Perfect Seven For Hibernians Against Mtarfa

Hibernians unleashed a 7-0 victory over Mtarfa to end their first round commitments. Sarah Urpani secured a brace, while Alexis Espitia completed a hat-trick. Nicole Sciberras and Yolande Attard completed the scoring. Amy Busuttil also struck the crossbar late in the match.

Line-Ups

Keith Gouder kept faith in Jennifer Galea in goal. There was one shift in defence as Yolande Attard occupied the left-back role. Natalee Geren continued to partner Amy Busuttil in defence, while Chloe Ellul retained her place as a right-back. There was also a change in midfield, with captain Martina Borg occupying a more retreated role while Nicole Sciberras and Kayleigh Chetcuti were pushed up field. Martina Cortis made her her first senior start for the side on the right wing, while Sarah Urpani returned to the more attacking, left-wing role. Alexis Espitia was the central option in attack.

On the other hand, Maria Abdilla was preferred in goal for Mtarfa. She was protected by a back-four with Rebecca Zammit partnering Angele Fenech in the centre of defence, while Corine Deguara and Elisa Azzopardi provided the width. Eliza Czik continued to slot in a defensive midfield role. In front of her, Shania Spiteri was entrusted with the captaincy in the absence of Dorienne Grech. She partnered Paula Ciappara in the centre of midfield, with Kerrie Ciappara and Laura Echeverri Tobon occupying the flanks. Estelle Borg was the sole attacker.

Hibernians Open The Scoring

Keith Gouder’s side made their intentions of winning the game with a convincing scoring from the first whistle. One of the best early opportunities arrived as a result of the high press. Kayleigh Chetcuti who dispossessed Rebecca Zammit as the Blues tried to play out from the back. The number seven crossed into the box, but Martina Cortis was just wide of the mark with the finish.

The Paolites continued their positive spell of play, with Amy Busuttil and Natalee Geren often taking it in turns to push forward. Having made a positive drive forward, the Blues were punished by the counter-attack as Chloe Ellul intercepted a forward ball which she immediately sent into Martina Cortis. She found Alexis Espitia out wide who powered past her marker and delivered a low cross to Sarah Urpani. The number eight tapped home the opener into the left corner of the goal on the 13th minute mark.

A few minute later Amy Busuttil released Kayleigh Chetcuti behind but the number seven saw her attempt fly just above the crossbar. Hibernians also had a number of corners which they could not quite hit home. Another chance went begging as Alexis Espitia released Sarah Urpani. However, Maria Abdilla dived at full stretch to deny her a second before the twenty minute mark.

Eliza Czik won Mtarfa a free-kick just across the half-way mark shortly after. Rebecca Zammit delivered but Martina Borg headed away unchallenged. The Blues also appeared to be onto something as Paula Ciappara controlled the ball in midfield before attempting to release Eliza Czik behind with a dink. However, she was pulled back by the offside flag.

At the other end, Hibernians continued to create with neat combinations to build from the back and out onto the wings. However, Mtarfa’s defence appeared to be hanging in well enough.

Despite this, the Blues were caught out by Hibernians’ quick transition once again just past the half-hour mark. Chloe Ellul won back the ball and found Martina Cortis who passed it to Martina Borg. The captain drove forward and picked out Sarah Urpani’s run, who crossed first time to Alexis Espitia. The American slid into the first goal, finishing in the far left corner of the net for her first of the day and the team’s second of the match.

The relentless attacks kept coming. Natalee Geren made a dart up the pitch shortly after, before playing a quick combination with Sarah Urpani. However, the defender saw her long-distance effort curl away from the goal. The side continued their build-up with Yolande Attard linking with Nicole Sciberras who squared it to Kayleigh Chetcuti. She was next to strike from the edge of the box was also off-target with the finish.

Mtarfa almost played themselves into trouble after winning a free-kick which they were immediately caught on. However, Maria Abdilla was quick off her line to sweep away the danger. Despite this, Hibernians made the resulting throw-in pay off. They rotated the ball into Amy Busuttil who found Sarah Urpani who had drifted infield. She turned away from her marker and slotted home into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box for the third goal just past the forty minute mark. Martina Borg was next to test Maria Abdilla following a corner, but she denied the Paolites’ captain at full-stretch.

Half Time Score: Hibernians 3 – 0 Mtarfa

Hibernians Add To Their Tally

Mtarfa’s Simon Spiteri made one swap at the break, bringing on Oumayma Jelili in replacement of Laura Echeverri Tobon. The Blues had an early opportunity to threaten from a free-kick in midfield. However, Natalee Geren read the danger.

Although unable to make much head way with a number of corner kicks, Hibernians found their fourth shortly into the restart. Yolande Attard won the ball in midfield as Mtarfa attempted to play out. She found Martina Borg who drifted into a pocket of space. She fed into Alexis Espitia and the forward doubled her tally with a strike into the far corner.

Keith Gouder looked to his bench for the first time following the goal, bringing on Cristina Hili in a direct replacement to Martina Cortis. Hibernians kept piling forward in search of more goals. Chloe Ellul almost teed up Sarah Urpani a few minutes later with a diagonal ball. However, she was off target with the finish, before she got Alexis Espitia behind who saw her chip go wide of the mark. Kayleigh Chetcuti almost picked out the American with a cross but Maria Abdilla was equal to the headed effort.

Mtarfa appeared to be heading into a scoring opportunity as Angele Fenech intercepted play and passed first time into Shania Spiteri. She looked for Estelle Borg’s run behind the defence. However, Amy Busuttil read the play before sending her team on the counter-attack. Nicole Sciberras released Alexis Espitia behind the defence but the attacker was forced to dribble wide by Maria Abdilla which saw her cut-back to Kayleigh Chetcuti. Her effort was blocked by Angele Fenech for a corner.

However, they had their fifth goal by the fifty-sixth minute. Cristina Hili set things off by winning the ball in midfield. Nicole Sciberras picked up the loose ball and drove forward before passing into Alexis Espitia and continued her run into the box. The forward returned to Sciberras who finished into the bottom far corner of the net for her first goal this season.

It was one of the final actions for the midfielder, who was given a rare early rest by Keith Gouder, together with captain Martina Borg who handed the armband to Kayleigh Chetcuti. Sciberras and Borg were replaced by the youngsters Jeanelle Falzon and Nyorah Celeste, with the former making an appearance against her previous club. It trickled a shift in positions. Natalee Geren and Sarah Urpani slotted in the centre of the pitch, while Chloe Ellul moved into the centre of the defence as Falzon occupied the right-back role. Nyorah Celeste took the space vacated by Urpani on the left wing.

Kayleigh Chetcuti saw her goal disallowed by the offside flag before Mtarfa were forced into a change. Angele Fenech was replaced by Rachel Sultana who took the right-back position. Shania Spiteri occupied Fenech’s vacated spot in the centre of defence, while Elisa Azzopardi shifted into midfield.

The Blues were forced into another change shortly after, following a collision between Alexis Espitia and Maria Abdilla. Mtarfa’s goalkeeper was replaced by Amy Mizzi.

Having had numerous corners without reward, Hibernians converted one in the 77th minute. Yolande Attard headed home the sixth into the right corner from Kayleigh Chetcuti’s inswinging delivery.

The Paolites won a free-kick shortly after which Natalee Geren delivered into the box but Mtarfa saw off the danger. The incident which led to the free-kick ended Corine Deguara’s appearance in the match who was replaced by Katya Camilleri. She slotted up top while Estelle Borg filled in defence for the departing Deguara.

Keith Gouder also made his two final changes shortly after, as Federica Zahra and Shyan Sammut took to the field instead of Chloe Ellul and Natalee Geren.

Amy Busuttil almost grabbed herself a rare goal with a dipping strike from outside the box that rattled the crossbar, while Sarah Urpani attempted to bag the hat-trick with a free-kick that was just wide of the mark.

It was instead Alexis Espitia who completed her hat-trick in the final minutes of the match. She was picked out by the substitute Federica Zahra in the box, before turning away from her marker and dinking the ball into the net with her left foot.

Final Score: Hibernians 7 – 0 Mtarfa

Next Matches

Hibernians nudge themselves at the top of the scoreboard for the time being, with one point more than Birkirkara who have two matches in hand. The goal-spree also improves their goal difference. Keith Gouder’s side will return to action against Valletta on Thursday 9th October at the Centenary Stadium (20:15).

Meanwhile, Mtarfa return on Saturday 11th November with a 13:00 kick-off at Dingli Ground against Swieqi United. Before then, the Owls will first play their encounter against Birkirkara tomorrow 7th November at the Centenary Stadium (20:00).

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