Birkirkara turn on the style to kickstart Closing Round with impressive win over Hibernians

Birkirkara ended a depressing run of six successive defeats in some style as three second-half goals earned them a 3-0 win over Hibernians.

Stephan Makoma was Birkirkara’s hero with two spectacular strikes to enable the Stripes clinch the spoils in a match of two halves.

Hibernians had shown the better play during the first half but had failed to find the breakthrough. That turned out to be fatal as after the break, Birkirkara turned on the style, scoring three goals without reply and securing an impressive win.

The first half saw Hibernians boss the proceedings as Birkirkara looked short of ideas.

The Paolites had the first chance on 24 minutes when Dexter Xuereb tried his luck from the distance, but his shot was pushed away by Birkirkara goalkeeper Matthew Grech.

The Stripes no.1 had to be alert two minutes later when he needed his best reflexes to tip over Mailson’s shot.

On 31 minutes, Grech did well to push away Mailson’s cross-shot, the ball fell to Pedro Henrique, but his shot was blocked by Stephan Makoma.

The match turned on its head after the break as Birkirkara came into life as they applied a triple blow that completely rattled Hibernians.

Whatever Gianluca Festa told his players during his half-time team talk worked wonders as in their first foray, Birkirkara found their breakthrough.

Birkirkara won a free-kick deep into the left flank and Shaun Dimech, who had just replaced Nathan Cross, saw his delivery deflected into the path of Stephan Makoma, who hit a thumping drive that gave no chance to Hibernians goalkeeper Hugo Sacco.

Hibernians looked rattled, and Birkirkara continued to grow in stature, and they grabbed a second goal on 58 minutes.

The Paolites’ defence failed to deal with a long pass into their half. The ball fell into the path of Kemar Reid, who hit a firm low drive that rolled past the out-of-positioned Sacco.

Birkirkara were clearly in command, and they all but wrapped up the points on the hour mark.

Reid found Makoma some 30 metres out, and the Birkirkara midfielder hit a thumping shot that arced past a helpless Sacco and into the net.

Xuereb came close to bringing Hibernians back into the match on 73 minutes when his shot on the turn was brilliantly turned to a corner by Grech.

The woodwork then came to Birkirkara’s rescue on 81 minutes when Pedro Henrique’s shot hit the upright with Grech beaten.