Gżira Utd. 0
Valletta 2
Gżira Utd.: J. Haber, Z. Scerri (J. Mengolo 63'), R. Soares, A. Cohen, J. Corbalan (N. Muscat 75'), E. Bilbao Zarate, R. Briffa, G. Conti, S. Borg (M. Beerman 81'), F. Barbosa, H. Garba
Valletta : H. Bonello, R. Camilleri, S. Malano, K. Nwoko, J. Borg, E. Pena Beltre, R. Saleh, N. Pulis (S.Dimech 90'), R. Muscat, B. Kaljevic (B. Gavrila 82'), M. Fontanella (A. Monticelli 87')
Referee: Alan Mario Sant
Asst refs: Jurgen Spiteri, Luke Portelli
4th official: Ishmael Barbara
Scorers: Rowen Muscat 77', Bogdan Gavrila 90'
Yellow cards: Barbosa, Pulis
Attendance: 1,642
Valletta are still with a chance to grab the double for the second consecutive year as they will contest the FA Trophy final against Balzan. In their semi final against Gżira they won by two late goals scored by Rowen Muscat and substitute Bogdan Gavrila. It was a merited win for the Lillywhites who were by far the superior outfit.
Valletta made it to this stage beating Marsa 3-0, Lija Athletic 7-1 and Hibernians by a 3-2 scoreline last Wednesday in the last quarter final after extra time.
On the other hand Gżira United beat Rabat Ajax 4-0, Melita 4-2 and Pieta Hotspurs 2-1 in the famous match which was played first till a minute from time and last week the extra time in which Gżira scored the all important qualifier.
History in this competition Valletta winning it for fourteen times with the Maroons only success dating back to 1973 when they defeated Birkirkara after the second replay.
Valletta had Joseph Zerafa was suspended with Steve Borg u Miguel Angel Alba also notable absentees.
In the previous encounters this season Gżira Utd,. and Valletta figured out in two draws, 0-0 and 1-1.
Valletta went all out for an early goal and in the 8th minute a Fontanella shor was saved by Haber. Two minutes late off an Nwoko cross from the right flank Kaljevic blasted well over the bar with the goal at this mercy.
In the 17th minute Valletta threatened again but Haber turned onto a corner a headed effort by Nwoko.
Gżira went near for the first time in the 23rd minute when a Garba shot from inside the area was blocked by the Valletta rearguard, the loose ball falling into Zarate's past but the latter miskicked his effort.
Seven minutes from the end of the first half a double chance for Valletta. A Pulis shot was blocked by Haber and the Maroons goalkeeper was on the alert to save once again on Nwoko. And in the 44th minute off a Pena Beltre cross a Fontanella low drive on the turn just missed out.
The first minutes of the second half were restricted to a lot of midfield action with neither team imposing over the other. In fact it was only in the 70th minute that the first real goal mouth action ensued. It came from Valletta when Pulis found Kaljevic in the area and the Valletta striker with only Haber to beat blasted well over the bar.
But Valletta opened the score in the 77th minute when off a Fontanella corner, the Maroons rearguard cleared the ball to the edge of the area with Rowen Muscat being on hand to fire his strike in the corner of the net.
A minute from the end Gżira went near to scoring the equalizer but Bonello palmed onto a corner when faced with Mengolo. And on the stroke of time they sealed the issue when in a swift counter attack Malano squared towards Bogdan Gavrila who slotted the ball past a helpless Haber.