BOV Premier League - Birkirkara FC 2-1 Hibernians FC

by Ayrton Galea - 23rd February 2020

Birkirkara FC extended their impressive run in the BOV Premier League as they registered their third consecutive victory when they defeated Hibernians FC with a 2-1 score in a match played on Sunday afternoon at the National Stadium.

It was a well-deserved victory for the Stripes who carried on their rich form in today's match by producing another rich and attacking display that saw them holding the initiative for long stretches.

Rocha broke the deadlock just past the half-hour but a controversial penalty converted by Jake Grech put the sides level at the break. However, Yankam scored the winning goal eleven minutes to give the Stripes an important win.

By this victory, the Stripes move just two points under Gzira United, four under the same Hibernians and five under third-placed Sirens as they kept their slim hopes of securing a place in European competitions alive and kicking.

Coach Andre Paus fielded the same Starting XI of last week as expected. following the electrifying performance against Valletta. Bezzina and Briffa were back in the fray, but both were named on the substitutes' bench. 

The First Half

Birkirkara made their intentions clear right from the start. The Stripes' 4-3-3 offensive approach put the Paolites under pressure right from the start.

The Stripes were having more of the ball possession and they had their first attempt on goal after nine minutes when a short clearance landed in the feet of Carniello whose first-time shot missed the target.

Hibernians replied two minutes later. Imanol Iriberri put Joseph Mbong through on goal following a fine through-ball and following entering the box, he fired wide from a diagonal position. 

The Stripes surged ahead on the thirty-second minute. Isaac Ntow's low cross found Falcone who let the ball slid past his legs to reach Rocha unmarked and his shot took a deflection by Apap and past goalkeeper Jovicic.

One minute from half-time, Edison Luis Dos Santos, playing his first match against the Stripes after completing the switch to Hibernians, had a fine free-kick turned into a corner by goalkeeper Andrew Hogg.

From the resulting corner, Hibernians were awarded a penalty after Referee Ishmael Barbara adjudicated Enrico Pepe that have made contact with Andrei Agius inside the box. From the spot, Jake Grech converted.

The Second Half

The Stripes were unlucky not to regain the lead on the sixty-second minute. A corner by Guillaumier found Yankam whose header hit the post with Hibernians goalkeeper Jovicic totally beaten.

Birkirkara remained the better side and luck was not in their favour again eight minutes later. An erratic clearance by Iazquier was collected by Rocha who rounded a defender but his shot was cleared off the goal-line by Apap.

The Stripes kept dominating the match and they got rewarded for their electrifying performance and persistence in the second half by scoring the winning goal ten minutes from time.

Following a quickly taken free-kick by Bonanni, Falcone chested the ball to Rocha and off the latter's cross, Yankam drilled the ball home from inside the box to send the Birkirkara fans into raptures.

Hibernians tried to put everything forward to save at least a point from the match, but the Stripes held strong to another important victory.

Caio Rocha was voted the BOV Player of the Match.

BIRKIRKARA: Andrew Hogg, Enrico Pepe, Matthew Guillaumier, Paul Mbong (85' Roderick Briffa), Yannick Yankam, Federico Falcone, Cain Attard, Claudio Bonanni, Caio Rocha (90' Michael Mifsud), Oscar Matias Carniello, Isaac Ntow.

HIBERNIANS: Marko Jovicic, Timothy Tabone Desira (46' Bjorn Kristensen), Ferdinando Apap (85' Myles Beerman), Jens Alex Wemmer, Joseph Essien Mbong, Jake Grech, Dunstan Vella, Gabriel Iazquier Artiles, Edison Luis Dos Santos (63' Jorge Santos Silva), Andrei Agius, Imanol Iriberri.

Referee: Ishmael Barbara.
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Luke Portelli.
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri.

Yellow Cards: 24' Claudio Bonanni, 45+2' Enrico Pepe, 84' Federico Falcone, 90+2' Matthew Guillaumier (Birkirkara), 28' Ferdinando Apap, 45+2' Joseph Mbong (Hibernians).

Scorers: 34' Own Goal - Ferdinando Apap, 80' Yannick Yankam (Birkirkara), 45' Jake Grech (Hibernians).

BOV Player of the Match: Caio Rocha (Birkirkara) 

comments powered by Disqus