also missed the target with a long-range free-kick.
The subdued atmosphere in the section housing the Hibs fans reflected their dissatisfaction with the team’s below-par showings of late. The exchanges on the pitch did little to lift the mood as both sides lacked fluency for much of the opening half-hour.
Hibs defender Ryan Camilleri rescued his team from a potentially dangerous situation as he intercepted Haruna’s pass for Jhonnattann after Birkirkara’s Nigerian forward had muscled his way past Rodolfo Soares.
At the other end, Dias veered infield from the left but his floated pass in the direction of Farrugia was cut out by Reuben Gauci, the Birkirkara goalkeeper.
But, the game remained short of excitement amid the two teams’ difficulties to make an impact in attack. Late in the first half, Jhonnattann’s effort from a wide position came off the side-netting before captain Gareth Sciberras squandered a good opening for Birkirkara with an overhit pass after the Malta midfielder had made a darting run into the box.
After a lacklustre first half, everyone hoped that the game would spring to life after the restart. The Paolites started well as Dias charged clear on the left before hitting a pass that Lima headed towards Farrugia but the Hibs forward skewed his shot wide.
Seven minutes into the second half, Jhonnattann’s cross sparked a goalmouth scramble but Balzan kept his eyes on the ball to avert further danger.
Zammit was impelled to make his first substitution as Haruna was stretchered off after suffering an injury. The incoming Mifsud Triganza signalled his arrival with a well-struck grounder that was saved by Balzan after Clayton Failla had given away possession.
Midway into the second half, Woods introduced John Nwoba for the ineffectual Pisani.
Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, was forced into a second substitution as Zach Muscat limped off with a minor injury. His void was filled by Ryan Scicluna who was detailed to man the right wing as Herrera dropped to right- back.
The game was paused for a few minutes as Gauci and Dias needed medical attention after the Hibs forward had barged into the Birkirkara goalkeeper as the latter cut out a cross. Gauci was deemed unfit to continue and made way for Ini Aktpan who was making his Birkirkara debut.
Aktpan’s first intervention was to palm away a Failla free-kick and the Nigerian then saved Cohen’s follow-on effort.
Just as it looked as though the match would end goalless, Birkirkara struck. Joseph Zerafa, one of Birkirkara’s best players, burst forward on the left before guiding a pass to Mifsud Triganza whose stunning shot gave Balzan no chance.
Hibs had to respond in the six minutes of added time signalled by fourth official Kevin Azzopardi. Woods threw on another striker in Anderson Ribeiro and Nwoba unleashed a shot from the distance which sailed over.
Birkirkara
R. Gauci-6.5 (77 I. Aktpan), E. Herrera-6, J. Zerafa-7, R. Camenzuli-6, R. Muscat-7, N. Vukanac-7, G. Sciberras-6, A. Mendoza-Corujo-6.5, Z. Muscat-6 (69 R. Scicluna-5), Jhonnattann-5, S. Shodiya Haruna-5 (55 J.P. Mifsud Triganza-7).
Hibernians
D. Balzan-6, B. Muscat-6 (90 A. Ribeiro), R. Soares-6.5, R. Camilleri-7, B. Kristensen-6, M. Dias-6, J. Lima-5, S. Pisani-4 (67 J. Nwoba-5.5), A. Cohen-5, C. Failla-5, J.P. Farrugia-5 (86 J. Bezzina).
Referee: Esther Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Z. Muscat; Herrera; Jhonnattann; B. Muscat; Lima; Dias.
BOV player of the match: Marcelo Dias (Hibs).
Attendance: 1,027.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Valletta | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 23 |
| Birkirkara | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 9 | 19 |
| Sliema W. | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 16 |
| Hibernians | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 16 |
| Mosta | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 12 | 15 |
| Tarxien | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
| Balzan | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 10 |
| Ħamrun | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 19 | 10 |
| Floriana | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 9 |
| Qormi | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 7 |
| Melita | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 28 | 4 |
| Rabat Ajax | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 3 |