Hibernians 2
Z. Muscat 31og; Mazzetti 41og;
Birkirkara 1
Miccoli 13;

If this was a taste of things to come, then we are in for a cracking season.

Champions Hibernians and Birkirkara, the FA Trophy holders, contested the first honour of the season, the BOV Super Cup, and their combined efforts produced a hugely entertaining encounter as these two rivals went all out to strike the first blow in what promises to be a year-long battle for the championship crown.

Having lost to Birkirkara in the FA Trophy final at the end of last season, Hibernians exacted a measure of revenge last night as they overpowered the Stripes after bouncing back from a goal down.

For much of the opening 25 minutes, it looked as though Birkirkara had an edge over the champions as they deservedly seized the lead but the pattern of the game changed after Hibernians equalised through an own goal.

The Paolites clearly enjoyed the rub of the green as their second goal also came via a deflection off Mauricio Mazzetti but in the second half, the champions’ attacking acumen came to the fore.

Birkirkara had been almost im-pregnable at the back in their Europa League games against West Ham United but they looked jittery this time as, the two own goals aside, they were ripped apart by Hibs after the break.

The Paolites were only denied a third goal by a string of fine interventions from goalkeeper Justin Haber and two goal-line clearances in stoppage time when Birkirkara, whose task was not helped by the fitness issues plaguing a few key players, went for broke.

Hibs’ Super Cup victory, their third in the all-time list, made for a perfect birthday gift for Malta defender Andrei Agius who was a figure of composure at the back.

Branko Nisevic sent out his strongest team with new signing Gilmar, who also featured for Hibs in their Champions League ties against Maccabi Tel Aviv, handed a place in attack.

Hibernians lined up in their usual 3-4-3 formation with captain Andrew Cohen and Gilmar floating behind Jorginho.

The Birkirkara fans will have been uplifted by the sight of Paul Fenech, Rowen Muscat and Fabrizio Miccoli on to the field for the warm-up as the trio had been ranked doubtful by coach Giovanni Tedesco on the eve of the game.

Miccoli took his usual place in attack with Vito Plut in support in a 4-4-2 approach as new signings Cain Attard and Spanish forward Juan Querro Barraso were among the substitutes.

Seven minutes into the game, Cohen veered infield but his cross was fisted away by Haber.

Birkirkara went closer on 11 minutes as Miccoli’s stinging free-kick whistled past the far post after taking a deflection. From the corner, Miccoli’s inswinger rolled into the net after the ball appeared to have eluded goalkeeper Jurgen Borg at the near post.

Having been verbally abused by the Hibs fans, the elated Miccoli ran towards the Birkirkara faithful to celebrate his goal before being mobbed by his team-mates.

Belief coursed through the Stripes whose crisp passing and propensity to charge forward in numbers from midfield had Hibs on the backfoot.

Hibs looked dazed but they would have equalised were it not for a superb save from Haber who leapt into the air to push away Clayton Failla’s thunderbolt.

But Tedesco’s men remained the brisker side going forward. Plut squeezed his way into the box from the right but his effort was hooked away by Rodolfo Soares.

At the other end, Hibs’ first flowing move opened up Birkirkara as Gilmar slipped an excellent through-ball to Jorginho but the Brazilian was ruled offside.

That was the cue for Hibs to move through the gears and they levelled on 31 minutes.

Failla’s corner sailed towards the near post and Zach Muscat, under pressure from Gilmar, nodded the ball inside his own net.

Plut then headed over from Miccoli’s free-kick but Hibs put their noses in front before half-time.

The danger again originated from the feet of Failla as his free-kick soared into the box and, amid the ensuing melee, the ball glanced off Mazzetti before looping over the diving Haber.

The second half had only just started when a Miccoli-Plut interchange caused apprehension in the Hibs box. Agius flicked the ball back to keeper Borg who hastily cleared for a corner.

As the heavens opened, Hibs had a glorious chance to extend their lead as Gilmar, latching on to Bjorn Kristensen’s through-ball, came face-to-face with Haber but the Brazilian’s effort was deflected away for a corner.

Nisevic’s men were now driving forward with purpose. The constant running of Cohen, Jorginho and Gilmar, backed by Kristensen, Lima and the overlapping Failla, had Birkirkara in a tangle.

A brilliant Hibs move saw Jor-ginho drag the ball back for Kristensen whose first-time effort drew another fine save from Haber.

On came Edin Murga for the fading Ryan Camenzuli as Tedesco tried to freshen up his attack.

Barraso replaced Rowen Muscat for his Birkirkara debut while Nisevic brought on Jorge and Johann Bezzina with 12 minutes left.

The rhythm of the game dropped with Hibs easily repelling Bir-kirkara’s tame efforts to restore parity. Four minutes from time, Barraso stormed forward before setting up Miccoli who blasted over.

In stoppage time, with Haber out of position, Hibs broke on the counter. Rui Da Gracia Gomes galloped forward before serving the unmarked Bezzina who flicked towards Jorginho but his effort was blocked by Fenech. The danger was not over yet as the ball landed at the feet of Jorge but his strike was kept out by Vukanac.

Spiky issue

The Malta FA decision to install spikes atop the perimeter wall to deter pitch invaders didn’t go down well with the stadium goers.

The Stripes faithful expressed their disappointment by affixing the words ‘Habs’ (Prison) on the glass panels in front of their enclosure section and unfurled a banner with the message ‘Our stadium is our new prison’.

Hibernians
J. Borg-5.5, R. De Gracia Gomes-6.5, J. Lima-6.5, R. Soares-6.5, M. Dias-6 (77 Jorge), A. Cohen-7 (78 J. Bezzina), B. Kristensen-7, C. Failla-7.5, A. Agius-7, Gilmar-6 (90 J. Pearson), Jorginho-8.

Birkirkara
J. Haber-7, J. Zerafa-5.5, Z. Muscat-5.5 (90 T. Vella), N. Vukanac-5.5, M. Mazzetti-6, P. Fenech-6, R. Muscat-6 (76 J.Q. Barraso), R. Camenzuli-5.5 (65 E. Murga-4), E. Marcelina-6.5, F. Miccoli-6, V. Plut-5.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Yellow cards: Mazzetti; Cohen; Gilmar; Vukanac; Zerafa.

Attendance: 4,038.

Last 10 Super Cup finals

2006	Birkirkara vs Hibernians	2-1
2007	Marsaxlokk vs Hibernians	1-3
2008	Valletta vs Birkirkara	2-0
2009	Hibernians vs Sliema Wanderers	0-1
2010	Birkirkara vs Valletta	2-3 aet
2011	Valletta vs Floriana	3-0
2012	Valletta vs Hibernians	3-1
2013	Birkirkara vs Hibernians	3-2
2014	Valletta vs Birkirkara	1-2
2015	Hibernians vs Birkirkara	2-1

All-time winners’ list
Valletta 10 times; Birkirkara 7; Hamrun Spartans 5; Hibernians, Sliema Wanderers 3; Rabat Ajax 2; Floriana 1.

Aftermatch comments...

“I’m happy to see my team winning the Super Cup as this is one of the three major competitions of the football season,” Hibs coach Branko Nisevic said.

“However, I’m more pleased with the performance of the team. We were organised and rarely lost shape even when Birkirkara were playing their best football this evening.

“My players knew how to react each time Birkirkara tried new tactics. We rarely put a foot wrong except for Miccoli’s goal which came from a corner.

“Perhaps, there was a little disattention from my players at that particular moment but otherwise we were focused the entire match.”