A header from Josh Campbell saw the Hibees win their first pre-season friendly in the Netherlands as they beat MSV Duisburg 1-0.
The players trained the morning of the game and put in a professional performance against the German side.
Like the Edinburgh City friendly, David Gray elected to choose two sides, each playing 45 minutes each. All three new boys started the game meaning Josef Bursik was in goal, with Marvin Ekpiteta and Warren O’Hora as the centre-half pairing.
Jordan Obita and Lewis Miller started on their respective flanks. There was a midfield three of Luke Amos, Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Josh Campbell, with Martin Boyle – who captained the first half team – on the right, Rudi Molotnikov on the left, and Dylan Vente up-front.
The match started at a good tempo with the first chance of the game coming inside eight minutes. Luke Amos won the ball well inside the MSV Duisburg half and fed the ball to Dylan Vente. The Dutch striker created space for himself but his fierce effort from the edge of the area was saved by Kevin Kunz in the Duisburg net.
The resulting corner led to another half chance as Martin Boyle’s delivery was met by Lewis Miller at the back post, but his header flew just over the bar. Shortly after, Josh Campbell glanced a header over the bar.
The first Duisburg chance fell on 18 minutes. Can Coşkun tried his luck from a free-kick 25-yards out, but he couldn’t hit the target.
Hibs continued to dominate the game and four minutes later should’ve taken the lead. Rudi Molotnikov did excellently down the left-hand-side and whipped a ball across the face of goal. Dylan Vente tried to take it first time with his left-foot but got it wrong and couldn’t hit the target.
Just before the half-hour mark Hibs’ pressure paid off as Josh Campbell gave Gray’s men the lead.
Once again, he rose highest to meet a Martin Boyle corner and powered a header past the Duisburg ‘keeper.
Hibs had the ball in the net for a second time on 40 minutes, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside. A brilliant passage of play starting with Marvin Ekpiteta saw the Hibees work through the lines before Boyle was released down the right flank. He picked out Vente in the box, who cleverly flicked the ball past the ‘keeper, but the linesman had his flag raised.
Gray opted to change the full starting XI at half-time as he continues to build up the players’ match fitness.
The second half side saw Jojo Wollacott in goal, Kanayo Megwa at left-back, Rory Whittaker at right-back, and Rocky Bushiri and Riley Harbottle at centre-half. Joe Newell captained the side and was part of a middle three alongside Nohan Kenneh and Dylan Levitt. Chris Cadden was right-wing, Jair Tavares left-wing, and Elie Youan up-front.
Within the first minutes of the second half, Hibs had another great chance. Chris Cadden went past two and squeezed his way into the box. Jair Tavares met his chipped cross, but his half volley was saved by substitute Duisburg ‘keeper Max Braune.
The German side’s first chance of the second half came on the 50th minute. Patrick Sussek got in-behind the defence, only to be denied by Jojo Wollacott.
Sussek was Duisburg’s dangerman and had a half chance with 15 minutes to go. The ball was cut back to him inside the area, but he blazed well over.
Moments later, another set piece created an opening for the Hibees. Elie Youan glanced Dylan Levitt’s curled wide free-kick over the bar. Shortly after the Welshman was involved again. He won the ball back before trying an audacious effort which just went over the bar.
Duisburg should’ve found an equaliser with five minutes remaining. Jihad Boutakhrit was slipped through the back-line and went through one-on-one with Jojo Wollacott. The German rounded the ‘keeper before missing the target from inside the area.
Set pieces continued to be a huge threat and only the woodwork denied Hibs a second. Elie Youan rose highest, but his bullet header struck the crossbar.
That was the final action of the game as Hibs ran out 1-0 winners against MSV Duisburg.
Hibernian
First half XI: Bursik; Miller, O’Hora, Ekpiteta, Obita; Moriah-Welsh, Amos, Campbell; Boyle (c), Molotnikov, Vente
Second half XI: Wollacott; Whittaker, Harbottle, Bushiri, Megwa; Kenneh, Newell (c), Levitt; Cadden, Tavares; Youan
Unused sub: Boruc
MSV Duisburg
Starting XI: Kunz; Montag, Uzelac, Michelbrink, Fakhro, Meuer, Muller, Symalla, Coskun, Egerer, Hahn
Subs: Braune; Fleckstein, Bookjans, Gockan, Yavuz, Sussek, Croonen, Sadlek, Adamidis
