Hibernians 2
Valletta 3
Hibernians FC: M. Jovicic, T. Tabone Desira (C. Zammit 105'), D. Vella, N. Radojevic, M. Barbosa Da Silveira (D. Abela 115'), J. Mbong, M. Dias, B. Kristensen (D.Xuereb 120'), T. Marcolino (J. Grech 85') , M. Sahanek, T. Fonseca
Valletta FC: H. Bonello, S. Borg, A. Monticelli (N. Pulis 65'), S. Malano, K. Nwoko, J. Borg, E. Pene Beltre, R. Saleh, B. Gavrila (J. Micallef 120'), B. Kaljevic (S. Dimech 110'), M. Fontanella
Referee: Stefan Pace
Asst refs: Jurgen Spiteri, Mitchell Scerri
4th official: Emanuel Grech
Yellow Cards: Jean Borg, Dunstan Vella, Enmy Pena Beltre, Steve Borg, Marcio Barbosa Da Silveira, Bogdan Gavrila, Bojan Kaljevic, Santiago Malano, Bjorn Kristensen
Red Card: Marcelo Dias
Scorers: Marco Sahanek 11', Joseph Mbong 20', Bojan Kaljevic 75', 103' , Nicholas Pulis 84'
Attendance: 2,914
Valletta came from behind and defeated Hibernians for the second time in the space of five days to book a place in the semi finals of the FA Trophy.
It was a good match between the two main forces in local football with Hibernians taking a two goal lead and Valletta reacting strongly in the second half. After ninety minutes the teams could not be separated but in extra time the Citizens prevailed.
Valletta will now meet Gżira United on Sunday with the other semi-final to be disputed between Birkirkara and Balzan.
Both sides made three changes from last Saturday's match. Hibernians were missing the suspended Andre Agius and Isaac Ntow whereas Jake Grech started on the bench. Instead of them Timothy Tabone Desira, Marcelo Dias and Dunstan Vella.
On the other hand Valletta missed Jonathan Caruana, Rowen Muscat and Miguel Angel Alba with Antonio Monticelli, Ibrahim Saleh and Bogdan Gavrila starting instead of them.
Hibernians and Valletta met three times during this season winning a match each by the same 2-1 score with the Citizens prevailing in the Championship decider on penalties after a 2-2 draw at the end of extra time.
The Paolites reached this stage defeating Qormi and Fgura Utd. 5-1 and 4-0 respectively whereas Valletta beat Marsa 3-0 and demolished Lija Athletic 7-1.
Valletta went in search of an early goal and on 6 minutes Gavrila found Monticelli whose low cross was met by Kaljevic but the latter failed the find the net when well positioned.
But it was Hibernians who opened their account in the 11th minute when Marco Sahanek converted with a low drive after some good work involving Tabone Desira on the left flank.
The Citizens failed to react after this early setback and on 20 minutes Hibernians increased their lead. It was a well executed goal with Kristensen finding Marcolino on the right flank and his cross found Joseph Mbong who had the easiest of chances to slide the ball home.
On 34 minutes a blunder by Jovicic found Gavrila in the box but Dunstan Vella was on hand to close and clear the danger. And four minutes later a low drive by Fonseca was blocked by Bonello.
Hibernians continued to dictate matters with Valletta a far cry from last Saturday's performance. On 41 minutes the Poalites near in scoring their third goal when a Sahanek free kick was splendidly saved by Bonello into a corner.
On resumption Valletta started better and in the 50th minute Hibernians were dealt a blow when they had Marcelo Dias sent off for an extended foot on Gavrila.
On the hour a Gavrila corner caused havoc in the opposing area with Jovicic failing to clear and the ball fell into Fontanella's but only for his shot to end well over the bar.
In the 65th minute Valletta threatened when a Pena Beltre cross from the right was met by Gavrila whose shot from close range was turned over the bar by an agile and alert Jovicic. And twenty minutes from time a Pulis shot from the edge of the area just missed out.
And in the 74th minute a rare attack by Hibernians when a free kick by Sahanek was headed just over the bar by Kristensen.
But a minute later the Citizens reduced the gap when a long ball by Steve Borg found Bojan Kaljevic who controlled well and placed the ball in the net.
And six minutes from the end Valletta drew level. A free kick by Fontanella found Nicholas Pulis unmarked in the area who headed home. The match now went into an added thirty minutes of extra time.
On 110 minutes a shot by Pulis was saved by Jovicic. And in the 113rd minute Valletta went in front for the first time when a Fontanella cross was perfectly met by Bojan Kaljevic who blasted past Jovicic.
On the stroke of time Hibernians were unlucky when off a Sahanek corner Kristensen saw his header hit the crossbar.