Hibernians 0
Birkirkara 1
Mifsud Triganza 80 pen;

Hibernians were made to pay the penalty by a revitalised Birkirkara side as substitute Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza’s 80th minute spot-kick gave the Stripes all points.

The result was a bitter blow to Hibernians’ championship aspirations as the Paolites have now lost precious ground to leaders Valletta who moved three points clear with victory over Sliema Wanderers in yesterday’s second match.

The complexion of the game changed with a controversial decision taken by referee Alan Mario Sant in the 72nd minute when he ruled out a goal from Jackson Lima for an off-the ball infringement albeit television replays suggested otherwise.

The Hibernians players were infuriated by the referee’s decision and the Paola team simply did not have the strength to make a fight after they were shocked ten minutes from time when Mifsud Triganza scored from the penalty spot to give his team a precious victory that put them back in third place in the Premier League standings.

The same players in the same formation will deliver the same goods against Hibernians Paul Zammit must have thought as he put the same starting XI for the third game in a row.

His counterpart, Mark Miller, could not bank on the scoring instincts of Luis Edison, the Premier League leading scorer with 19 goals, who was ruled out by suspension.

Miller continued with his policy of a rotating selection, dropping Edward Herrera and Jonathan Pearson to the bench in favour of Adrian Pulis and Jason Vandelannoite.

Peter Anizoba was positioned at the apex of Hibernians’ 4-1-4-1 formation with Jackson Lima and Marcelo Dias offering support from the flanks. The Nigerian-born striker brought a touch of class to the attack but was too erratic upfront.

Zammit stuck to a 4-3-3 tactical configuration, with Shawn Bajada – a holder, a creator and lately a scorer, forming a three-pronged Stripes attack alongside Shola Shodiya and Jorge Santos Silva.

The opening exchanges were balanced, although Hibernians, with Clayton Failla and Andrew Cohen working hard to gain a foothold in midfield, were the more adventurous side.

Upfront, the running of Lima and Dias kept Birkirkara’s four-man defence on its toes but at the other end Shodiya’s sharp movement posed a constant threat to the Paolites.

But scoring chances were at a premium and after 19 minutes, Bajada drifted infield from the flank but his low drive was easily saved by Mario Muscat.

Hibernians’ propensity to push down the flanks was causing problems for Birkirkara.

On the half hour mark, Lima sprinted down the right, lofted an inviting cross towards Rodolfo Soares but the alert Rodrigo Pereira cleared the danger.

Two minutes later, Failla showed tremendous skill to beat the Birkirkara rearguard and then exchanged a neat one-two with Cohen but Reuben Gauci turned his shot out for a corner.

Miller altered his tactics for the second half, bringing on Herrera at the expense of the quiet Anizoba, leaving Cohen as the team’s main attacking target and detailing the newcomer to play extremely deep on the left flank.

Herrera soon offered a reminder of his pace and skill with a single devastating burst of pace, a mazy run which finished off with an audacious shot into the side-netting.

Zammit also made his first substitution bringing on Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza for Bajada. And at last the two teams brought some much-needed intensity to the proceedings.

Yet, in the 72nd minute, Hibernians were denied the opener by a controversial decision by the referee. Jackson Lima scored with a flying backheel from a corner taken by Cohen but the goal was annulled as the referee deemed that there was an off-the ball infringement.

Hibernians kept up the pressure with Vandelannoite coming late to divert into the net another insidious free-kick by Lima, five minutes later.

But ten minutes from time Birkirkara punished Hibernians’ flat-out approach with a devastating counter-attack.

Ryan Scicluna carved the Paolities wide open with a surging run on the left before being hauled down to the ground by the onrushing goalkeeper Muscat.

From the ensuing spot-kick, Mifsud Triganza sent Muscat the wrong way.

Hibs tried to fight back, forcing a number of flag-kicks and two minutes from time, Cohen went for an audacious lob over the bar from a distance that missed the target.

Hibernians
M. Muscat-6, A. Pulis-5 (64 J. Pearson-5), A. Xuereb-6 (85 S. Pisani), R. Soares-6.5, C. Failla-6.5, B. Kristensen-6, J. Lima-7.5, A. Cohen-6.5, P. Anizoba-4.5 (60 E. Herrera-6), M. Dias-5.5, J. Vandelannoite-6.

Birkirkara
R. Gauci-6, R. Pereira-8, N. Vukanac-7, Jorge-5, S. Bajada-6 (69 J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5), R. Scicluna-7 (84 R. Muscat), P. Fenech-6.5, A. Buhagiar-6, G. Sciberras-6.5, J. Zerafa-5.5, S. Shodiya-6.5 (90 R. Camenzuli).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Yellow cards: Dias; Shodiya, Xuereb, Muscat.

BOV Player of the match: Jackson Lima (Hibernians).

Standings