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Hibernians launch title defence with a bang

Published: 19-08-2017 09:05
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Hibernians   4St Andrew’s 0Failla 8, 76 (pens); Agius 40; Lima 58Hibernians began their BOV Premier League title defence with an emphatic 4-0 win over St Andrews.  The champions went ahead with the first move of the match. Marcelo Diaz was felled in the box by Adrian Borg with the referee pointing to the spot. Clayton Failla made no mistake to put the champions 1-0 up inside the opening eight minutes. After an uneventful period, the Paolites doubled their lead on 40 minutes when Jackson Lima’s corner found Andrei Agius who headed home from close range. Hibernians made sure of the points on 58 minutes when Lima fired a rising shot into the corner after receiving from Marco Sahanek. On 65 minutes, Sahanek embarked on a fine individual move and rounded St Andrews goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona but his shot ended over the bar. On 76 minutes, Dunstan Vella was tripped in the box and Failla smashed in the penalty to make it a personal brace as Hibs ran out 4-0 winners. Lija Athletic  0Gżira United 4Samb 45, 80; White 75; Tounkara 77Gżira United started their second Premier League season with an encouraging 4-0 victory over Lija Athletic. Lija’s hopes of marking their return to the top division with a positive result were shattered after just five minutes as defender Patrick Borg was sent off for two bookable offences. Andrew Cohen’s ensuing free-kick ended up just wide. Abubakar Bello-Osagie had a good chance to put Lija ahead on 18 minutes but his rising shot was saved by Anthony Curmi. On the half hour, Lija again came close, Bello-Osagie hitting just wide. It was Gżira who went ahead in first-half stoppage time when a cross by Karl Pulo found debutant Amadou Samb who headed past Bonnici. Gżira came close to a second at the start of the second half when Samba Tounkara’s cross landed at the feet of Okoye who fired just over. On 74 minutes, Samb again came close but his header was cleared off the line in extremis by the Lija defender. However, from the resulting corner, Gżira finally managed to double their advantage with Andrè White blasting home from close range. The Maroons added a third two minutes later when Samba Tounkara received from Roderick Briffa, the new signing who came on as a substitute, and advanced, rounded the keeper and slot into an empty net. The fourth came on 80 minutes, Samb scoring his second of the match with a close-range effort.