Valletta 1
Dimech 30;
Hibernians 2
Failla 5; Lima 48;

Hibernians have risen to the challenge.

Staring at a win-at-all-costs scenario ahead of their final skirmish with rivals Valletta after Birkirkara had temporarily opened a three-point gap at the top on Saturday, Hibs refused to wilt under the mounting pressure as they eked out a 2-1 win to force a title decider against the Stripes.

The thrills and spills in the title race over the past three weeks have ensured unremitting drama but the Premier League season is now set for a most thrilling denouement on Saturday as Hibs and Birkirkara go head to head in a winner-takes-all showdown.

Valletta, the dethroned champions, had nothing to play bar pride yesterday. They were not at their dazzling best as theirs was a fragmented performance but they didn’t lie down either.

When Clayton Failla, again living up to his reputation as a big-occasion player, fired Hibs in front with a sumptuous free-kick after only five minutes, the Paolites had good reason to be confident of dismissing Valletta’s challenge as for much of the opening half-hour they were in command.

Oozing composure and determination, Failla was the catalyst behind Hibs’ early supremacy as his powerful running on the left and the fast, direct movement of his forward colleagues had the slow-starting Valletta in a tangle.

Their initial ascendancy fizzled out when Valletta began to pour forward with renewed conviction after they grabbed a 30th-minute equaliser but the balance of power again shifted decidedly in Hibs’ favour when Jackson Lima restored their one-goal lead early in the second half.

Lima had started the game on the bench but, not for the first time this season, he turned out to be the game-changer for Hibs after coming on at the start of the second half.

His roaming presence gave Hibs a new focus in midfield which was in contrast with Valletta’s toils to impose themselves in this crucial area of the pitch.

Hibs’ second goal coming so early after the change of ends was a hammer blow for the Citizens who found it hard to summon the energy and willpower to hit back as Hibs remained the more dangerous side.

As the end of the game beckoned, tension inevitably crept into Hibs’ game but they held firm to ram home their slender advantage, much to the delight of their fans who let out a roar of jubilation and relief at the final whistle.

With their team’s title hopes resting on this clash, the Hibs faithful thronged their section. As kick-off approached, they raised the volume and unfurled a giant streamer which virtually covered the entire side.

As was to be expected, the Hibs supporters outnumbered the Valletta fans whose prevailing feeling is one of disillusionment after their team, initially dubbed as favourites to retain the title, fell by the wayside after an inconsistent campaign.

Yet, a good number of loyal City fans still turned up to offer their support to the players.

Hibs coach Michael Woods prioritised speed over craft as Brazilian Marcelo Dias was preferred to fellow countryman Jackson Lima as Zoran Levnaic started ahead of Obinna Obiefule.

Striker Michael Mifsud paid the price for his below-par showing in the 1-0 loss to Birkirkara as he was left out of Valletta’s starting XI along with Brazilian midfielder William Barbosa and Nigerian forward Abubakar Bello-Osagie.

Coach Mark Miller started with Demba Toure partnering Denni in attack with Dyson Falzon, who replaced Bello-Osagie, on the right wing. Roderick Briffa took on Barbosa’s duties in midfield.

The game was off to an explosive start as Hibs took less than five minutes to break the stalemate. They were awarded a free-kick after a foul on Dias. The distance to Yenz Cini’s goal was considerable but that failed to discourage Failla who let fly a pulverising drive that ripped past the City goalkeeper and into the net.

The early opener went some way towards steadying Hibs’ nerves. Their early supremacy yielded another chance as the fired-up Failla played a raking through-pass to Luis Edison who surged into the box but his angled grounder was off target.

Edison was flanked by Jean Paul Farrugia in attack as Woods opted for 3-1-4-2 with Failla and Dias on the wings and Andrew Cohen the conduit between midfield and the forward line.

Valletta’s response produced shots by Falzon and Briffa which were off target.

On 20 minutes, the sight of Rodolfo Soares crashing into a post after clearing a Denni cross caused apprehension but luckily the Brazilian was able to continue.

Dias was first to the loose ball after Cini had fisted away Cohen’s left-wing corner but the Brazilian’s drive was hooked away by Ryan Fenech.

The Valletta midfielder then played a more constructive role on the half-hour mark as his cross from a free-kick sailed towards the six-yard box and Luke Dimech stuck out his leg to flick the ball past Muscat. This was the cue for the Valletta fans to taunt their rivals but, surprisingly, the Hibs supporters didn’t respond.

The Citizens threatened to go ahead when Denni drove towards the bye-line before hitting an excellent cross but Toure’s header grazed the near post.

At the other end, Edison tapped the ball home after Cini had partially saved Dias’s grounder but the Brazilian forward had strayed offside.

After a stuttering start, Valletta gradually began to find their rhythm. Their improvement disrupted Hibs’ early momentum and it was only towards the end of the opening period that the Paolites put their opponents under some pressure.

A ferocious strike by Dias was beaten away by Cini. Moments later, Hibs appealed for a penalty when Cohen ended on the turf after tangling for possession with Ian Azzopardi but referee Kevin Azzopardi was unimpressed.

At the start of the second half, Woods brought on Lima for Levnaic to add further flair and inventiveness to Hibs’ build-up play.

It proved an inspired substitution as, barely two minutes after entering the fray, Lima struck with a typically rasping drive that whistled past the diving Cini.

Just as in the first half, Hibs were in ascendancy after taking the lead. They came close to increasing the lead when Failla drifted into the box from the left and his low cross was deflected into the path of Farrugia who swivelled before hitting towards goal but his effort was warded off by Dimech. Hibs claimed that the City defender’s arm had made contact with the ball but the referee pointed towards the corner flag.

Lima was high with a looping volley.

As the game approached the hour mark, Miller made a double substitution. On came Mifsud and Gabriel for Azzopardi and Edmond Agius respectively.

It was Hibs who nearly added a third goal when Luis Edison slipped a through-ball to Dias whose pace took him past his marker but his diagonal strike whizzed past the far post after taking a deflection.

Lima’s introduction had an uplifting effect on Hibs as Valletta struggled to contain the Brazilian’s intelligent movement and passing.

Hibs, now having boasting more attack-minded players, were breaking forward with speed, always striving to release Dias and Edison. The former advanced menacingly towards goal as he ran on to a long pass but out came Cini to clear the danger.

With 15 minutes remaining, Miller hauled off Denni in favour of Bello-Osagie, a decision that irked the City fans as the Brazilian had been one of Valletta’s most enterprising performers.

There was another chance for Hibs when Luis Edison laid the ball back for Lima but the Brazilian rifled over.

As the minutes ticked away, Valletta stirred but the determined Hibs players withstood the pressure.

When the Mifsud set off on a run, Hibs feared the worst but the Malta captain’s long-range attempt was wayward.

Valletta
Y. Cini-5, J. Caruana-6.5, I. Azzopardi-6 (60 M. Mifsud-4), R. Fenech-5.5, E. Agius-6 (60 Gabriel-5.5), R. Briffa-5.5, D. Toure-5, Denni-7 (75 A. Bello-Osagie), D. Falzon-6, J. Vandelannoite-6, L. Dimech-7.

Hibernians
M. Muscat-6, R. Camilleri-7.5, J. Pearson-6, R. Soares-7, C. Failla-7.5, M. Dias-7 (73 O. Obiefule), A. Cohen-6.5, B. Kristensen-6.5, Z. Levnaic-6 (46 J. Lima-7), Luis Edison-6, J.P. Farrugia-6.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Yellow cards: Denni; Levnaic; Briffa; Falzon.

BOV player of the match: Clayton Failla (Hibs).

Attendance: 2,145.

Final standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Birkirkara	32	19	9	4	62	22	45
Hibernians	32	21	4	7	72	34	45
Valletta	32	17	8	7	70	29	36
Sliema	32	16	6	10	48	32	36
Tarxien	32	14	6	12	53	51	29
Mosta	32	11	2	19	45	72	18
Floriana (-2)	32	14	10	8	48	38	38
Qormi	32	15	4	13	61	50	34
Balzan	32	9	9	14	48	61	23
Rabat Ajax	32	6	9	17	38	60	22
Ħamrun (-1)	32	6	5	21	39	88	14
Melita	32	4	8	20	31	78	13