HIBERNIANS 1
Degabriele 50

GŻIRA UNITED 1
Liliu 28

Gżira United cost Hibernians two precious points and more ground in their bid to keep in touch with leaders Balzan, with a plucky display mingled with some solid rearguard action frustrating their more-quoted opponents.

Hibernians almost nosed ahead shy the quarter hour mark, when a through pass from Bjorn Kristensen sent Jorginho on a run, but the latter’s low drive was pawed away by Jurgen Borg, the Gżira goalkeeper. The rebound was pick up by Jackson Lima but Borg denied him with another fine save.

Hibs looked somewhat susceptible at the back. On 27 minutes, Moises Avila Perez received the ball deep in the Paolites’ half before serving Liliu on the right. The former Birkirkara player was completely unmarked and opted to shoot immediately. The next thing the ball was flying over Andrew Hogg and into the net.

Until then Hibernians had enjoyed a territorial, if not effective, edge. On the half hour mark, Jackson Lima’s menacing cross from the left soared dangerously towards the box but Andrei Agius’s flying header, from point-blank range, dropped wide.

There was a growing intensity to the exchanges as the two sides lifted their game and Gżira kept going to their opponents rather than soaking pressure. Jorginho’s free-kick, from outside the box, rolled wide just before half-time.

With the introduction after the break of Andrew Cohen, the Paolites made their extra man in midfield count in an adapted 4-4-2 formation which enabled them to control the game better. They equalised five minutes later when Jorginho bustled his way past Machedo Neto and Souleymane Diamoutene to get on the end of a long punt from the back, before controlling the ball and playing in Degabriele to shoot home.

Gżira, who may have been guilty of a number of nagging fouls, held out vehemently amid the frustration of their opponents. This was particularly reflected when referee Clayton Pisani did not give the advantage when Mbong was launched at goal.

Hibs’ best chance came five minutes from time, when Cohen delivered the ball into the path of Degabriele who, despite, having ample space, incredibly shot straight into the hands of Borg.

At the death, a free-kick by Jackson Lima found Johann Bezzina almost on the edge of the area. The U-21 midfielder found enough space to fire in a venomous shot past a ruck of defenders but his effort flew over the bar.