Balzan 1
Darmanin 90+;
Hibernians 1
Mbong 31;

(aet; Hibs win 4-3 on penalties)

This was a classic cup tie.

There was plenty of commitment from both teams, attacking football, last-ditch defending, a catalogue of bookings, a red card, as the Hibs and Balzan players grew increasingly tetchy, and a penalty shoot-out.

Second best for most of the first half and riding their luck at times, the never-say-die Balzan kept going until the end to level matters with the last kick of the game after Luis Edison had been expelled for Hibs.

With a man to the good, Balzan created the better chances in extra-time but Hibs, inspired by their unflappable captain Andrew Cohen, put in a herculean effort to keep their opponents, who had a plethora of forwards on the field, at bay and take the game to penalties.

Here, Hibs goalkeeper Henry Bonello, tipped for a recall to the national squad for the Azerbaijan qualifier, took centre-stage as he saved two penalties, from Ryan Darmanin and Edison Zarate, before Clayton Failla struck the winning shot as the Paolites, eight points clear at the top of the Premier League, kept their double dream alive.

Rui De Gracia Gomes, back from African Cup duty, replaced the suspended Andrei Agius in the heart of defence. The absence of Brazilian striker Jorginho, out injured, brought a first start for newly-signed Serbian striker Marko Rajic who partnered Edison in attack.

Jean Paul Farrugia, back with Hibs after a short spell with Slovakian club Spartak Trnava, was named among the substitutes.

Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri will have been relieved to have strikers Bojan Kaljevic and Gianmarco Piccioni who were sorely missed in the 2-1 league upset to Pietà Hotspurs.

Seven minutes from the start had elapsed when Jackson Lima delivered a low pass into the box and Rajic dragged the ball back to Andrew Cohen who lifted his shot over.

Lima was marginally wide with a well-struck grounder after Joseph Mbong had made headway on the right.

It was all Hibs in these early stages. Their brisk movement all over the pitch enabled to establish a foothold in the match.

Steve Sultana, the Balzan goalkeeper, pawed away another dangerous effort from Lima but, on 16 minutes, it was the woodwork that came to the Reds’ rescue as Mbong's piledriver rattled the crossbar.

In their first notable foray into Hibs’ half, Balzan almost struck.

Justin Grioli’s cross landed in the goalmouth where Zarate anticipated Bonello but his scrambled flick rolled just wide.

The stalemate was broken on 31 minutes. Lima’s cross from the left sailed into the box where Kaljevic looked well-placed to clear but the Montenegrin failed to hold the ball which dropped to Mbong who drilled it past Sultana.

On the brink of half-time, a prolonged Hibs move had Balzan in a tangle but Sultana turned Lima’s strike around the post.

Balzan also had a great chance to level when Guerrero’s corner from the right whistled across the face of goal and past Kaljevic who failed to get a touch.

The second half had only just started when Failla roared into the box from the left before cutting the ball back to Cohen but the Hibs captain’s first-timer was off target.

A flowing Balzan move opened up Hibs as Grioli exchanged passes with Dylan Grima on the right before the latter squared the ball to Kaljevic whose stinging drive almost caught Bonello by surprise after taking a deflection. The Hibs goalkeeper needed two touches to keep the ball out with Balzan players raising their hands to indicate that the ball had crossed the line but the Georgian match officials were unmoved.

Lima was wide from a free-kick but Balzan, now playing 4-3-3, were now posing more of an attacking threat as their full-backs were powering forward with vigour.

Steve Bezzina dragged in a dangerous cross-shot from the byline and Bonello saved partially but Zarate’s flick was weak.

Rajic ought to have increased Hibs’ lead but the Serbian’s effort skimmed the far post after good work by Edison.

With 18 minutes remaining, Zarate released Piccioni who charged into the box but instead of shooting, the Italian passed to Guerrero. The Colombian crossed for Kaljevic but his header was blocked.

Tempers boiled over 15 minutes from time when Balzan demanded a yellow card for Kristensen, who had already been booked, for a late tackle on Guerrero in midfield.

Players from both teams got involved in a bout of pushing and shoving as a visibly angry Edison almost came to blows with Guerrero.

Georgian referee George Vadachkovia booked Guerrero and Edison who was dismissed as he had already been cautioned. The Brazilian had to be restrained by his team-mates while Guerrero went head-to-head with team-mate Piccioni before being hauled off by Spiteri.

Balzan went flat-out in attack in the dying stages but, in a counter-attack, Hibs threatened to apply the killer blow as Cohen's crossfield pass picked out substitute Farrugia but his low effort was wide.

The drama was not over.

Deep into stoppage time, Balzan equalised, Mifsud Triganza’s cross from the right was headed on by Bezzina and Ryan Darmanin, a late substitute for Kaljevic, rifled past Bonello to send the Balzan fans into delirium.

Darmanin had a glorious chance to put Balzan ahead in the second minute of extra-time but he fired over in front of a gaping goal.

Hibs thought they had scored when Lima’s set-piece cross from midfield was headed backward by Kristensen but the ball landed wide of the far post.

The game opened up as tiredness crept in.

Bonello warded off Darmanin’s screamer while at the other end Farrugia drew a fine save from Sultana after being served by Kristensen.

Hibs’ determination to hold out was evident in the final minutes when their defence blocked efforts from Grioli and Micallef.

Balzan: S. Sultana, J. Grioli, D. Grima (81 L. Micallef), L. Sciberras, E. Zarate Bilbao, S. Bezzina, B. Kaljevic (87 R. Darmanin), O. Guerrero (78 J.P. Mifsud Triganza), C. Brincat, G. Piccioni, E. Serrano.

Hibernians: H. Bonello, R. De Gracia Gomes, J. Pearson, J. Lima, R. Soares, A. Cohen, B. Kristensen, C. Failla, M. Rajic (83 J.P. Farrugia), L. Edison, J. Mbong (73 J. Bezzina).

Referee: George Vadachkovia (Georgia).

Yellow cards: Failla; Edison; Kristensen; Sciberras; Guerrero; Grioli; Darmanin; S. Bezzina; Brincat; J. Bezzina.

Red card: Edison (H) 77.

Attendance: 802.

Penalty sequence
Darmanin (B) saved 0-0; Kristensen (H) missed 0-0; Serrano (B) scored 1-0; Cohen (H) scored 1-1; Zarate (B) saved 1-1; Gomes (H) scored 2-1; Brincat (B) scored 2-2; Farrugia (H) scored 3-2; Piccioni (B) scored 3-3; Failla (H) scored 4-3.