Floriana 1
Bonnici 10;
Hibernians 3
Jorginho 15, 45; Failla 27 pen;

Hibernians are home and dry.

Having led the field from day one of the 2014/15 BOV Premier League, the Paolites left their rivals in their slipstream.

Valletta’s draw against Sliema Wanderers on Friday had left Hibernians needing three points from their remaining four games but Branko Nisevic’s team were not prepared to ease up after a season-long sprint towards the 11th top-flight championship in their history and their first in six years.

Galvanised by the passionate support of their numerous fans, Hibernians demonstrated the qualities that underpinned their amazing title march yesterday, roaring back from a goal down to outclass Floriana with a display of sheer power, resilience and attacking brilliance.

For a short period in the initial minutes, it looked as though the party atmosphere at the National Stadium might alienate the Hibs players as Floriana stormed ahead, but their goal served as a wake-up call for the Paolites.

It was also the cue for Jorginho to provide a reminder of his scoring ability as the Brazilian cancelled out Steve Bonnici’s opener and procured the penalty, in the 27th minute, that swayed the game decidedly in Hibs’ favour.

Floriana, already weakened by the absence of key players, were livid as referee Marco Borg dismissed goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona and Clayton Failla converted from the spot to effectively settle the contest.

But Jorginho, deservedly, had the final say as his superb goal on the cusp of half-time added a sprinkling of stardust to Hibs’ title-clinching win, to the unrestrained joy of their fans.

Stand-in captain Jonathan Pearson filled the void left by the suspended Rui De Gracia Gomes in defence while Marko Rajic deputised for Andrew Cohen who was out with a one-match ban.

Rajic flanked Jorginho in attack as Nisevic stuck with 3-5-2.

Injuries and suspensions robbed Floriana coach Giovanni Tedesco of four key players as forwards Matteo Piciollo and Amadou Samb, both serving bans, joined Clyde Borg and Conor Borg on the sidelines.

Faced with these heavy absences, Tedesco switched to 4-4-2 with Giovanni Galea and Vito Plut up front. The return of defender Douglas enabled Tedesco to move Marcelina into midfield.

In the early stages, Hibs midfielder Jackson Lima’s free-kick finished wide.

The Greens quickly made a chance of their own as Plut retrieved possession just outside the Hibs’ penalty area and duly picked out Galea but the on-loan Sirens striker was anticipated by goalkeeper Henry Bonello.

Floriana signalled their intention to make a contest of it by taking the lead on 10 minutes.

Steve Pisani, yesterday gunning against his former team-mates, swung in a teasing cross from a corner and defender Bonnici darted in to direct a glancing header past Bonello, the ball hitting the underside of the crossbar before dropping into the net.

It took Hibs only five minutes to restore parity.

Failla played a crucial role as his progression into the box from the left unsettled the Floriana defence. His cross was half-cleared by Douglas but Jorginho leapt into the air to head past Calleja Cremona.

Urged on by their vocal fans, Hibs pressed on the accelerator. They were unlucky not to score after 18 minutes as Jorginho stormed clear in the inside-left channel and squared to the unmarked Lima whose angled grounder rolled against the foot of the post. The Brazilian was first to the loose ball but his follow-up attempt was cleared by a defender.

The Paolites were now playing vintage football. Their afternoon got better on 25 minutes. Bjorn Kristensen played an excellent one-two with Jorginho who sped into the box to reach the return pass only to be hauled down by Calleja Cremona.

Referee Marco Borg promptly pointed to the spot and brandished the red card to dismiss the Floriana goalkeeper, to the evident dismay of the Floriana players and fans.

Italian goalkeeper Valerio Senatore came for Bonnici but he could do nothing to stop Failla from giving Hibs the lead from the spot.

Tedesco adjusted to 4-4-1 with Galea as lone striker.

There was another chance for Hibs as Jean Paul Farrugia surged into the box from the right but his diagonal effort grazed the side-netting.

Johann Bezzina also threatened as his piledriver, from the distance, sailed over the bar.

Down to 10 men, the odds were inevitably stacked against Floriana but the Greens soldiered on.

Late in the first half, Senatore denied Hibs when palming away Jorginho’s effort. But, in first-half stoppage time, the Brazilian stole the show as his stunning drive, from an angle, soared past the diving Senatore. His effort was greeted with chants of ‘campioni, campioni’ from the Hibs faithful.

Five minutes into the second half, Marcelina’s floating ball from defence dropped to Plut but the Slovenian skied his shot high and wide.

The Paolites came close to a fourth goal but Senatore repelled Jorginho’s header from Rajic’s cross. There was not let-up from Hibs, Senatore thwarting them again when fisting away Lima’s thunderbolt.

By dropping further back, Floriana were inviting their opponents on to them.

Kristensen embarked on another piercing run into the box before crossing for Jorginho whose header was deflected away for a corner.

Failla drifted infield from the left but his shot took a deflection off Marcelina.

To add to Floriana’s woes, Pisani was given his marching orders after earning two quickfire cautions for taking his protests too far.

Igor Coronado, who had come on for Douglas, was wide from a free-kick. The Brazilian then advanced menacingly into the box but he was dispossessed by the alert Andrei Agius.

Nine minutes from time, Kristensen, who had a good game, galloped forward before unleashing a powerful drive that was beaten away by Senatore.

The Italian goalkeeper, back after a long injury lay-off, pulled off a great save to keep out Lima’s close-range header from Marcelo Dias’s cross.

The erstwhile untested Bonello also made a good intervention as he pawed away Coronado’s rising shot.

Floriana
M. Calleja Cremona, Douglas-5 (64 I. Coronado-6.5), Marcelina-6, S. Pisani, V. Plut-5, E. Briffa-5, G. Galea-5 (46 B. Farrugia-4), G. Muir-5, S. Borg-4, S. Bonnici-6 (26 V. Senatore-7), M. Micallef-5.

Hibernians
H. Bonello-6.5, J. Pearson-6, J. Lima-7, R. Soares-6.5 (79 K. Tanti), B. Kristensen-7.5, C. Failla-7, A. Agius-7, J. Bezzina-6 (87 D. Vella), M. Rajic-6, Jorginho-8.5, J.P. Farrugia-6 (49 M. Dias-6).

Referee: Marco Borg.

Yellow cards: Plut, Pisani.

Red cards: Calleja Cremona (F) 25; Pisani (F) 72.

BOV player of the match: Jorginho (Hibs).

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Hibs	30	26	4	0	93	20	52
Valletta	30	20	3	7	70	26	41
Birkirkara	29	18	6	5	55	27	39
Balzan	30	15	8	7	55	43	36
Floriana	30	11	10	9	49	47	29
Sliema	30	9	9	12	41	48	23
Mosta	30	9	5	16	34	63	20
Naxxar	29	7	8	14	33	43	18
Tarxien	30	6	9	15	30	55	17
Qormi	30	5	9	16	31	53	15
Pietà H.	29	5	7	17	25	52	12
Żebbuġ	29	5	6	18	34	73	12