BIRKIRKARA 2

HIBERNIANS 0

Stripes handed handed the Euro Cup to Valletta after beating Hibernians 2-0 this evening.

The trophy will be presented to Valletta on another occasion which still has to be announced.

Hibernians were a pale shadow of the team that rattled Sliema in their last outing as they looked short of flair and inspiration of much of the game. Birkirkara’s supremacy owed to their superior fitness and the accuracy of their passing.

Prior to kick-off both teams observed a one minute silence in respect of former Hibernians midfielder Essien Mbong who passed away last week.

The early exchanges were devoid of creative football as both sets of players looked rusty, not surprising given that these are first pre-season outings. It was however Birkirkara who produced the better stuff in the opening exchanges and Jimenez put the Stripes on their way to victory shy the half hour. Ryan Camenzuli’s corner soared into the Paolities box and from the ensuing melee Jimenez headed the ball past keeper Daniel Balzan to send the Stripes into raptures.

Birkirkara nearly doubled their lead seven minutes later but Camenzuli’s screamer from the distance was palmed away by the alert Balzan.

After the break, the Stripes went for the kill and their efforts should have produced a second goal when Shodiya Shola Haruna, Birkirkara’s best player, breezed past two defenders after 67 minutes before serving substitute Kurt Zammit into the area but the striker’s drive was blocked by Matthew Tabone with the aid of the crossbar.

Only three minutes of normal time remained when Birkirkara took the game beyond their opponents’ reach. Edward Herrera’s through ball from the right sailed towards the goalmouth where Toure's first-time effort from close range gave Balzan no chance.