Birkirkara hold Hibernians in goalless draw

After losing 1-3 to Balzan in their last outing, Hibernians failed to impress, being held in a goalless draw by Birkirkara. A draw which means that Birkirkara have to settle for third place as they now lie four points behind Valletta and four ahead of Balzan.

The Stripes, who were coming from a 1-2 defeat to Valletta last week, created the better chances throughout the ninety minutes but failed to convert these chances into goals.

Birkirkara had an edge over the Paolites, going close on the 7th minute with a freekick by Matheus Bissi which was palmed away into a corner by Jurgen Borg.

Two minutes in the second half, a Ryan Scicluna effort was turned into a corner and from the resulting corner, the ball was not held by Jurgen Borg with the ball being cleared into safety by a defender.

On the 65th, Ryan Camenzuli was unlucky to hit the foot of the upright with a first-time effort. Five minutes later, Kristensen came to the rescue clearing the ball into safety off a Nikola Vukanac header.

One minute from time, Hibs almost notched the winner but Jonathan Pearson’s long-distance powerful drive was turned into a corner by Hamzabegovic.

B’KARA Mirza Hamzabegovic, Matheus Bissi da Silva, Nikola Vukanac, Mauricio Matias Mazzetti Latini, Joseph Zerafa, Edward Herrera, Rafael Pompeo Rodrigues Ledesma (61′ Ellinton Antonio Costa Morais), Zach Muscat, Rowen Muscat, Ryan Camenzuli (82′ Kurt Zammit), Ryan Scicluna (80′ Edmond Agius).
Subs not used: Justin Haber, Antoine Borg, Gareth Sciberras, Dylan Aquilina.
Coach: Paul Zammit

HIBS Jurgen Borg, Jonathan Pearson, Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias, Andrew Cohen, Bjorn Kristensen, Jackson di Lima Siqueira, Clayton Failla, Marko Rajic (76′ Luis Andre de Melo Lima), Andrei Agius, Jorge da Silva Pereira.
Subs not used: Rudy Briffa, Keith Tanti, Timothy Tabone Desira, Jurgen Degabriele, Johann Bezzina, Joseph Mbong.
Coach: Branko Nisevic

Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Jurgen Spiteri
Additional Assistant Referees: Adrian Azzopardi, Andre Arciola
Fourth Official: Mario Apap
Yellow Cards: Diaz, Zerafa, Hamzabegovic, Mazzetti
BOV Player of the Match: Ryan Camenzuli
Attendance: 1,707