The Malta Independent on Sunday
Jorginho keeps the party going for champions Hibernians
It was time to party on and off the field. Ta’Qali National Stadium was almost exclusively reserved for the Hibernians noisy and colourful fans as they filled both sides of the main stand, hours befor kick-off, to celebrate their team’s 11th championship win.
The handful of Valletta supporters present, watched with tepidness from the opposite side in the Millenium stand as the curtain went down with the final match of the 2014/15 League season.
Although evidently in celebration mode, Hibernians showed more verve and made sure they end a memorable season on a high, after failing to win in their previous two outings.
Their Brazilian striker Jorginho took it on him as he hit an impressive hat-trick to take his personal tally to 25 goals this season and join team mate Luis Edison as joint top scorer in the BoV Premier League.
With Jorginho as their only forward,and Johann Bezzina joining Jackson Lima in defensive midfield, Andrew Cohen and Bjorn Kristensen played in a very advanced supporting role, with Marcelo Dias and Clayton Failla using the width of the field. Rui Gomes was back after suspension in the Paolites’ threeman backline.
Valletta, already assured of second place, were in no mood to spoil the new champions’ party. Although they fielded a full-strength team, including Italian keeper Pietro Marino, Ryan Fenech and Lateef Alliyu, they showed little inclination to go forward and they always struggled to get going.
They even suffered an early setback when central defender Jonatahn Caruana was stretchered off after only two minutes, following a tackle on Failla, and had to be replaced by Ikenna Hilary.
The early exchanges were rather chaotic and there was little football to talk about at first. The Hibernians keeper Bonello caught in an awkward situation on Kristensen’s curious back pass and he tried to head out the high ball that fell to Alliyu who however failed to capitalise.
When Hibernians pushed forward, the Valletta defence looked uncomfortable, although Luke Dimech did not look the least intimidated by Cohen’s darting runs around the box. When keeper Marino fisted out Cohen’s corner, Lima missed the target.
Hibernians’ opening goal just past the quarter hour, put them firmly in command. Kristensen was allowed space in the Hibernians’ third, played a through ball for Jorginho to chase and beat keeper Marino with a low diagonal shot. The goal was met with a wall of noise.
And with Hibernians still enjoying the better share of possession, Dimech was forced to block Jorginho’s incursion down the right as the Paolites looked menacimg on the counter.
On the half hour, keeper Bonello denied Valletta an equaliser, repelling Barry’s shot from close range.
The atmosphere was briefly punctured when central defender Soares limped off with some muscle problem and was substituted by Keith Tanti.
The volume increased again though on 36 minutes as the Valletta rearguard was rendered helpless by Jorginho’s maraud- ing run through the middle to score with a low drive at the far post.
With Valletta looking static and slow, there was no way they could claw their way back into the game and, not surprisingly, the Stadium erupted again three minutes into the second half. Jorginho advanced through the middle, challenged by Dimech, but was felled by the onrushing keeper Marino, who conceded a penalty and an inevitable dismissal.
Nicky Vella replaced him in goal but was immediately beaten by Jorginho’s penalty. Vella was called into action on the hour, as he stretched himself to hold out Lima’s long range shot.
On 72 minutes, the post came to Valletta’s rescue as Failla’s powerful free kick rebounded off the foot of the post.
Hibernians’ clean sheet was blemished seven minutes from time, when keeper Bonello was caught out of position on Shaun Bajada’s lob from a distance but that failed to mar any of Hibernians’ buoyant mood.
At the end, chaos reigned as the fans invaded the pitch and celebrated with their players for some time before returning to the stands to watch captain Cohen being presented with the League trophy from MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo in the VIP area.
And the stadium rocked again!