Floriana 1
Darmanin 88
Hibernians 3
McManus 20, 23
Caruana 54
Redemption is high on the agenda of Hibs and Floriana this term after the two former champions finished in the bottom half of the classification last season.
Both clubs brought in reinforcements, including new foreign players, to strengthen their chances of claiming a top-four finish but on this evidence, it looks as though the Paolites are better placed than the Greens to attain their objectives.
New signing Paul McManus proved an instant hit for Hibs as the Scottish forward struck a quickfire double in the first half to set the team on course to a comfortable victory over a below-par Floriana who failed to live up to their fans’ renewed optimism of a positive season.
Hibs were the better team with Floriana only showing signs of life in the latter stages of the second half, especially after American forward Michael Mecerod had entered the fray.
The initial formations featured a host of new players. Veteran forward Ivan Woods and Tyrone Farrugia, the Malta U-21 captain, were among six newcomers in Todor Raykov’s selection. Manolito Micallef, back with Floriana on a season-long loan from Ħamrun, was handed the captain’s armband.
Hibs coach Mark Miller had four new foreigners in his first XI, namely Scottish duo McManus and Richie Hart, English defender Matt Clarke and Zoran Levnaic, the Serbian midfielder who turned out for Msida last season.
Floriana’s tactical module was 4-4-2 with Woods partnering Ryan Darmanin up front. McManus, in prolific form in pre-season friendlies, was the attacking spearhead of Miller’s fluid 4-3-2-1 formation with Andrew Cohen and Triston Caruana granted freedom to probe for openings
Lofti Saidi, Floriana’s newly-signed Tunisian keeper, confidently dealt with a Cohen shot after seven minutes. Hibs squandered a glorious opportunity to put their noses in front when, with 11 minutes of the game gone, Cohen’s free-kick was deflected towards the post where McManus sent his header over the bar.
McManus redeemed himself on 20 minutes. Running on to Cohen’s floated through-pass, he beat the advancing Saidi with a cute lob.
Barely three minutes later, the Scot doubled Hibs’ lead, this time with a simple tap-in after Saidi had parried Caruana’s close-range effort. Both Caruana and McManus had been left unmarked by a disjointed Floriana defence.
Hibs maintained a stranglehold on the game as the lethargic Greens failed to summon a reaction. Floriana’s problems were all over the pitch, their travails reflected in the long distances between the three departments.
The Paolites threatened to heap further embarrassment on their opponents on the stroke of half-time. Cohen again unsettled the Floriana defence with a teasing ball into the six-yard box where McManus was intercepted by Saidi. The clearance fell to Edward Herrera who unleashed a dipping shot but Saidi kept his team in the game with a flying save.
Raykov effected his first substitution at half-time, bringing on midfielder Joseph Borg for Micallef with Woods taking over the Floriana captaincy.
Five minutes into the second half, the Greens spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to reopen the issue. Woods flicked the ball towards Darmanin whose run had evaded the attentions of the Hibs defenders. The Floriana forward guided his shot past Muscat but the ball came off the post.
From the possibility of pulling a goal back, Floriana suddenly found themselves 3-0 down.
Cohen was again the provider as his set-piece cross was only partially cleared by Floriana with the ball landing at the feet of Caruana who drilled the ball home.
The game looked over as a contest but Floriana did step up their efforts to get back into contention. After a brief spell of sustained pressure, Raykov’s men were unlucky not to pull one back when Borg’s piledriver cannoned off the bar.
Raykov introduced Mecerod for Argentine Pablo Doffo in a bid to add flair to his team’s attack.
With 19 minutes remaining, Christian Cassar picked out Woods inside the area but the former Sliema forward hit wide. At the other end, Caruana directed an excellent pass to McManus whose shot was repelled by Saidi. Two minutes from time, Floriana scored a consolation goal, Darmanin flicking the ball home from close in after Muscat had parried Mecerod’s shot.
Mecerod was very much at the heart of Floriana’s belated efforts to reopen the issue. In the dying moments, he hit a firm drive from outside the area but Muscat saved.
Floriana
L. Saidi-6, I. Sokolov-4, K. Dzhorov-4, P. Doffo-4 (65 M. Mecerod-6.5), M. Micallef-4 (46 J. Borg), I. Woods-5.5, D. Pisani-4, R. Darmanin-4, M. Gauci-4 (78 L. Agius), T. Farrugia-4, C. Cassar-4.
Hibernians
M. Muscat-6, R.Camilleri-6, E. Herrera-6.5 (82 S. Pisani), A. Pulis-6, A. Xuereb-6 (74 J. Pearson), M. Clarke-6.5, Z. Levnaic-6.5, A. Cohen-7, R. Hart-6, T. Caruana-7 (86 M. Tabone), P. McManus-8.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Levnaic; Sokolov; Clarke; Camilleri.
BOV player of the match: Paul McManus (Hibs).