Floriana 0
Hibernians 3
Jorginho 25; Failla 30; Bezzina 67;

This was too easy for Hibernians.

On paper, their opening fixture against Floriana looked somewhat tricky but Hibs made a mockery of such forecasts, cantering to a 3-0 victory.

The scoreline certainly didn’t flatter the Paolites who dominated from the outset.

Such was their supremacy that coach Branko Nisevic didn’t have to wait until the closing minutes to hand Mario Muscat his 499th Premier League appearance as the veteran goalkeeper, who is expected to leave Hibs before the end of the transfer window, closes in on the the magical 500th mark.

A loud applause accompanied the substitution as the Hibs faithful hailed their stalwart before saluting their new keeper Henry Bonello who enjoyed a fine debut.

Indeed, it was a positive evening for Hibs with Jorginho marking his debut with a goal, Johann Bezzina cutting a good figure alongside Bjorn Kristensen and Marcelo Dias, back from a loan stint in Lebanon, seemingly back to his vintage best as his surging runs on the wing caused endless torment to Floriana.

The Greens clearly have plenty of work to do if they are to improve on their lowly finish last season.

They were porous at the back, lacked flair and bite in midfield and made no impact up front where Italian newcomer Matteo Piciollo, who impressed in pre-season, looked out of place on the wing.

New signing Jorginho partnered Luis Edison in an all-Brazilian attack as Nisevic set his team out in a 3-4-1-2 formation with Andrew Cohen playing off the two strikers.

Floriana coach Giovanni Tedesco settled on 4-2-3-1 with striker Vito Plut leading the line and Piciollo initially pushing on from the right wing.

Also making their competitive debut for Floriana were defender Steve Bonnici and Brazilian midfielder Emerson Marcelina.

Hibs were first to threaten.

The game was six minutes old when Dias’s surging run propelled him into the box and his low cross was met by Jorginho who looked certain to score but his grounder was repelled by Sean Mintoff.

The Greens made a chance of their own two minutes later. Gary Muir’s corner arced towards the six-yard box but Marcelina’s header was blocked by Henry Bonello.

Close to the 20th minute mark, Plut miscued his effort from an angled position. Piciollo then came to the fore. The Italian, fastening on to a lofted pass from midfield, controlled the ball and surged past Rodolfo Soares only to drift too wide of goal with the result that his conclusive effort ended wide.

Reprieved, Hibs went up at the other end and scored. Edison was the architect as his penetrating pass invited Jorginho to dart across the penalty box, leaving a clutch of defenders in his wake before tucking the ball past Mintoff.

A sweeping Hibs counter-attack had Floriana in a tangle on 29 minutes as Clayton Failla released the unstoppable Dias who galloped towards the byline before sending a low cross towards Edison but the latter missed the ball with the goal at his mercy.

Floriana were let off the hook but not for long. Barely a minute later, Hibs increased their advantage courtesy of Failla whose perfectly-flighted free-kick had the better of the diving Mintoff.

Tedesco duly adjusted to 4-3-3 with Piciollo moved to the left but Hibs remained the brisker side.

Kristensen hit wide from an angled position.

Another blistering run by Dias prised open Floriana as the Brazilian crossed for Failla who blasted high at the far post.

Floriana had a good chance to reduce the arrears when Muir’s set-piece cross soared towards Marcelina but his header was an anti-climax.

Igor Coronado replaced Marce-lina at the start of the second half.

Hibs had the ball in the net two minutes into the second half after Jorginho hit past Mintoff from Edison’s through-ball but referee Adrian Azzopardi disallowed the goal after ruling that the ball had gone out of play when Edison delivered the pass.

The nippy Brazilian almost got in on the act but headed inches wide from Kristensen’s cross after his run into the box had again exposed Floriana’s defensive flaws.

Bonello was then called into action to paw away a looping shot from Piciollo from outside the penalty area but Hibs wrapped up the points on 67 minutes.

Failla laid the ball to Bezzina from a free-kick and the young midfielder’s shot was fumbled by Mintoff.

The Floriana goalkeeper did better 11 minutes from time, diving to his left to turn Cohen’s low free-kick around the post. Jorginho then had a diagonal shot ending wide after taking a deflection.

Hibernians nearly made it 4-0 but substitute Jackson Lima’s stinging grounder hit the base of the Greens’ upright.

Floriana
S. Mintoff-4, A. Scicluna-4, E. Marcelina-4 (46 I. Coronado-4), C. Borg-5 (78 G. Galea), V. Plut-4, M. Piciollo-5, J. Borg-4, S. Bonnici-5 (71 D. Baldacchino-4), B. Farrugia-4, G. Muir-5, S. Borg-4.

Hibernians
H. Bonello-6.5 (64 M. Muscat-5.5), K. Tanti-6, R. Soares-6.5, Rui De Gracia Gomes-7, M. Dias-8 (82 Jackson Lima), A. Cohen-6.5, B. Kristensen-7, J. Bezzina-6.5 (82T. Tabone Desira), C. Failla-7.5, L. Edison-7, Jorginho-7.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Yellow cards: Marcelina; Scicluna.

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