Marsa: J. Debono, G. Bencini, D. Vella, K. Scerri (A. Scerri), E. Mbong, E. Yanchev B. Zammit (S. Cutajar), N. Fasinelli, V. Bellia, G. Martin, W. Chircop (A. Ewurun)

Qormi : M. Farrugia, N. Zarb Cousin (D. Zuccaro), A. Formosa (M. Tabone), J. Scicluna, E. Azzopardi, K. Zammit, Y. Talcevski, G. Buhagiar, C. Formosa, J. Chetcuti (M. Borg Olivier), J. Farrugia

Referee : J. Attard Asst.refs :A. Camilleri, M. Debono 4th official: M. Borg

Scorers: C. Formosa, D. Vella, G. Buhagiar, A. Ewurun, M. Borg Olivier, E. Yanchev (pen)

Yellow cards: E. Mbong, J. Scicluna, N. Fasinelli

Red card: N. Fasinelli

First division side Qormi stretched Marsa to the limit and it was only after a marathon penalty shoot-out of 24 kicks that the Premier side prevailed to go through the second round of the competition.

The match offered plenty of excitement, to atone for the afternoon’s previous boring encounter. The teams shared four goals in normal time and another two in extra time to decide the tie on penalties. Zuccaro’s miss, his shot hitting the post, finally ended Qormi’s gallant challenge. They were three times ahead but each time they were caught up by their opponents in a gruelling match, worthy of a cup tie.

The match started at a fast pace with Marsa first out of the blocks. A Martin low drive went narrowly wide and Yanchev, inside the Qormi area, had his effort blocked into a corner.

But Qormi broke the deadlock after 18 minutes. Zammit’s effort was deflected towards the unmarked Carmel Formosa, who tipped the ball in from close range.

Their lead lasted only two minutes though as Marsa restored equilibrium when Darren Vella connected well to Zammit’s free-kick from the left to beat keeper Farrugia with a rising shot.

Both teams kept up the momentum with some interesting tussles in midfield between Mbong and Bellia for Marsa and Buhagiar and Talcevski for Qormi.

The football kept flowing. Qormi went close towards the half hour but Buhagiar wasted a good opportunity, shooting over when well served by Chetcuti inside the Marsa area.

Marsa’s response on 34 minutes came from Martin, who ran on the left inside the Qormi penalty area and shot towards goal but keeper Farrugia blocked.

With the teams still tied at halftime, Marsa put in Ewurun for the second half and pressed their opponents in search of a second goal.

Ewurun headed Cutajar’s cross wide and then Fasinelli’s scissors kick on Yanchev’s cross was saved by the goalkeeper.

But Qormi again took the lead on the hour. From an Azzopardi corner kick, Glenn Buhagiar towered himself to head past keeper Debono.

Marsa were forced to push more forward. Martin’s firm close-range header was superbly turned into a corner by keeper Farrugia.

Throwing everything forward, Marsa left gaps at the back at their own risk. This Qormi nearly exploited with ten minutes remaining when Formosa found ample space, advanced unhindered but was denied by keeper Debono, blocking at his feet.

Marsa put in Andrew Scerri in the late stages. The substitute had his effort deflected into a corner as Marsa kept up some sustained pressure. They were justly rewarded five minutes from full time. Scerri again provided the cross to put Anthony Ewurun clear and as the keeper rushed out of his place to block, he chipped the ball coolly into an unattended net to force extra time.

Qormi took only five minutes of extra time to forge ahead for the third time in the match.

Substitute Michael Borg Olivier headed in Farrugia’s free-kick from the left. But they were again caught up by Marsa’s equaliser on 102 minutes when conceding a penalty after Talcevski floored Bellia inside the area. Emil Yanchev scored from the spot kick to put the sides on three all.

In the second period of extra time it was still anybody’s game but with Formosa missing the target and Scerri denied by the goalkeeper, the stalemate prevailed till the end as Marsa’s Fasinelli received his marching orders for his second bookable offence two minutes from full time.

Marsa won the penalty shoot-out 9-8 after the taking of 24 penalty kicks. The goalkeepers saved two penalties each in the process as Zammit and Zuccaro hit the post for Qormi and Bellia shot wide for Marsa.