Tarxien Rainbows 0
Hibernians 3
Soares 40; Edison 56, 75;
Hibernians issued another bold warning of their title credentials yesterday when they easily disposed of neighbouring rivals Tarxien Rainbows in a one-sided derby.
It was a convincing performance from the Paolites who took some time to settle but once their attacking trio of Andrew Cohen, Clayton Failla and Luis Edison started to click, there was no stopping them.
The brisk movement of the Hibs forwards created all sorts of problems to the rather static Tarxien defence and it was no surprise when Rodolfo Soares put them ahead just before the break.
After the change of ends, one expected Tarxien, who are still battling for a European berth, to force a reaction but that never materialised and instead it was Hibs who continued to play with panache with Edison, aka Tarabai, wrapping up the win with two well-taken goals.
Hibernians coach Michael Woods was forced to make two alterations from the 4-2 win over Valletta as goalkeeper Mario Muscat and striker Jean Paul Farrugia were ruled out with a one-match ban.
Daniel Balzan was given the nod to start in goal while Adrian Pulis was handed a place in defence.
Brazilian Jackson Lima was included in midfield at the expense of Marcelo Dias who was demoted to the bench.
Tarxien coach Clive Mizzi effected only one change to the team that lost to Birkirkara as Orosco Anonam, who recovered from a bout of flu, replaced Justin Grioli. Steve Sadowski and Manuel Caruana were also in the Rainbows’ 18-man squad after sitting out their team’s last outing.
Hibs created the first chance after 12 minutes when Jackson Lima retrieved possession from midfield before serving Bjorn Kristensen who quickly sent a through-ball towards Edison.
The Brazilian beat the offside trap but his attempted lob over Tarxien keeper Nicky Vella finished wide.
The Paolites retained the initiative and three minutes later, Soares was first to Failla’s corner but his firm header flashed wide.
Tarxien threatened on 16 minutes when Daniel Mariano Bueno nodded the ball into the path of Andrezinho whose firm volley was blocked in two attempts by Balzan.
The match remained balanced with Hibs dictating matters and Tarxien soaking up the pressure and trying to hit their opponents with quick breaks through their Brazilian trio of Bueno, Andrezinho and Leandro.
Bueno almost surprised Balzan on 32 minutes when he fired a rasping drive that just missed the upright.
It was Hibs who broke the stalemate on 40 minutes. They were awarded a free-kick on the right channel and Cohen’s delivery was met by Soares whose thumping header was somehow kept out by Vella but from the rebound, the Brazilian bundled the ball home.
Tarxien tried to respond and three minutes from the break, Andrezinho dashed into the area but his dipping drive was neutralised by Balzan.
Five minutes into the second half, Hibs orchestrated another flowing move which saw Zoran Levnaic pick out the sprinting Lima who quickly released Tarabai but the latter’s curling drive was blocked by Vella.
Three minutes later, Tarabai turned provider when he sped clear, turned past Steve Bonnici before releasing Lima whose stinging drive flew wide.
Tarxien failed to heed the alarm bells and on 56 minutes, in another swift break, Cohen put Tarabai clean through and the nippy Brazilian slid the ball past Vella to give his side a two-goal cushion.
The Rainbows looked shell-shocked and almost fell further behind on 72 minutes when Ryan Camilleri sent a dipping cross towards Lima whose downward header just missed the upright.
Tarxien threw more men forward in search of a goal that would re-open the issue but their attacking trio of Bueno, Leandro and Andrezinho looked short of ideas.
Instead, it was Hibs who applied the coup de grace on 75 minutes when, in another fast raid, Failla released Tarabai who easily beat Vella with a deft touch.
Tarxien came close to pulling a goal back in time added-on. From a Mark Tanti corner, the ball fell into the path of Bonnici but his deflected shot just missed the upright.
Tarxien Rainbows
N. Vella-5, C. Mamo-5 (62 J. Grioli-5), A. Agius-5 (73 D. Fenech), Andrezinho-5, R. Bajada-4, Leandro-4, R. Sammut-5, D.M. Bueno-4 (62 M. Tanti-5), B. Timotic-5, O. Anonam-5.5, S. Bonnici-5.5.
Hibernians
D. Balzan-6, A. Pulis-6 (82 A. Azzopardi), R. Camilleri-6.5, J. Pearson-6, R. Soares-7, A. Cohen-6.5 (85 B. Muscat), B. Kristensen-6, C. Failla-6.5, Z. Levnaic-6.5 (76 A. Kardeck), J. Lima-7, L. Edison-7.5.
Referee: Clayton Pisani.
Yellow cards: Mamo; Levnaic.
BOV player of the match: Luis Edison (Hibernians).