Vittoriosa 2 Hibernians 0

Hibernians slipped to a second consecutive defeat as they were spectacularly knocked out of their stride by Vittoriosa as a Matthew Tabone own goal and Anthony Ewurum’s opportunistic strike provided the Stars with goals.

And they were given the perfect opportunity to take the lead when Edward Herrera won a dubious penalty after Kevin Mifsud was adjudged to have handled in the ball in the box. The Stars were furious and felt justice was done when Andrew Cohen blazed the ball embarrassingly over the bar.

Hibernians continued to boss the game as they searched a way through the organised Vittoriosa defence, whose tactics were to frustrate Mark Miller’s side and catch them out on the counter-attack.

Hibernians needed to increase the tempo after the break, instead it was Vittoriosa who were faster out of the blocks and they opened the score in a spectacular fashion as Leighton Grech got the better of Tristan Caruana on the right before he gleefully looked on as his low cross was diverted past his own keeper by Tabone.

The goal breathed a new lease of life in the Stars and, five minutes later, Muscat spilled Compagnoli’s fierce strike, but nobody could not follow up and the goalkeeper scrambled the ball clear.

The Stars deserved a reward for their great enterprise, and it came after 74 minutes. Compagnoli ‘s dashing run down the left flank ended with a ball inside to Ewurum, who lashed his finish low past Muscat at his near post.

In the final minutes, Hibernians had plenty of the ball but Vittoriosa kept their opponents at arm’s length apart from one last chance for McManus which Agius scrambled down to save following a last minute melee in the Vittoriosa box.