Hibs beat Sliema in five-goal thriller to bag second win

SLIEMA WANDERERS 2

Plut 21, Praidun 64

HIBERNIANS 3

Villela 18, Apostolos 24. Fraga 51

SLIEMA WANDERERS

K. Emeka, J. Borg, N. Frendo (60 M. Praidun), A. Magri Overand, V. Plut (70 K. Nwoko), M. Beerman, G. Alcino, G. Acheampong, S. Zibo, S. Pisani (70 Wescley), M. Awad

HIBERNIANS

H. Sacco, A. Silas (90 P. Henrique), K. Shaw, L. Villela, K. Fraga, J. Degabriele (77 I. Chukunyere), B. Kristensen, D. Xuereb, A. Bruno (77 L. Caruana), I. Apostolos, M. Ellul

Referee: Glen Tonna.

Yellow cards: Apostolos, Bruno, Zibo, Kristensen, Silas.

Hibernians were back to winning ways with a valuable victory that dented Sliema’s Top Six ambitions at the National Stadium.

This win halted an alarming slump in form that had seen Hibernians lose successive games. But this victory means that Branko Nisevic’s side have secured their second victory from four games in the Closing Round.

This latest defeat will be all the harder to swallow for Sliema considering that their defence had a night to forget as they gifted Hibernians a goal in each half to leave Paul Zammit reflecting on yet another uncertain defensive display.

The Blues have now lost two of the four matches played in the Closing Round, compared to just one defeat in the entire Opening Round.

Nisevic began with a major revamp following their 1-0 defeat against Marsaxlokk with Higor, Pedro Henrique, Lucas Caruana and Federico Falcone making way for Alex Bruno, Lucas Villela, Mathias Ellul and  Dexter Xuereb.

Despite their wholesale changes Hibernians made the more coherent start when Villela scored with the first meaningful attack of the match.

Bjorn Kristensen sliced open the defence with an inch-perfect ball over the halfway line which the Brazilian collected before bursting into the Sliema area and hit a low shot behind Kelvin Emeka.

But three minutes later, Sliema were level.

Vito Plut’s goal was a trademark header, rising brilliantly inside the box to power a Myles Beerman cross past Hugo Sacco.

After 24 minutes, Hibernians capitalised on Emeka’s judgment error. 

With the goalkeeper straying off his line, Ilias Apostolos swept the ball into the net from the acutest of angles.

Hibernians made it 3-1 at the start of the second half in the most atrocious manner.

Gustavo Alcino was caught in possession by Khevin Fraga deep in his own half, before the Brazilian calmly drove the ball past Emeka.

It looked all over for Sliema, but Maksym Priadun who had been on the field for just over four minutes, threw the Wanderers a lifeline, slotting in with virtually his first touch of the ball.

Yet, the Sliema defence was not exactly on the rack, and it looked vulnerable once again on 70 minutes when Bruno came face-to-face with Emeka but hit the ball straight at the goalkeeper.

Kyrian Nwoko and Wescley then came on for Plut and Steve Pisani and Hibernians were weathering the storm.

Sliema pushed forward in an attempt to equalize and Beerman hit a rising shot above the bar three minutes from time.

Wescley tried to surprise Hugo Sacco with a looping effort, but the goalkeeper put in a match-winning save.