Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1047665
28 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 NOVEMBER 2018 Hibernians knock out Mosta, march on Gzira United, Pietà Hotspurs share spoils BOV PREMIER LEAGUE SPORTS WARREN ZAMMIT IN a match they dominated, Hibernians demolished Mosta 4-0 to move just two points be- hind leaders Gżira. Hibs were hoping to continue building on their good form in order to keep the pace with the top sides. On the other hand, Mosta lost their previous three matches and thus they were looking to get something out of the match. The Paolites created the first chance of the match on the 13th minute. Joseph Mbong saw space and fired a shot from distance that ended up margin- ally over. Taylon Nicolas Marcolino was unlucky not to send Hi- bernians ahead on the 18th minute. Following a corner, the Brazilian saw his effort being cleared off the line by Tyrone Farrugia. However, Marcolino still managed to send Hibs ahead on the 21st minute. The for- ward received the ball from Jurgen Degabriele before going round a defender and placing the ball inside the net. Mosta replied on the 27th minute. Dexter Xuereb at- tempted a shot from outside the penalty area that sailed off target. Hogg was on the alert to deny Mosta a minute later. Zachary Brincat was played through on goal down the left flank and the latter hit a powerful drive that was blocked by the Maltese goalkeeper. Hibernians went close again on the half hour mark. Follow- ing a long ball forward from the back, Marcolino attempted to put the ball behind Andreas Vella, but failed to hit the tar- get. Stefano Sanderra's men in- creased the margin of the score on the 37th minute. Mbong's cross from the right was met by Tiago Adan Fonseca whose header gave Vella no chance. During the remaining min- utes, Mosta never threatened the opposing goalkeeper as the first half ended up 2-0 in favour of Hibernians. Mosta made a good start to the second half and had a promising opportunity on the 47th minute. Juri Cisotti passed the ball towards Brincat who finished over from close range. Enrico Piccioni's side threat- ened Hibernians once more on the 55th minute. Brincat went inside the penalty area and hit a low shot that was pushed away by Hogg. Despite Mosta's efforts, Hibs made sure of the three points on the 66th minute. Bjorn Kris- tensen received the ball from Degabriele and fired a thump- ing shot that went past Vella. Hibernians lost a golden op- portunity to score again on the 87th minute. Degabriele was floored down inside the penalty area and the referee pointed to- wards the spot. However, Tiago Adan Fonseca's shot from the eleven metres mark stamped off the woodwork. This episode didn't trouble Hibernians as they still made the score 4-0 on the 90th min- ute. Substitute Fernando Teno- rio Costa's shot from the edge of the penalty area ended up inside the net. Following this result, Hiber- nians are now just two points behind leaders Gżira. Mosta starting line-up: An- dreas Vella, Alessio De Cerchio, Goncalves Maycon Wesley Dos Santos, Renan Abner De Ol- iveira, Massimo Sammartino, Dexter Xuereb, Tyrone Farrugia, Jurgen Grech, Zachary Brincat, Juri Cisotti, Francesco Mazzavil- lani Hibernians starting line-up: Andrew Hogg, Dunstan Vella, Nemanja Rodojevic, Joseph Mbong, Marcelo Dias, Jurgen Degabriele, Bjorn Kristensen, Taylon Nicolas Marcolino, Con- nor Zammit, Andrei AGius, Tia- go Adan Fonseca Referee: Stefan Pace Assistant Referee: Duncan Sultana, Dusan Petrovic Fourth Official: Alex Johnson BOV Player of the Match: Taylon Nicolas Marcolino (Hi- bernians) Mosta Hibs 0 4 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE BORG PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC BORG GZIRA United lost two important points as they were held by Pietà Hot- spurs in a 1-1 draw. Pietà forged ahead on the 85th minute. Paul Chimezie went round An- thony Curmi and placed the ball inside the net. Gzira lost an excellent opportunity to equal- ise on the 89th minute. Nicky Vella fouled Ama- dou Samb inside the pen- alty area and the referee whistled for a penalty. However, Samb's effort from the eleven metres mark was neutralised by Pietà`s custodian. Despite this, the Ma- roons stilled equalised three minutes into the additional time. Jorge Da Silva Pereira's volley took a deflection off a defender and ended up inside the net. Pietà Hotspurs start- ing line-up: Nicky Vella, Antonio Orlando Macedo Neto, Ose Tanaka, Chris- tian Grech, Dylan Agius, Neil Pace Cocks, Juan Manuel Artiaga Roa, Jan Busuttil, Ishaya Irimiya Jalo, Paul Chimezie, Ga- briel Mensah Gzira United starting line-up: Anthony Curmi, Fernando Barbosa, Rodolfo Soares, Roderick Briffa, Thomas Veronese, Juan Carlos Corbalan, Nicky Muscat, Zachary Scerri, Edison Bilbao Zarate, Haru- na Garba, Amadou Samb Referee: Trustin Farru- gia Cann Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Ivan Galea Fourth Official: Darryl Agius BOV Player of the Match: Roderick Briffa (Gżira)