Goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone was the hero for Hibernians as he saved a penalty and converted the last one as the Paolites won the BOV Super Cup, defeating Floriana 5-4 on penalties at the Gozo Stadium on Thursday.
At the end of the ninety minutes, the game went into extra-time but with no goals being scored, the penalty shoot-out had to decide the issue with Hibernians scoring five and Floriana four.
Hibernians therefore won the BOV Super Cup for the fourth time in the history of the club after the triumphs in 1994, 2007 and 2015.
The game lacked goal-mouth action with only a handful of shots at goal throughout the one hundred and twenty minutes. In the first half, the only shot on target was the one by Ali Diaikite whose powerful drive was neutralised by Kitanov on the 42nd.
Jan Busuttil and Mattia Veselji had angled shots from the right saved by Hibernians goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone during the second half.
Onje minute in the first half of extra-time, substitute Kemar Reid had a powerful shot saved by Ibrahim Kone but in the remaining minutes, no goals were scored.
Jan Busuttil scored the first penalty for Floriana and Kurt Shaw did the same for Hibernians. Andrei Ciolacu scored for Floriana and Yunusa Muritala converted for Hibernians. Kemar Reid scored the third one for the Greens and Jake Grech replied for the Paolites. Christian Rutjens scored Floriana’s fourth with Jurgen Degabriele restoring equilibrium for Hibernians. Oualid El Hasni’s penalty was parried by Ibrahim Kone and the Hibernians goalkeeper scored the decisive one to make it 5-4.
After the game, Ernest Agius, Chief Officer Operations at Bank of Valletta and Bjorn Vassallo, President of the Malta Football Associationpresented the BOV Super Cup to Hibernians captain Bjorn Kristensen.
Source: Malta Football
Photo: Malta Football
