MOSTA-0, HIBERNIANS-2
Hibernians were made to fight hard to secure the three points and extend their perfect run to seven matches after beating Mosta 2-0 in an enjoyable encounter.
The Paolites were forced to dig in as, after taking the lead from a highly controversial penalty, they were reduced to 10 men when Ryan Camilleri was dismissed for two bookings.
Mosta, who had been the better team in the first half, did push for an equaliser but Hibs defended strongly before sealing the points with a late goal from substitute Obinna Obiefule.
An entertaining first half saw Mosta create the better chances.
Two minutes into the game, Hibernians were awarded a free-kick for a handball by Tyrone Farrugia. Andrew Cohen fired his shot over the bar.
Mosta threatened after seven minutes. Ricardinho played an excellent through-ball to Bojan Kaljevic who outpaced Rodolfo Soares and Jonathan Pearson but his low strike brought a good save from Mario Muscat.
The Hibernians goalkeeper then pushed away Fernandes’s drive.
A powerful run by Marcelo Dias took him into the Mosta box before the Brazilian hit a low pass that rolled towards Clayton Failla but the latter’s grounder came off Cohen before Kane Farrugia belted the ball away.
The game remained interesting. Muscat made another good save from Fernandes’s effort.
Bjorn Kristensen’s piledriver from outside the box was off target on 21 minutes.
Mosta continued to attack with purpose.
The towering Kaljevic robbed Ryan Camilleri of the ball before passing to Ricardinho who ran across the byline before laying the ball to Lukas Duriska whose strike was deflected past the near post.
Seven minutes from half-time, Kaljevic edged ahead the hesitant Pearson but out came Muscat to push the Montenegrin forward’s lob over the bar.
On the verge of half-time, Mosta appealed for a penalty after Jackson Lima appeared to raise his hand to stop Alex Cini’s cross but referee Paul Caruana waved play on.
Early in the second half, Cohen chipped the ball towards Edison near the far post but the Brazilian fired wide.
Referee Caruana courted controversy six minutes into the second half when he awarded Hibs a penalty after Kane Farrugia tugged the shirt of the advancing Edison. There was no doubt about Farrugia’s offence but the foul looked to have taken place just outside the box but Caruana stuck to his decision and Failla drilled the ball past Borg from the spot.
Hibs delight was tempered when, barely four minutes later, Ryan Camilleri was dismissed for two yellow cards.
Mosta should have levelled when Jonas Ekani pounced on some hesitant defending by Hibs to dart his way into the box but he drove wide from a great position.
With 12 minutes remaining, Lima put in a menacing cross from a free-kick and Edison’s header was deflected away for a corner.
As Mosta pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Hibs almost struck their second four minutes from time but Levnaic’s shot cannoned off the crossbar.
In time added-on, substitute Obinna Obiefule punished his former team as he stabbed the ball home from close range after his initial attempt, following a solo run, had been blocked by Omar Borg.
Hibs defender Rodolfo Soares was named BOV player of the match.