Hibernians broke little sweat to overcome Melita. Photo: Dominic Borg
HIBERNIANS 3
Fraga 3; Bruno 30; Villela 57
MELITA 0
HIBERNIANS
P. Sanchez; K. Shaw, L. Villela (85 L. Abela), B. Kristensen (65 J. Degabriele), D. Xuereb, F. Falcone (65 M. Ellul), A. Bruno, A. Martinis (72 A. Silas), P. Silva (85 T. Eviparker), R. Ribeiro.
MELITA
G. Mizzi; A. Simanca, M. Cachia (72 J. Abela), J. Attard, K. Mohnani, A. Costa (80 E. Attard), A. Borg Olivier (58 J. Morlets), M. Bovenkamp, K. Bondin (58 N. Cutajar), C. Andres (80 C. Gyamfi), S. Martinez.
Referee: Daniel Portelli.
Yellow cards: Shaw, Bovenkamp, Villela, Falcone.
Hibernians kicked off their Bottom Six campaign in style with a comfortable and convincing win over Melita, underlining their intent to cruise through this phase of the league.
The Paolites, clearly a cut above their rivals in the lower half of the table, now sit top of the Bottom Six with 20 points.
With their quality and depth, Hibernians appear set for a straightforward run-in, far from the pressures of a relegation battle.
In contrast, Melita’s situation remains precarious. They stay second from bottom with just 10 points, and the pressure is mounting as they look to collect crucial results in the coming weeks to steer clear of the bottom two and ensure their place in the top flight next season.
Hibernians couldn’t have asked for a more electric start to their encounter with Melita, finding the breakthrough within the opening minutes. Dexter Xuereb delivered a pinpoint whipped cross into the box, met by Khevin Fraga who fired home.
Branko Nisevic’s side maintained their grip on the game, dictating possession and pace, while Melita attempted to respond with probing runs but struggled to break through a well-organized Hibernians backline.
The Paolites doubled their advantage midway through the first half, showcasing their attacking fluidity. Lucas Villela provided the assist with a clever ball into the box, allowing Alex Bruno to finish from close range and put Hibernians firmly in control.
The momentum remained with Hibernians, who came close to adding a third. A dangerous delivery from a corner nearly resulted in another goal, but Melita’s goalkeeper Gosef Mizzi reacted well to avert the danger and keep his side within touching distance.
Just before the interval, Melita registered a rare attempt through Andre Costa, who tried his luck from distance, but his effort lacked the precision to trouble Pablo Sanchez in goal. Hibernians went into the break firmly in command, with a two-goal cushion reflecting their dominance in the opening 45 minutes.
Melita looked to spark a response early in the second half, with Camilo Andres attempting to claw one back. However, Hibernians goalkeeper Pablo Sanchez stood firm, denying the Melita forward with a solid save.
Moments later, the Paolites turned defence into attack in devastating fashion. Lucas Villela pounced on a loose ball and fired a low effort towards the near post. His shot struck the woodwork before ricocheting off Mizzi and rolling over the line – a slice of fortune that handed Hibernians a commanding three-goal cushion.
Melita’s frustrations continued when Jean Pierre Attard tested Sanchez with a sharp effort, only to see the Hibernians custodian once again up to the task.
Substitute Jurgen Degabriele nearly added further gloss to the scoreline for Hibernians. After seeing his initial attempt blocked by the goalkeeper, the forward latched onto the rebound but failed to hit the target, dragging his effort wide as the Paolites cruised toward a comprehensive victory.
