HIBERNIANS H. Sacco; Kleiton (81 M. Carvalho), K. Shaw, K. Fraga, J. Degabriele, B. Kristensen, D. Xuereb (70 A. Silas), F. Falcone (78 A. Attard), A. Bruno (81 I. Chukunyere), P. Silva, H. Gabriel.
BIRKIRKARA
G. Volpe; M. Morello, A. Sandona, P. Gaitan, P. Mbong (45 O. Siafa), K. Zammit (53 S. Dimech), A. Satariano, L. Lacunza (84 J. Gnamien), N. Micallef, A. Coppola, Maxuell (84 N. Cross).
Referee Slobodan Petrovic.
Yellow cards Kristensen. Sacco, Coppola.
Birkirkara scored twice in the second half to secure their third league win of the season, as they move top of the table with 10 points.
On the other hand, Hibernians succumbed to their first defeat of the season as they remain on seven points.
Birkirkara produced the first opportunity in this match when defender Alessandro Coppola forced Hugo Sacco into action with a free-kick.
Moments later, Sacco kept Maxuell at bay after the Brazilian forward let fly a strike from close-range.
Hibernians replied through Jurgen Degabriele but his long-range effort did not put Birkirkara in any trouble.
Paul Mbong, though, did send shivers down Hibernians’ spine when his curling effort glanced past Sacco’s goal as Birkirkara were the better team on the field in the early stages of the match.
Federico Falcone came close to put Hibernians ahead when he connected with a Degabriele cross just for Coppola to deny him with a last-gasp tackle.
Mbong, who was giving Hibernians a hard time in the first half, tried his luck with an effort from outside the penalty area but could not find the target.
Just before half-time, Mbong had to leave the pitch after picking up an apparent serious ankle injury.
Alexander Satariano was at the end of a well-engineered positive transition but the Birkirkara player was denied by Sacco, who was a key figure for Hibernians in the first half.
The injured Mbong was replaced by Equatorial Guinea forward Oscar Siafa.
On the 53rd minute, Birkirkara were dealt another injury blow when captain Kurt Zammit had to be subbed off due to a shoulder injury, with former Valletta midfielder Shaun Dimech taking his place.
The Stripes drew first blood past the hour mark when a remarkable header from outside the penalty area by Pablo Gaitan beat Sacco.
Birkirkara doubled their lead through substitute Oscar Siafa who buried his long strike into the back of the net, for his maiden goal in Maltese football.
