Stripes beaten by Hibernians

by Ayrton Galea - 16th February 2016

Birkirkara FC suffered their second consecutive defeat and went to the third match without a victory when they were defeated by Hibernians FC in the last match of the second round of the BOV Premier League with a goal in each half for a comfortable 2-0 score.

A wonderful direct free-kick by Gilmar Ribeiro just before the hour mark broke the dead-lock and put Hibernians in the lead before Bjorn Kristensen put the Paolites' heads at rest fifteen minutes from the end with a close-range header following a corner kick by Ribeiro.

By this defeat, Birkirkara will start the third and last round in the fourth place with twenty-one points, one point over Floriana and two over Balzan. On the other hand, they are six points away from leaders Valletta, four from Hibernians and two from Balzan.

Birkirkara were without a number of key players as Mauricio Mazzetti, Edmond Agius and Ryan Darmanin all picked-up different injuries and were unavailable for this match along-side with Edward Herrera and Joseph Zerafa. On the positive side, Ryan Scicluna returned from an injury and was drafted in the first-eleven selection.

Croatian striker Matija Smrekar made his debut for the Stripes after joining our Club in the January Transfer Market while former goalkeeper Justin Haber made his debut with Hibernians following moving with them in the last two days of the Transfer Market.

Coach Mr. Drazen Besek fielded a 4-4-2 formation and made three changes. Scicluna returned from injury and replaced Matthew Gullauimier, Smrekar made his debut by taking the place of Mujanovic while Christian Bubalovic replaced the injured Mazzetti.

The First Half

Hibernians produced the first opportunity after eight minutes when Marcelo Dias delivered a dangerous cross-shot which was punched away by goalkeeper Kopric, and from the rebound, Gilmar Ribeiro fired wide.

Birkirkara were looking short of ideas but they threatened for their first time on the eighteenth minute, when off a corner kick delivered on the second post by Mislav Andelkovic, Christian Bubalovic's header ended wide.

The Paolites broke the dead-lock just before the half-hour mark. They were awarded a free-kick from an ideal central position outside the box and Gilmar Ribeiro unleashed a superb effort that surprised goalkeeper Kopric.

The Stripes tried to make a reaction but Ryan Scicluna hit wide from a diagonal position while Edison Luis Dos Santos anticipated goalkeeper Kopric who rushed out to cut-out a long ball by Haber but the Hibernians striker's low shot ended wide nine minutes from half-time.

The Second Half

The Stripes came out better in the opening stages of the second half. Just after five minutes, Matija Smrekar had a dangerous low free-kick turned into a corner kick by Haber while four minutes later, Andelkovic served Edison Bilbao but the latter's shot ended wide.

Substitute Matthew Guillaumier, just moments after replacing Nikola Vukanac who suffered an injury, served an excellent through ball to Ryan Scicluna but hit wide from an ideal position on the seventieth minute.

Edison Luis Dos Santos had a powerful shot turned into a corner kick by Kopric, but from the resulting set-piece, Hibernians doubled the lead fifteen minutes from time. A well-taken corner by Ribeiro found the unmarked Bjorn Kristensen who hit home with a close-range header.

Birkirkara were too weak to make a reaction bar a shot by Smrekar which was blocked by Haber and with the latter also saving the rebound by Edison Bilbao. Smrekar hit high moments later as the score remained unchanged.

BIRKIRKARA: Miroslav Kopric, Cain Attard, Christian Bubalovic, Nikola Vukanac (70' Matthew Guillaumier), Ryan Camenzuli, Gareth Sciberras, Mislav Andelkovic, Ryan Scicluna, Edison Bilbao, L'Imam Seydi, Matija Smrekar.

HIBERNIANS: Justin Haber, Jonathan Pearson, Jackson Lima, Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias, Bjorn Kristensen, Andrei Agius, Edison Luis Dos Santos (85' Jurgen Degabriele), Joseph Mbong (79' Diosdado Mbele), Gilmar Ribeiro (89' Dunstan Vella), Jorge Santos Silva.

Referee: Fydor Zammit.
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Jurgen Spiteri.
Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann.

Yellow Cards: Cain Attard, L'Imam Seydi, Ryan Camenzuli (Birkirkara), Jackson Lima, Marcelo Dias, Edison Luis Dos Santos (Hibernians).

Scorers: 29' Gilmar Ribeiro, 75' Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians).

BOV Player of the Match: Gilmar Ribeiro (Hibernians).

comments powered by Disqus