Jurgen Degabriele reached a major milestone with his 100th Premier League goal, leading Hibernians to victory against a struggling 10-man Melita side. Despite a warm welcome for the visitors, Hibs quickly seized control at Tony Bezzina Stadium, where coach Branko Nisevic’s squad remains undefeated in all four home games this season.

 

Hibernians wasted no time in establishing dominance; within two minutes, Degabriele’s free-kick set up Kurt Shaw for a close-range header, opening the scoring. The hosts continued to press, with Alex Bruno and Degabriele in top form, while Melita struggled defensively. Although Melita had a chance to equalize when Aldair’s header forced a save from Pablo Sanchez, Degabriele doubled the lead shortly before halftime with a well-timed goal.

 

Maintaining their edge after the break, Hibs remained in control. Alex Bruno created an excellent chance for Alfred Silas, who narrowly missed, while Melita’s challenge grew harder as Aldair was sent off after two quick yellow cards. As the game wound down, substitute Carvalho missed a late opportunity, but Hibernians secured a comfortable win to climb to second place, trailing only league leaders Birkirkara.

 

A costly error by Hibernians goalkeeper Pablo Sanchez gifted Mosta a hard-fought victory, boosting their chances of finishing in the top six. Despite a dominant performance from Hibernians, Mosta managed to secure the narrow win, capitalizing on their rare opportunity in the 10th minute.

 

Hibernians had several promising moments, including Jurgen Degabriele’s second-half header that struck the post, and Kurt Shaw’s effort that was cleared off the line. But it was Mosta, who have already stunned Ħamrun this season and pushed Birkirkara, proving their mettle once again against top-tier opposition.

 

For much of the match, Mosta found themselves defending deep, absorbing Hibernians’ pressure. Despite this, they remained organized and were careful not to resort to purely defensive play, maintaining their composure and attempting to retain possession when possible.

 

The game turned when Giancarlo Goncalves’ long-range shot seemed harmless but was spilled by Sanchez, allowing Joshua Agyemang to pounce and score from close range. Mosta’s midfield, driven by the sharp play of Prince Afriyie and Larsson Coulibaly, was instrumental in supporting their attack, with Zachary Brincat and Goncalves providing dangerous outlets.

 

Mosta goalkeeper David Akpan had a busy day, pulling off a series of crucial saves, including a superb stop from Khevin Fraga’s powerful shot just before the half-hour mark. Minutes later, Federico Falcone’s volley was also kept out by the Nigerian shot-stopper.

 

Hibernians coach Branko Nisevic made tactical changes at half-time, introducing Giannis Bastianos and Ayrton Attard, and the Paolites nearly equalized when Degabriele hit the post with a header after a fine cross from Alfred Silas.

 

Mosta could have extended their lead when Leonardi Joaquim set up Goncalves, but the Brazilian missed a golden opportunity from close range. Hibernians continued to press, with Kurt Shaw’s header cleared off the line by Clayton Failla, and a late freekick from Dexter Xuereb, saved once again by Akpan, denied them a share of the points.

 

Mosta’s resilience saw them through, holding on for a memorable victory that keeps their top-six ambitions alive.

 

Jurgen Degabriele netted a goal in each half, leading Hibernians to an impressive victory over reigning champions Hamrun Spartans, continuing their winning streak.

 

The Malta international opened the scoring with a sublime first-half strike and added a second shortly after the break, finishing off a well-worked move initiated by Alfred Silas. Hamrun struggled to respond and could have suffered an even heavier defeat, with substitute Isaiah Chukunyere coming close to adding a third in the second half.

 

Alessandro Zinnari fielded the same starting eleven that cruised past Naxxar Lions 6-0 in their previous outing. On the other hand, Branko Nisevic made two changes, recalling Federico Falcone and Alex Bruno, who were pivotal in their 2-1 victory over Zabbar SP.

 

Degabriele’s opener set the tone early on, pouncing on a poor clearance from Juan Corbalan. With his back to goal, the striker swiftly turned away from Roko Prsa and fired a precise angled shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Henry Bonello, giving Hibernians the perfect start.

 

Despite Hamrun showing glimpses of quality, particularly through Ryan Camenzuli, who struck the side netting following a Luke Montebello assist, the champions rarely looked threatening in the first half. Camenzuli’s dangerous cross on the brink of half-time found no one in the box, summing up their attacking frustrations.

 

 

Early in the second half, Silas delivered a perfectly weighted ball that split the Hamrun defense, allowing Degabriele to capitalize on a mix-up between Corbalan and Joseph Mbong. Degabriele calmly slotted the ball past the stranded Bonello to double Hibernians’ lead.

 

As the game progressed, Hibernians continued to exploit gaps in the Spartans’ midfield, with Alex Bruno excelling in his attacking runs. Bruno set up substitute Chukunyere for a chance, but his shot was blocked by Sven Xerri.

 

Hamrun’s best chance came from a powerful low drive by Mbong, which was dealt with by Pablo Sanchez, but it was one of the few moments of concern for the Hibernians’ defense.

 

In the end, Hibernians comfortably held on to secure the win, climbing to second in the standings, just two points behind leaders Birkirkara, who are set to face Sliema Wanderers today.

Hibernians narrowly avoided a shock defeat at their home, the Tony Bezzina Stadium, as they came from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-1 win over Zabbar St. Patrick, courtesy of a second-half surge.

 

Zabbar stunned the Paolites just before the break when Vinicius slotted the ball past Nino Sanches, handing the visitors an unexpected lead. However, Hibs rallied in the second half, with Jurgen Degabriele leveling the score and substitute Federico Falcone netting the decisive goal.

 

This crucial victory kept Branko Nisevic’s men in the top six, but they had to dig deep against a determined Zabbar side, who recently gained momentum after a win over Balzan and a draw with Naxxar Lions.

 

Hibernians, missing the suspended Higo Gabriel, and with Alex Bruno starting on the bench, dominated possession in the first half. Miullen Carvalho was a constant threat, while Zabbar, without the suspended Strahinja Jovancic, were forced into a defensive stance.

 

Promising goalkeeper Luca Camilleri, standing in for the injured Matthew Grech, made a number of key saves, including a low stop from Ayrton Attard’s drive and a punch-clear of Bjorn Kristensen’s volley. Before the match, Kristensen was honored with a commemorative shirt for reaching 400 appearances with Hibernians.

 

Despite Hibs’ pressure, Zabbar broke through when Diogo Tavares’ pace unsettled the defense, allowing Vinicius to fire a diagonal shot past Sanchez.

 

In the second half, Hibernians’ frustrations mounted as Camilleri denied Attard once again, and Rodrigo Fraga struck the bar. The breakthrough finally came in the 69th minute when Alfred Silas delivered a pinpoint cross to Degabriele, who nodded home his second goal of the season.

 

With relentless pressure from Hibs, substitute Federico Falcone sealed the win with a close-range header in the 80th minute. There was still drama in stoppage time as Marcelo Barros almost capitalized on a fumble by Sanches, but the Brazilian striker couldn’t convert.

 

Hibernians had to work hard, but their second-half fightback ensured they claimed all three points.

 

Floriana and Hibernians played out a 1-1 draw in one of the weekend’s most anticipated Premier League fixtures. The result leaves Floriana in fourth place on nine points, with two wins and three draws, while Hibernians remain just a point behind in sixth after registering their second draw of the season.

 

Floriana’s in-form striker, Franklin Sasere, continued his impressive run by netting his fourth goal of the campaign in as many appearances. For Hibernians, Brazilian forward Alex Bruno added his second goal of the season to salvage a point for his team.

 

The match began cautiously, with neither side willing to take risks in the opening stages. Floriana’s Jake Grech fired the first notable shot of the game, a long-range attempt comfortably saved by Hibernians goalkeeper Hugo Sacco.

 

Defenses dominated the first half, with limited chances for either team. Hibernians threatened from a free-kick after 30 minutes, but Floriana goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi easily dealt with the danger. Floriana briefly thought they had taken the lead when Carlo Zammit Lonardelli headed home, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Hibernians then came close through Higor Gabriel, who narrowly missed after a corner.

 

With no changes at halftime, the second half came to life through a moment of brilliance from Sasere. The Nigerian striker unleashed a powerful strike from 30 meters out, beating Sacco to give Floriana a 1-0 lead—a potential contender for goal of the season.

 

However, Floriana’s momentum was halted after captain Oualid El Hasni received a red card for denying Hibernians’ Natha Carvalho a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Coach Darren Abdilla immediately made a defensive adjustment, bringing on Guy Yameogo to replace forward Kemar Reid and protect the lead.

 

Hibernians capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Ayrton Attard testing Mafoumbi before coach Branko Nisevic introduced Jurgen Degabriele and Giannis Bastianos to intensify the attack. The tactical change paid off when Alex Bruno found the equalizer, striking home with just 10 minutes left on the clock.

 

Hibernians pushed for a winner in the final moments, but their efforts were hampered when Higor Gabriel was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card. With both sides reduced to ten men, the match ended 1-1, ensuring that the points were shared.

 

Birkirkara’s second-half performance saw them score twice and secure their third league victory of the season, propelling them to the top of the table with 10 points. In contrast, Hibernians faced their first defeat of the season and remain on seven points.

 

The match began with Birkirkara creating the first significant chance as defender Alessandro Coppola forced Hugo Sacco into a save with a free-kick. Shortly after, Sacco also denied Maxuell, who fired a close-range shot.

 

Hibernians responded with a long-range attempt from Jurgen Degabriele, which posed no real threat to Birkirkara. Paul Mbong nearly gave Birkirkara the lead with a curling effort that narrowly missed Sacco’s goal, showcasing Birkirkara’s early dominance.

 

Federico Falcone had an opportunity to put Hibernians ahead, but his attempt was thwarted by Coppola’s crucial tackle. Mbong continued to challenge Hibernians but failed to score from outside the penalty area. He was forced off the pitch with a serious ankle injury just before halftime, replaced by Oscar Siafa.

 

Alexander Satariano came close to scoring for Birkirkara, but Sacco’s intervention kept him out. The injured Mbong was substituted by Siafa, who later made a significant impact. Birkirkara also suffered an injury blow when captain Kurt Zammit was replaced by Shaun Dimech in the 53rd minute due to a shoulder issue.

 

The breakthrough came for Birkirkara past the hour mark with a stunning header from Pablo Gaitan, which beat Sacco. Siafa then sealed the win with a powerful long-range strike, marking his first goal in Maltese football.

 

Matchday 3’s standout clash between Sliema Wanderers and Hibernians ended in a goalless draw, with both sides earning a point. Going into the match, both teams had a perfect record, having won their first two games.

 

As anticipated, the match was evenly contested, yet full of opportunities, with both Sliema and Hibernians creating chances to secure a win. With the draw, both teams now sit on seven points, though Sliema remain the only side to have kept a clean sheet in all their matches.

 

Sliema came close to scoring just four minutes in, when Samuel Gomes’ low shot was blocked by Hugo Sacco in the six-yard box. Hibernians’ Alex Bruno also missed a golden chance, sending a curling shot over the bar from a promising position in front of the Sliema goalkeeper.

 

Kleiton attempted a clever backheel from a corner, but Kevin Agu was quick to react and clear the danger for Sliema. Agu was tested again soon after, making a save from Giannis Bastianos’ free-kick at the edge of the box, tipping the ball over for a corner.

 

Federico Falcone also forced a save from Agu with a tight-angle shot as Hibernians pressed forward. Alex Bruno unleashed a long-range effort but, once again, Agu was equal to the task.

 

Hibernians came close just before half-time when Bastianos missed a golden opportunity. Bruno’s shot struck the crossbar, and the Greek forward failed to convert the rebound from close range.

 

In the second half, Sliema’s Ryan Beerman tried his luck from the edge of the area, but his shot narrowly missed Sacco’s goal. In the 73rd minute, Falcone’s brilliant volley was denied by Agu, followed by Khevin Fraga’s long-range shot, which also failed to beat the Sliema goalkeeper.

 

Late on, substitute Jurgen Degabriele almost won it for Hibernians, but Agu produced a stunning save, stretching to block the Maltese forward’s shot and secure the draw for Sliema.

 

Hibernians claimed their second victory of the season with a 2-0 triumph over Gżira United, scoring both goals in the second half. The two sides were evenly matched in the first half, but the Paolites gained momentum after the break, hitting the woodwork twice before eventually breaking the deadlock and adding a late goal to seal the win.

 

Gżira had several chances of their own, including a missed penalty that goalkeeper Hugo Sacco saved, leaving them to regret their wasted opportunities.

 

Hibernians made one change to their lineup from the win over Naxxar, with Kleiton replacing the absent Jurgen Degabriele. For Gżira, Joseph Minala and Kevin Tulimieri came in for Luis Riascos and Brooklyn Borg.

 

Prior to kickoff, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of former Gżira coach and player Hugh Caruana, and former club president Joseph Camilleri.

 

Hibernians had the first chance of the match just five minutes in, when Khevin Fraga narrowly missed a flicked effort from a Giannis Bastianos corner. A minute later, Gżira’s Tulimieri fired high from a promising position in the box.

 

Gżira continued to threaten, with Faysal Chouaib hitting the side netting in the 19th minute. Hibernians responded as Fraga unleashed a powerful shot just over the bar eight minutes before halftime.

 

The second half began with the Paolites striking the post through Bastianos, and on 57 minutes, the Greek midfielder rattled the crossbar from a free-kick, with Dexter Xuereb missing the rebound.

 

Gżira’s best moment came when Christian Saint made a strong run down the left, but his decision to pass rather than shoot allowed the chance to go to waste.

 

Hibernians finally took the lead in the 69th minute. Bastianos received a pass from the left and fired a powerful shot past Gżira goalkeeper Darijan Zarkov.

 

Gżira had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 79th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Higor Gabriel fouled Jurgen Pisani. However, Minala’s spot-kick was saved by Sacco, keeping Hibernians in front.

 

Shortly after, Gżira missed another chance as Alex Alves’ cross from the left failed to find a teammate, with both Thaylor and Saint unable to connect.

 

Five minutes from time, Hibernians wrapped up the win. Farid Zuniga lost possession to substitute Isaiah Chukunyere, who charged into the box, rounded the goalkeeper, and slotted the ball home to secure the Paolites’ 2-0 victory.

 

The National Stadium was painted with the red and black colours of Hamrun Spartans as the newly-crowned Malta champions kickstarted their title party following a 1-1 draw against Hibernians.

 

The match had little significance for the Spartans in terms of result as they had already attained mathematical certainty of a second successful title after they dismantled their nearest rivals Floriana 5-0 the previous weekend.

 

But still, they were keen on putting on a strong showing and they did have a perfect start when Jonny put them ahead after five minutes.

 

Hibs were not demoralised and restored parity just before the break through Rodni Antwi.

 

After the break, Hibs were more motivated to go on for the win in a bid to leapfrog Birkirkara in fifth place but in the end, the stalemate prevailed.

 

However, the best was yet to come for the Spartans and after the final whistle club captain Steve Borg was presented with the league trophy by MFA president Bjorn Vassallo to kickstart the Spartans title party.

 

Hamrun Spartans coach Luciano Zauri decided to make two changes in his starting formation as Montenegrin forward Uros Duranovic was preferred to Luke Montebello, the current Premier League top scorer, who had to settle for a place on the bench while Ognjen Bjelicic was drafted in the three-man defence at the expense of Eder.

 

Hibernians, on their part, under the charge of Branko Nisevic, who incidentally last year had led the Spartans to the Premier League title, made one change to their starting formation as Robert Bairam was preferred to Jurgen Degabriele.

 

The match was played in front of a party atmosphere as hundreds of Hamrun Spartans fans thronged the Enclosure stand to celebrate their team’s latest achievement.

 

Jonny puts Hamrun Spartans ahead against Hibernians.

 

And the Spartans fans quickly had good reason to celebrate as after five minutes of play Hamrun were already in front.

 

Roko Prsa sent Ryan Camenzuli clear on the left and the Malta wing back immediately sent a low cross inside the area. The Hibernians defenders failed to clear and in came Jonny who blasted the ball past Hibs goalkeeper Hugo Sacco and into the roof of the net.

 

The Spartans were now in ascendancy and on 14 minutes they came close to double their lead.

 

Roko Prsa broke inside the area but was dispossessed by Ferdinando Apap with the ball falling into the path of Jonny who saw his shot deflected into the sidenetting.

 

On 24 minutes, Hibernians defender Hugo Alves Fernandes almost presented the Spartans with the second goal on a plate when his clearance went straight into the feet of Duranovic but the Montenegrin forward shot straight into the hands of Sacco.

 

Hibernians finally threatened on 31 minutes when from a Giannis Bastianos free-kick, Ferdinando Apap rose above his marker but headed wide.

 

The Paolites did manage to equalise five minutes from the break.

 

The hard-working Bonanni sent a dipping pass into the path of Rodni Antwi who chipped the ball past Federico Marchetti.

 

The Spartans tried to respond immediately and they came close to restore their lead a minute later when Jonny saw his low shot blocked by Sacco.

 

After the break, Zauri withdrew Bjelicic and roped in Eder in a bid to add more dynamism to his midfield.

 

The Brazilian midfielder almost made an instant impact when he stormed inside the area but was thwarted by a providential tackle by Ferdinando Apap.

 

Hibernians were not ready to let the Spartans have it all their way and in these early stages, they pressed hard their opponents as they were keen to bag all three points.

 

On 67 minutes, Bairam picked Antwi who headed wide.

 

Hamrun Spartans fans in full voice at the National Stadium. Video: Matthew Mirabelli
Bastianos had a glorious chance to put Hibs ahead when the Greek forward was left unmarked but headed incredibly wide from a Kurt Shaw cross.

 

Hamrun finally threatened on 75 minutes with a typical transition play initiated by Joseph Mbong who sped through and released Paintsil but his shot was blocked by Sacco.

 

As the match entered the final quarter, it started to lose much of its intensity with the Spartans happy to administer their advantage while Hibs tried to pounce in a bid to clinch the winner.

 

Sportdesk – Valhmor Camilleri