Kamberi leads the charge as Hibs relish European return
● Swiss striker nets hat-trick in easy win ● New midfielder Mallan hits double
Flo Kamberi wrote his own little bit of history as he became the first Hibs player to score a hat-trick in Europe for 45 years, helping the Easter Road side all but book their place in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
The Edinburgh club will travel to the Faroe Islands next week with a five-goal cushion which, surely, will be too much for NSI Runavik to overcome, although the they have proved tricky opponents on their own plastic pitch in the past.
Kamberi got Neil Lennon’s side off to the perfect start, slotting home a secondminute penalty after he’d been bundled off the ball by Einar Trondargjogv who’s night went from bad to worse as he was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Martin Boyle to leave his team-mates to play almost an hour short-handed.
By the time of his dismissal Hibs were already three up, Kamberi having added his second of the game with Oli Shaw also finding the net.
Newcomer Stevie Mallan made it four as his weak shot trundled under the body of goalkeeper Tordur Thomsen before Kamberi claimed his place in Hibs history books by slotting home his third only three minutes into the second half.
In doing so, he became the first Hibs player to achieve that particular feat since Alan Gordon put three past Hadjuk Split in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1973.
Lennon, watching from the stand as he continues to serve a Uefa ban, would have been delighted with what he had seen, the gloss taken off the result only slightly as Petur Knudsen’s deflected free-kick gave Runavik a rare moment to savour before Mallan hit a sixth for the Edinburgh side.
Runavik coach Samal Erik Hentze had admitted it would take something of “a miracle” if his side, having failed to progress beyond their first tie in any of their previous 11 European outings, were to create something of a shock this time round.
And his assessment of the task in hand was immediately underlined as Hibs got off to the dream start, Trondargjogv bundling Kamberi off the ball as he attempted to get on the end of Vykintas Slivka’s pass, enough, judged Lithuanian referee Manfredas Lukjancukas to merit a penalty.
The Swiss striker himself stepped up and breathed a mighty sigh of relief as his effort from the spot squirmed under the body of goalkeeper Thomsen.
Then, having weathered a bit of pressure from the visitors, Hibs earned themselves a bit of breathing space as Kamberi got across in front of his marker to meet Boyle’s cross to stab the ball home at the near post.
Another ball from Slivka presented Shaw with a halfchance to further increase Hibs’ lead but the angle proved too tight for the youngster. Shaw, however, was not to be denied, engineering the opening to drill an unstoppable low shot beyond Thomsen from 20 yards just before the half-hour mark.
Whistler Lukjancukas has earned himself something of a reputation for being card happy but he was content to let a number of hefty challenges go until Trondargjogv launched himself into a reckless challenge on Boyle and was immediately sent off. He could have had no complaint at all, it was a shocking challenge.
A free-kick whipped in by Knudsen gave Runavik, who were beginning to look a trifle ragged as the interval approached,abriefmomentof respite although his effort was competently beaten round the post by Adam Bogdan.
And even the Hibs goalkeeper would have had some sympathy for his opposite number when, left to deal with a “trundler” from Malllan, Thomsen let the ball slip through his hands to give the home side a four-goal lead as they headed for their half-time cuppa, Runavik’s No 55 atoning ever so slightly for his howler by getting down at the feet of Shaw to prevent a fifth.
Kamberi claimed his third just three minutes into the second half, the striker in the right place to meet Paul Hanlon’s low ball and slot it beyond the helpless Thomsen.
Thomsen pulled off a terrific one-handed save to prevent Shawturningboyle’scrossinto the net seconds later before Runavik got themselves a goal totally against the run of play, Knudsen’s free-kick appearing to take a wicked deflection to leave Bogdan wrong-footed.
Shaw had the chance to restore Hibs’ five-goal advantage when left with only Thomsen to beat, but put his shot wide before Lewis Stevenson saw his header crash back off the woodwork as did Mallan with a stunning effort from 25 yards.
Mallan did curl home a terrific free-kick, which Thomsen only managed to push on to the inside of his post as Hibs claimed their sixth goal. HIBERNIAN: Bogdan, Ambrose, Mcgregor (Swanson 61), Hanlon, Stevenson, Whittaker, Mallan, Slivka, Boyle, Shaw (Bartley 82), Kamberi (Simon Murray 52). Subs not used: Laidlaw, Gray, Martin, Porteous.
NSI RUNAVIK: Thomsen, B Hansen, Johan Davidsen (J Benjaminsen 71), Joensen, E Hansen, F Benjaminsen, B Hansen (M Olsen 40), Knudsen, Justinussen, Frederiksberg (Langgaard 79), K Olsen. Subs not used: Gango, J Mortensen, Hentze, M Mortensen.