Birkirkara beat leaders to reignite title race
This defeat by Birkirkara trimmed Hibernians’ lead to only two points above Balzan, with two fixtures remaining in the BoV Premier League.
Though it would be out of character for Hibernians to lose their nerve now, with St Andrews and Tarxien being their next opponents, perhaps Birkirkara have shown the blueprint for beating, or at least negating, the league leaders.
Birkirkara’s goals came one in each half through Vito Plut and Nikola Vukanac, after which the Stripes were down to ten men for the last 25 minutes but still managed to hold to a win.
The only possible complaint that could be directed at Birkirkara after this game, is the question of why they have not played with this kind of authority more often thsi season. This win lifts them one point behind third placed Valletta.
Coach Jaros can take enormous satisfaction from the way his players out-fought and frustrated the league leaders and scored in crucial moments although Hibernians dominated possession for long stretches, without managing to break them down.
In all fairness, the Paolites were twice denied by the woodwork but failed to capitalise on their chances, even when playing with an extra man.
Birkirkara opened well and were in front after only 12 minutes. Vito Plut headed an Alba cross past keeper Hogg.
Hibernians’ response came past the quarter hour. Ribeiro found space in front of him as a Failla cross was headed out by the Birkirkara defence, but he skied the ball.
Biekirkara remained threatening on the counter though. On 24 minutes, an Alba powerful drive from a distance was fisted out by keeper Hogg.
The Paolites seemed to have recovered from their early nerves by the half-hour mark. Degabriele was fouled in midfield as he set Ribeiro down the left and with Hibernians awarded the advantage, his shot was fisted out by keeper Bonello in the path of Kristensen, whose grounder was again saved by the Birkirkara keeper into a corner.
Birkirkara’s chances began to dry up and when Dimitrov played the ball wide to the advancing Alba, the latter put his effort off target.
Hibernians were still obliged to climb back into the game and on the stroke of halftime, a Lima shot from a distance was turned into a corner by keeper Bonello with some difficulty.
They thought they had equalised two minutes after the restart when Agius headed in a Lima free kick but the flag went up for an offside. A Ribeiro free kick from 25 metres out went narrowly wide.
Short of the hour, Hibernians went close again. Jorginho played a square pass to the unmarked Failla who clipped the bar with keeper Bonello beaten.
But as Birkirkara were absorbing the Paolites’ pressure, they doubled their lead past the hour. The Hibernians’ defence looked static on a Dimitrov corner kick from the right and defender Nikola Vukanac rose to head low with keeper Hogg rooted to his line.
And hardly two minutes later, the match took another twist. Birkirkara’s Miguel Alba was sent off for a second bookable offence, after a foul on Dias.
Hibernians introduced Johann Bezzina for Boljevic and desperately kept pushing for a goal, although with much less conviction.
Nothing happened for the best part of a quarter of an hour. Hibernians continued to look reluctant to take the game to Birkirkara with only Ribeiro willing to break with some purpose.
On 80 minutes the Brazilian sent the ball across the face of the Birkirkara goal but neither Jorginho nor Degabriele managed to make contact.
There was some anxiety to endure in the final moments but the introduction of Predrag Jovic and Edmond Agius ensured the Stripes preserved their lead till the end.
Standings
Hibernians Balzan Valletta Birkirkara Floriana Sliema St. Andrews Gzira Tarxien Hamrun Mosta Pembroke P W D L F A Pts 31 20 5 6 55 29 65 31 19 6 6 64 37 63 31 16 11 4 50 25 59 31 17 7 7 16 28 58 31 14 9 8 48 35 51 31 13 7 11 43 36 46 31 9 10 12 42 45 37 31 9 6 16 39 48 33 31 7 11 13 35 42 32 31 8 5 18 41 59 29 31 6 5 20 25 67 18 31 4 6 21 26 78 17