by Hibernians rise to the top of the table following victory over Mgarr United in an immersing match that ended 3-2. The Paolites’ secured the win through goals by Nicole Sciberras, Alexis Espitia and Martina Borg. Fernanda Peinado grabbed a brace for the Greens. Both sides could have had more after hitting the crossbar, as well as being denied with some heroic moments from the defences.
Team News
Hibernians fielded Sharon Costantino in goal and there were no changes in the defence, with Amy Busuttil continuing to partner Natalee Geren in the centre of the defence, while Yolande Attard and Chloe Ellul provided the width. The trio of Kayleigh Chetcuti, Nicole Sciberras and captain Martina Borg continued to operate in midfield. Leah Ayres returned to the starting eleven in the centre of attack. Alexis Espitia shifted to the right wing, while Sarah Urpani maintained her stay on the left to complete the forward line.
Patricia Ebejer continued to protect Mgarr United’s goal, while there were also no changes in defence. Anastasia Sivolobova and captain Maia Debono continued occupying the centre of the defence, while Abigail Camilleri and Rebecca Bajada protected the flanks. There were also no changes in midfield, as Chantelle Grech started in front of the defence, with Brenda Borg and Joelma Alves Gabriel in more advanced playmaking roles. Luana Vitoria Cabral retained her place in the right side of attack, while Daniela Ebejer started on the left. Fernanda Peinado led the line.
A Slender Lead
The early minutes immediately showed that the game would be fought tooth and nails, much like previous encounters between the two. With tackles flying in from either side, there were a number of free-kick opportunities to deliver into the box or test the goalkeeper, but there were initially few clear chances from open play.
Kayleigh Chetcuti had the first opportunity to test Patricia Ebejer from a dead-ball situation just two minutes into the match, but the wall did its job. Hibernians then looked to be onto something as Alexis Espitia burst forward on a counter-attack, before releasing into Leah Ayres. She picked out Kayleigh Chetcuti who combined with a lay-off for Martina Borg to strike. However, the captain pulled it wide.
At the other end, Mgarr United’s creative duo of Brenda Borg and Joelma Alves Gabriel started to turn the cogs in attack. The Brazilian dinked a forward ball for the Maltese who timed the run behind the defence on the flank, but the cross was snuffed out by the Paolites’ defence. They combined again a few minutes later after Borg won the ball in midfield before finding Alves Gabriel. However, her strike was off target.
The end-to-end action continued with Alexis Espitia having an opportunity to put the ball into the net a quarter of an hour into the match, after being picked out by Sarah Urpani. However, Espitia skied the volley.
Mgarr United got close to opening the scoring in the 25th minute. Joelma Alves Gabriel curled a free-kick toward the near post which would have likely crept just in had Sharon Costantino not dived in time to parry. The Greens’ got even closer from the resulting corner. Costantino got something on the delivery, before an attempted headed clearance handed the ball straight to Fernanda Peinado. The Brazilian blasted the shot but rattling only the crossbar.
With alarm bells ringing, Hibernians went into another gear close to half-an-hour of play. Natalee Geren tested Patricia Ebejer from a long-distance free-kick but the Mgarr United goalkeeper was up to the task. Alexis Espitia and Martina Borg combined to get Leah Ayres behind, but Maia Debono read the play just in time.
However, the Greens’ could not hold off Hibernians for long and the latter made the pressure pay from a free-kick out on the right wing. Chloe Ellul delivered towards Nicole Sciberras at the far post, who headed it straight into the net, opening scoring in the 34th minute.
Despite falling a goal down, the Greens kept up the attacking momentum through surges from midfield, while Rebecca Bajada was often having joy not just in keeping Sarah Urpani at bay, but also in going forward on the wing. However, Sharon Costantino was not troubled too much. Luana Vitoria Cabral got closest in the 40th minute with a free-kick which also hugged the crossbar, although Hibernians’ veteran goalkeeper appeared to have had it covered anyway.
Half-Time Score: Hibernians 1 – 0 Mgarr United
Three Goals In Eight Minutes
It must have been some half-time team talk from the two coaches as the two teams came back out onto the pitch with an even higher determination to attack. Maia Debono almost put her team level four minutes into the half after connecting with a delivery, but was met with a powerful block from Natalee Geren.
It was instead Hibernians who found a way to double the lead from another set-piece, this time a corner in the 53rd minute. Kayleigh Chetcuti delivered into the box toward Nicole Sciberras who flicked the header before Alexis Espitia fired a left boot to send the ball flying into the net.
Espitia was running rampant and almost made it three just three minutes later after being released behind the defence. Met with the rushing figure of Patricia Ebejer, Hibernians’ number thirty attempted to chip the goalkeeper but saw her effort clip the crossbar, before Maia Debono cleared for a throw-in.
The Greens soaked up the pressure and returned fire just two minutes later. Brenda Borg won the ball in midfield, before laying it back to Joelma Alves Gabriel. She played a forward pass to Luana Vitoria Cabral who made the run behind. Attempting to dribble past the rushing figure of Sharon Costantino, the ball deflected into the path of Fernanda Peinado, who fired goal-ward to reduce Hibernians’ lead back to one in the 57th minute.
The Brazilian kept up the charge and won her team a corner after Natalee Geren made another important block. However, the set-piece backfired as Hibernians regained their two-goal cushion with the resulting counter-attack. Natalee Geren surged forward with the ball, jumping over a challenge before passing a weighted ball into Alexis Espitia. She fed into Martina Borg who joined in the box and placed home with a low strike for the third in the 62nd minute.
Tensions Rise As Mgarr United Seek Comeback
A 3-1 advantage in such a tight game was not something that Hibernians were taking lightly, having seen a similar lead slip into a draw the first time out. That awareness appeared to fuel Mgarr United with a belief that they could get back into it despite the tough climb.
If the game had been already hard-fought up to this time, things became even more heated with the ever-increasing list of dividing decisions from the officials. The Paolites were awarded a free-kick despite the Mgarr United defender appearing to take all of the ball. However, Hibernians could not trouble Patricia Ebejer with the resulting shot. It was not just the Greens. Likewise, Hibernians became increasingly unhappy themselves, as they too saw more questionable decisions go against them.
Mgarr United almost capitalised on a free-kick opportunity with a more crafty routine a few minutes over the hour. Luana Vitoria Cabral passed short to Rebecca Bajada on the wing who crossed towards Abigail Camilleri. However, she was slightly off-balance when meeting the ball, sending the header off-target.
At this point, Michael Mangion made the only swap, bringing on Kelsey Vella in replacement of Daniela Ebejer. Vella slotted in her preferred right-back role, pushing Rebecca Bajada forward on the right wing. Luana Vitoria Cabral shifted to the left side instead of Ebejer.
Both sides continued to have chances with set-pieces as the game consistently grew more physical with both sides getting stuck in. Hibernians saw efforts by Sarah Urpani and Natalee Geren thwarted, while the Mgarr United defence stood strong to snuff out other opportunities. On their part, Mgarr continued searching for goals to reduce the deficit, but crosses into the box were cleared, while a free-kick attempt from Luana Vitoria Cabral was wide of the mark.
Meanwhile, Keith Gouder freshened up the attack, bringing on Nyorah Celeste instead of Leah Ayres for the final minutes of the match. The substitute had a major opportunity to extend the lead further in the 86th minute as she capitalised on miscommunication in the Greens’ back-line. However, Patricia Ebejer gave her team another lifeline by winning the duel with a standing tackle.
The Greens continued surging forward but a free-kick from Joelma Alves Gabriel landed straight into the hands of Sharon Costantino, before a low corner delivery was dealt with at the near post.
Despite this, the Greens drew a goal back in the 92nd minute. Fernanda Peinado arrived at the near post to convert Brenda Borg’s cross with a header into the left side of the goal.
Having seen a win turn into a draw in the previous match, Hibernians ran down the clock at the corner flag for the final minute. In doing so they successfully thwarted Mgarr United from completing the comeback to seal an important victory.
Full-Time Score: Hibernians 3 – 2 Mgarr United
Standings & Next Matches
The encounter concluded the fixtures for the weekend in the Assikura Women’s League. Hibernians take themselves to the top of the table with the win on 22 points. Besides outcomes from direct confrontations, they can also still be matched by Birkirkara who have a game in hand. Meanwhile, the loss means that Mgarr United stay in fourth-place with 17 points, two adrift of Birkirkara.
Hibernians will return to action against Lija Athletic on Friday 24th November at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (20:30). Meanwhile, the Greens will next welcome Valletta in their home ground on Saturday 25th November at 16:30.
Stay up to date by following The Sporting Fan on social media: Instagram ~ Facebook ~ X
