Hibernians 2 Qormi 1

Mario Muscat bid adieu to football with a victory in a highly-dramatic match when a 10-man Hiberians beat a battling Qormi with Luis Edison’s last-gasp winner.

Before the game, MFA vice-president Ludovico Micallef and the Hibernians president Tony Bezzina presented mementos to veteran goalkeeper Mario Muscat for his contribution to the national team and the club. The 38-year-old Muscat brought the curtain down on his competitive career yesterday after setting a new record for Premier League appears with his 500th top-flight match against Qormi.

But the game started on a terrible note for Hibs as after just four minutes, they were dealt a double-blow as they conceded a penalty for Rodolfo Soares’s tackle on Frank Temile which earned the Brazilian defender a straight red card. Alfred Effiong converted from the spot.

That early goal stunned Hibernians. Close to the eighth minute, Effiong’s through-ball reached Temile but his grounder was tamed by Muscat. The Paolities’ timid reaction failed to produce any tangible opportunities as they were relying too much on hopeful shots from set-pieces. Andrew Cohen’s delivery ended over the bar past the 24th minute.

Hibernians’ depleted numbers were always going to be danger for Qormi though. And so it proved as they drew level shy the half hour when Luis Edison teed up with Jorginho before curling the ball low into the bottom corner of the net.

In the 79th minute, Qormi finished with six foreign players on the pitch when Duncan Pisani, made way for Pietro Viggiani. Play stopped when Qormi club official Redeno Apap drew the attention of the referee that the player leaving the pitch should be Frank Temile as the electronic display by fourth official Roberto Vella was showing the numbers of two players on the pitch.

The Hibernians were finding it hard to translate their numerical superiority into clear-cut openings, bumping into the compact defensive wall built by their opponents. Qormi were quick to counter-attack, Zoran Levniac holding off an opponent before squaring for the unmarked Ryan Micallef, coming in for Joseph Chetcuti who shot straight into Muscat’s hands.

Hibernians never buckled though and two minutes from time, Edison chested down Jackson Lima’s centre before unleashing a powerful volley that flew past a helpless Farrugia.