Marsaxlokk-Marsa 2-0
Marsaxlokk: R. Gauci (J. Micallef), C. Mamo, M. Licari (S. Tellus), S. Wellman, C. Magro, T. Templeman, K. Mamo, C. Nwoko, A. Schembri (B. Caruana), W. Soares Gomes, J. Pace
Marsa: I. Casha (R. Spiteri), D. Vella (I. Borg), N. Slavtchev, G. Martin, D. Gatt (T. Thomas), B. Zammit, S. Cutajar, K. Scerri, S. Meilak, J.P. Zammit, R. Micallef
Scorers: A. Schembri, W. Soares Gomes
Referee: L. Sammut Asst. refs: N. Debattista, M. Debono 4th official: A. Azzopardi
Yellow cards: T. Templeman, A. Schembri, K. Scerri
This was a match littered with sloppy control and misplaced passes which combined to produce poor football, played against a near-silent backdrop.
Marsaxlokk, as expected, overcame a weak Marsa resistance but they only rubber stamped their authority in the last half hour to advance to the next stage of the competition.
Andre’ Schembri took the match in his stride to lift some of the gloom with a well taken goal and an assist before being substituted in the last ten minutes. The many absentees, including Cleaven Frendo, were little excuse for Marsaxlokk’s below par performance, especially in the first half.
Molzahn’s first division Marsa, with high promotion aspirations, were a disappointing lot. They lacked the required quality to dispose of the experienced Premier League side and played second fiddle for most of the game.
An uninspired, cagey start saw Marsaxlokk enjoy the better share of possession but lacking the slightest hint of penetration when faced with a disciplined Marsa defence.
A Pace effort which hit the post nearly broke the tedium of the first half hour and eight minutes before the break, Marsaxlokk broke the deadlock. Andre’ Schembri took possession on a Licari pass inside the area and after shrugging off two opponents, he flicked the ball past helpless keeper Cordina.
The quality of football in the second half did not improve much although Marsaxlokk upped the tempo by the hour as Schembri emerged as their driving force. His inviting cross was shot wastefully wide by Soares Gomes in front of goal on 62 minutes.
On 65 minutes a Schembri headed effort was blocked on the Marsa goal line by Zammit.
Marsa lapsed to concede a second goal one minute later as Wendell Soares Gomes struck in Schembri’s cross. That was Marsaxlokk's best spell.
Tellus’ return to the side as Licari’s substitute, after a long lay-off, was greeted with applause by the Marsaxlokk fans, the only highlight of an uneventful last quarter hour, with both sides continuing to show rough edges till the very end.