BALZAN 0

HIBERNIANS 3

Soares 25, 32, Kristensen 50

Brazilian defender Rodolfo Soares scored a brace in quick succession to give Hibernians a foothold in what had been shaping up as a tricky match but from then on it was a win of efficiency and control for the league leaders.

But for all their running and possession, Balzan had one chance in the opening period which Guerrero dragged wide midway through the first half.  

Hibernians immediately showed them how it was done. Rodolfo Soares, almost too good to be rotated ran between Clive Brincat and Fredrick Odebe and headed powerfully past Steve Sultana after Cohen swung in a perfect cross from the left flank.

That lead was never likely to be properly challenged thereafter with Hibernians’ composure established. For all Balzan’s huff and puff, there was little surprise when Clayton Failla curled the ball into the box, Jorginho headed it across the goal from the near post and this time, their man was on the goal line, as he put it into the next.

Hibernians began the second half knocking the ball about with confidence and after 50 minutes, Bjorn Kristensen grabbed the third goal from another free-kick to put the game out of sight, heading in at the near post after he was found by Failla’s delivery.

Seven minutes later, Luis Edison much more effective when playing on the break, induced a late challenge from Brincat which saw him expelled for a second booking. Another flowing attack, shy the hour mark, nearly brought a fourth when Kristensen’s cross found the unmarked Failla. The winger hit the ball first time but his low shot flashed just wide of the far post.

Twenty minutes from time, the ball evaded substitute Jackson Lima, on for Cohen, after a fluid Hibs move had seen Joseph Mbong, supplied the final pass into the box with his first touch of the ball.  

A minute from time, Failla tried to put his name on the score-sheet, from just outside the area shooting hard toward the far post but the ball finished wide.