MOSTA-0, HIBS-1

Hibs moved to within a point of leading duo Valletta and Birkirkara after beating Mosta 1-0 in today's opening game at the Tedesco Stadium.

Clayton Failla's early goal decided the issue in favour of Hibs but the Paolites' win would have been more resounding had they been more clinical in front of goal.

For Mosta, this was their second defeat in a row.A free-kick by Mosta winger Danail Mitev sailed over the bar after six minutes. Moments later, Ousseni Zongo spurned a good opening for Mosta when he failed to control the ball after being released by Firas Aboulezz.

Mosta created the better attacks in the opening stages. Aboulezz stole the attention with a twisting run before releasing Obinna Obiefule whose dipping shot was tipped away by Mario Muscat, the Hibs goalkeeper.From the prospect of going behind, Hibs found themselves 1-0 on 13 minutes, Clayton Failla firing a first-time volley past Justin Haber after good work by Marcelo Dias.

Chances proved hard to come by for much of the next 20 minutes with Mosta only going close once when Mitev's menacing cross-shot from a corner was fisted away by Muscat.

At the other end, Ryan Camilleri, the Hibs right-back, connected with Andrew Cohen's cross at the far post but his volley was deflected away for a corner.On another occasion, Hibs defender Rodolfo Soares headed against the crossbar from Failla's corner.

Early in the second half, Haber easily blocked Failla's low shot from a free-kick but scoring chances remained rare.With 18 minutes remaining, Soares missed a golden chance when lifting the ball over from close in after getting first to Cohen's corner.

Seven minutes from time, Cohen cut in from the left but rifled over but, moments later, Hibs were reduced to 10 men when Adrian Pulis was dismissed for two yellow cards.Nevertheless, it was the Paolites who should have closed out the match when Cohen freed debutant Allan Kardech Dos Santos but the Brazilian's grounder was kept out by Haber.

The Mosta goalkeeper then repelled an effort from Failla.In stoppage time, Hibs squandered another gilt-edged chance to put the game to bed when Haber was caught out of position after going up for a Mosta corner but Kardech failed to direct his shot into the open goal.

Hibs missed another great chance before the final whistle when Cohen fired over from point blank after being set up by substitute Johann Bezzina.

Failla was voted BOV player of the match.