Wins for Hibernians, Balzan as Gzira fall to second straight defeat

HIBERNIANS                                                                      3

Bastianos 5, 18

Degabriele 73

SANTA LUCIA                                                                     2

Lucas 52; Bradshaw 56

HIBERNIANS

I. Kone, K. Shaw, A. Attard, R. Bairam, J. Degabriele, B. Kristensen (90 S. Okoh), Z. Grech, G. Bastianos, E. Pereira (60 F. Apap), R. Antwi (89 L. Caruana), G. Henrique (60 A. Hovhannisyan).

SANTA LUCIA

F. Silva Filho, M. Ellul, E. Wagner, T. Nagamatsu (83 A. Piazza), L. Sena Silva, A. Bradshaw, J. Pisani, J. Tanti (48 D. Xuereb), G. Virano, C. De Oliveira (87 J. Carbone), P. Ramos (74 S. Xerri).

Referee Glen Tonna.

Yellow cards Nagamatsu, Virano, Degabriele, Piazza, Hovhanissyan.

Missed penalty Antwi (H) 22.

Hibernians survived a second scare as they managed to overcome a resilient Santa Lucia side in a five-goal thriller at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

The Paolites had looked set for a comfortable evening as they dominated the early proceedings against their neighbouring rivals.

In fact, Hibernians took just five minutes to forge ahead when they Greek forward Giannis Bastianos put them ahead.

Sta Lucia look rattled and Hibernians struck again on 18 minutes with Bastianos again providing the killer touch to make it 2-0.

The Paolites could have all but wrapped up the points on 22 minutes when they were awarded a penalty but Dutch winger Rodney Antwi failed to beat Santa Lucia goalkeeper Francisco Silva Filho.

That miss proved costly as after the break Santa Lucia came out storming out of the blocks and Lucas Sena Silva pulled a goal back on 52 minutes before Adam Bradshaw levelled matters four minutes later.

Despite this double setback Hibernians kept their poise and they managed to regain their lead through their striking talisman Jurgen Degabriele who made it 3-2.

BALZAN             1

Souza 55

GŻIRA UNITED              0

BALZAN

D. Golovic, I. Bozovic (79 N. Zerjal), A. Prates, S. Arab, P. Fenech (65 M. Grima), J. Grech, R. Michibuchi, A. Katanic (73 T. Caruana), N. Braunovic (46 L. Souza), M. Raso, P. Olawale (46 A. Andrejic).

GŻIRA UNITED

D. Cassar, C. Filho (65 Wilkson), G. Bohrer, A. Borg, B. Azizi, Thaylor, M. Dias, L. Macula, A. Sane (66 Thiaguinho), R. Zuniga (86 R. Essaka), B. Borg (75 Ewertton).

Referee Andrea Sciriha.

Yellow cards Braunovic, Mentz, Michibuchi, Thiaguinho, Souza.

Missed penalty Macula (G) 40.

Balzan FC needed a second-half goal from Leonardo Da Silva Souza to see off a battling Gżira United side 1-0 at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

Oliver Spiteri’s Reds went into the match determined to bounce back from the opening day defeat to Ħamrun Spartans while Gżira United were looking for a response after the 4-0 upset to Hibernians.

The match turned out into a real battle of wits with Balzan going on to find the winner ten minutes into the second half when in quick counter-attack Leonardo fired the ball past David Cassar to secure the points for his team.