Hibernians 0
Valletta 1
Gabriel 75;
The most consistent teams in the Premier League in recent years combined to put on an enthralling spectacle at the National Stadium yesterday.
Hibernians, in view of this result, might look second rate. They may have been slightly inferior at times but Valletta’s victory could have been trimmed had the Paolites played with more intensity as they did after the break.
Championships are normally won in May but this first showdown between Valletta and Hibs had a feeling of a decisive clash.
Both sides were running neck-and-neck after five matches and boasted a pristine opening to the championship.
In terms of resources it was there for all to see yesterday as Valletta maintained their 100 per cent record with Joao Gabriel da Silva scoring the decisive goal 15 minutes from time.
In the build-up to this match, Hibernians had to fight hard to beat Balzan and, on Monday, Valletta threw down the gauntlet by thrashing Ħamrun Spartans 8-2.
Apart from high-flying oppo-nents, another headache for Hibernians was posed by the unavailability of three first-choice players, Mario Muscat and Marcelo Dias, both suspended, and Jean Paul Farrugia injured.
Their absence diluted the options for Michael Woods. The Paolites coach restored Jason Vandelannoite – after a one-month suspension imposed by the club – and Jonathan Pearson to the starting line-up and gave a debut to latest recruit Udo Nwoko.
With Pearson manning the right-back position, Ryan Camil-leri reverted to the left flank and Vandelannoite partnered Rodolfo Soares.
The compositon of the Valletta XI was always going to be interesting after the Ħamrun rout as coach Mark Miller decided to field the same formation as Monday.
The Englishman again favoured a 4-3-3 strategy with Michael Mifsud, Denni and Leandro deployed in attack.
Andrew Cohen, the Hibs captain, tested waters with a pulverising drive that ended high inside the first seven minutes.
But Valletta started in bright fashion, thanks mainly to better movement from their forwards and support from the flanks.
In the ninth minute, Denni and Ryan Fenech exchanged passes before the former unleashed a piledrive that whizzed just off the target.
Cohen was the focal point of Hibs’ attack with the powerful Jackson Lima being the link between midfield and the forward line in a 4-4-1-1 formation.
On 17 minutes, Cohen made inroads inside the Valletta penalty area with a typical driving run, before veering to the left but Lima failed to make contact with the ball after Cohen’s cross had caused panic inside the Valletta box.
The game continued to ebb and flow.
And three minutes later, Leandro with a superb solo effort down the wing, left his marker for dead, evading Pearson’s tackle before firing a low drive which went off the far post.
That triggered an intense period of pressure from Valletta as Mifsud rattled the underside of the bar, with the stand-in Daniel Balzan beaten, after pouncing on a short clearance by the Hiber-nians defence.
Picking up the ball in space, Gabriel’s brilliant ‘no look’ pass was weighted perfectly down the right channel into which Denni scrampered. But Balzan did well to deny the lively Brazilian when the Valletta striker found himself face to face with the keeper.
At this point, Hibernians’ game plan appeared to focus on being tight in defence and worrying about pushing in attack secondarily.
Valletta sailed forward in numbers in an attempt to unhinge the well-drilled Hibs defence.
Just before half-time, Valletta threatened to hurt their opponents from a quick break as Denni played the ball to Mifsud but Balzan again rushed out of his goal to clear the ball outside the area.
Cohen’s cross from the left, two minutes into the second half, wreaked havoc in the Valletta defence who struggled to boot the ball away from John Nwoba but the latter’s effort was repelled by Steve Borg.
The Citizens were also dangerous when an inviting centre by substitute Shaun Bajada – who came in just before half-time to replace Fenech who limped out injured – fell to Mifsud who tried to beat the goalkeeper but the ball got stuck under Balzan’s body.
On the hour mark, Lima let fly a powerful free-kick which the City keeper blocked, the ball rolled into the path of Cohen who scuffed his shot over the bar.
Four minutes later, Zoran Levnaic sent Bajada crashing following a serious venture towards the Hibernians area.
The free-kick was awarded in perfect William Barbosa territory. And the Brazilian exacted a delightful strike that beat the Hibs’ wall and Balzan’s despairing dive but crashed against the upright.
But, Valletta hit the jackpot on 75 minutes.
After controlling Borg’s long pass, Bajada used all his guile to outpace Pearson and feed Gabriel whose rasping grounder finished in the corner behind Balzan.
The Paolites became increasingly impatient and confused with the result that their disjointed attacks were easily warded off by Valletta.
Woods made his third substi-tution six minutes from time, throwing in Ribeiro for Levnaic as he unleashed all his attacking elements.
One minute from time, the assistant referee incurred the wrath of the Hibs players when Lima bundled the ball into the City net. It looked like the Brazilian had given the ball a helping hand and the ‘goal’ was disallowed.
Just before the final whistle, Cohen booted upfield as Lima ran through but Bartolo came out of his line to reach the ball first before the Brazilian, dashing the Paolites’ hopes of a last-gasp equaliser.
Hibernians
D. Balzan-7, R. Camilleri-6.5, J. Pearson-6, R. Soares-6.5, A. Cohen-6.5, B. Kristensten-5.5 (67 S. Pisani-5), J. Vandelannoite-6, U. Nwoko-5.5 (77 J. Bezzina), Z. Levnaic-6 (84 Ribeiro), J. Nwoba-6, J. Lima-7.
Valletta
M. Bartolo-6, J. Caruana-6, S. Borg-7, R. Fenech-5 (44 S. Bajada-6), Gabriel-6.5, Leandro-7 (90 E. Agius), R. Briffa-6, D. Falzon-6, Denni-7, W. Barbosa-6, M. Mifsud-6.
Referee: Chris Lautier.
Yellow cards: Denni, Levnaic, Borg.
BOV Player of the match: Denni (Valletta).
Attendance: 3,101.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Valletta | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4 | 18 |
| Birkirkara | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 5 | 15 |
| Hibernians | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 15 |
| Mosta | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 12 |
| Sliema W. | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 10 |
| Floriana | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Tarxien | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
| Qormi | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 6 |
| Ħamrun | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 6 |
| Balzan | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 4 |
| Rabat Ajax | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 1 |
| Melita | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 1 |