Tarabai scores four as Hibernians keep marching on

Edison Luis dos Santos was the hero for Hibernians with four goals as the Paolites keep marching on in the BOV Premier League thanks to a most comfortable 5-0 win over Mosta which puts them temporarily ten points ahead of second-placed Birkirkara. The ninth win for Hibernians in ten matches.

For Mosta, this was yet another disappointing result as this was the fifth consecutive defeat. Five games in which they suffered a total of eighteen goals, scoring just three.

Both sides had three changes from their last game. Jonathan Pearson, Marcelo Dias and Johann Bezzina replaced Rui Gomez, Andrew Cohen and Timothy Tabone Desira for Hibernians while Mark Brincat, Kurt Zammit and Daniel Mariano Bueno replaced Tyrone Farrugia, Pedro Calcado and Sasa Jovanovic for Mosta. The Blues lacked the injured Dyson Falzon and the suspended Ryan Grech.

Mosta almost took the lead on the 4th minute with Daniel Mariano Bueno hitting the crossbar off an inviting cross by Bojan Kaljevic.

Hibernians however managed to take the lead on the half-hour when off a Clayton Failla freekick, Edison Luis dos Santos headed the ball home past goalkeeper Omar Borg.

Three minutes later, the Paolites doubled the score thanks to Edison Luis dos Santos with a low shot from the edge of the area after receiving a through pass by Kristensen.

Three minutes in the second half, Hibs scored the third goal when off a cross by Jackson Lima, Jorge Pereira failed to connect and Adrian Borg deflected the ball past fellow goalkeeper Omar Borg for an own goal.

Edison Luis dos Santos completed a hat-trick on the 67th, concluding a solo effort with a shot from the left which beat the Mosta goalkeeper.

Nine minutes later, Tarabai scored his fourth and the fifth goal for Hibernians, heading the ball home off a cross from the right.

MOSTA Omar Borg, Kurt Magro, Adrian Borg (65′ Ishmael Grech), Mark Brincat, Jonas Rodriguez Ekani, Nemanja Milovanovic (71′ Sasa Jovanovic), Kyle Frendo, Kurt Zammit (46′ Fabio Paim), Manolito Micallef, Bojan Kaljevic, Daniel Mariano Bueno.
Subs not used: Kyle Gerada, Tyrone Farrugia, James Brincat, Karl Pulo.
Coach: Enrico Piccioni

HIBS Henry Bonello, Jonathan Pearson (72′ Keith Tanti), Rodolfo Soares (46′ Rui Gomes da Gracia), Jackson di Lima Siqueira, Andrei Agius, Marcelo Dias (65′ Joseph Essien Mbong), Bjorn Kristensen, Edison Luis dos Santos, Jorge Pereira da Silva, Clayton Failla, Johann Bezzina.
Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Zach Scerri, Jurgen Degabriele, Andrew Cohen.
Coach: Branko Nisevic

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Ingmar Spiteri, David Castillo
Fourth Official: Marco Borg
Yellow Cards: Kaljevic, A. Borg, Pearson, Rui, Failla, Paim
Scorers: 30′ Edison Luis dos Santos, 33′ Edison Luis dos Santos, 48′ own goal Adrian Borg, 67′ Edison Luis dos Santos, 76′ Edison Luis dos Santos
BOV Player of the Match: Edison Luis dos Santos
Attendance: 885