GŻIRA UNITED 1
Chouaib 45 pen
HIBERNIANS 4
Fraga 50, Villela 53, Kristensen 71, Rui Bruno 78
GŻIRA UNITED
C. Formosa, J. Minala, A. Borg, T. Aldama (63 M. De Filippis), F. Chouaib, L. Riascos, S. Sno, D. Barbosa, S. Denic, B. Borg (71 S. Schembri), T. Espindola.
HIBERNIANS
H. Sacco, S. Hamanojda, K. Shaw, L. Villela, K. Fraga (84’ L. Caruana), J. Degabriele (84’ S. Sorokin), B. Kristensen, A. Bruno, A. Martinis (75’ D. Xuereb), M. Ellul (75’ R. Bruno), P. Silva (84’ I. Chukunyere).
Referee: Daniel Portelli.
Yellow cards: Denic, Aldama, Fraga.
Red card: Riascos (G) 42.
Hibernians came from behind to beat ten-man Gżira United 4-1 in another resilient display by the Paolites.
This was the second win on the trot for Branko Nisevic’s side who have moved level at the top with Marsaxlokk and Birkirkara albeit the southseasiders have a game in hand.
Gżira, on the other hand, suffered their second defeat to stay joint-third from bottom on five points. The Maroons shared the exchanges with their opponents for most of the second half but the dismissal of Luis Riascos just before the break changed all the dynamics of the game.
Gżira coach Giovanni Tedesco could not count on the suspended Kurt Zammit, Nikola Disic and Kevin Tulimieri while Gabriel Bohrer Mentz and Enrico Pepe were also missing as they recover from injuries.
Cain Formosa was preferred to Giulio Mangano in goal while Joseph Minala, Diogo Barbosa and Brooklyn Borg were handed a start.
Hibernians, on the other hand, had one change from their last league outing as Pedro Henrique Silva was named in the starting lineup with Dexter Xuereb being among the substitutes.
Minala headed wide off a Stefan Denic corner on eight minutes as Gżira made a bright start.
Three minutes later, Hibs were unlucky as Jurgen Degabriele hit the upright with a shot from inside the area.
On 25 minutes, Kurt Shaw sent Villela through and the latter served Degabriele but the latter failed to connect.
Minutes later, a freekick by Thiaguinho from the right ended just wide.
On the half-hour mark, a goal-bound effort by Villela was blocked into a corner by a defender.
The Maroons were reduced to ten men on 37 minutes after Luis Riascos was shown a straight red card for hitting Martinis.
However, one minute from the end of the first half, Gżira still managed to take the lead.
Pedro Henrique Silva floored Brooklyn Borg inside the area, referee Daniel Portelli ordered a penalty and from the penalty spot, Faysal Chouaib converted.
Hibernians took just five minutes into the second half to restore parity.
Khevin Fargo’s low shot from outside the area was not held by goalkeeper Cain Formosa with the ball rolling into the net.
Three minutes later, Hibernians took the lead. Villela received an assist by Degabriele and beat Formosa with an angled shot from the left.
On 67 minutes, Formosa somewhat made up for his earlier error when he performed a good save on Apostolos Martinis who controlled the ball on the left before testing the Gżira custodian with a shot from the edge of the area.
However, four minutes later, Hibernians made it 3-1.
Degabriele delivered a corner from the left and Bjorn Kristensen headed the ball past Formosa and into the net.
The Paolites sealed the points on 78 minutes.
Degabriele delivered a corner from the left, Kevin Fraga had an attempt blocked by a defender but Rui Bruno slotted the ball past Formosa from close range.
