Valletta-Mqabba 3-2
Valletta: S. Darmanin, J. Bondin (J. Grioli), M. Grima, B. Nisevic, R. Forace, M. Barbara (K. Fenech), U. Edafe, D. Camilleri, D. Falzon, G. Agius, R. Siberie
Mqabba: K. Calleja, M. Catania, A. Busuttil, M. Briffa, L. Galea, A. Ribic, N. Baldacchino (G. Scerri), J.P. Muscat, M. Cocks (E. Borg), C. Calleja, C. Camoin (D. Demanuele)
Referee: I. Miller Asst.refs: K. Borg, M. Debono 4th official: S. Tanti
Scorers: D. Falzon, G. Agius (2), J. P. Muscat (2)
Valletta made heavy weather against First Division leaders Mqabba yesterday before going through to the quarter-finals of the U*Bet FA Trophy.
Taking what looked a comfortable two-goal lead within the first 17 minutes and dominating most of the first half, Valletta were shocked by Mqabba's comeback, scoring two goals by Jean Paul Muscat, shortly before the break and early in the second half, and forcing the Citizens to sweat more than expected.
It was Gilbert Agius who had the final say with his second individual goal, in somewhat fortuitous manner, late in the game that gave Valletta the edge over Joey Falzon's resilient and well organised side, proving they are no pushovers.
Valletta made the breakthrough after only five minutes in their first genuine attack which caused anxious moments in the Mqabba area. Edafe's grounder was deflected into a corner. Valletta kept up the pressure and from Camilleri's cross, Dyson Falzon volleyed the ball past the helpless Mqabba keeper Calleja.
Falzon went close again minutes later with a diagonal shot and on the quarter hour the grounded Calleja saved Siberie's low drive.
Valletta's quicker pace and urgency forced Mqabba into a plethora of defensive errors. On 17 minutes Valletta doubled their lead. A flowing move was started and finished by Gilbert Agius who played one-two with Siberie, standing in a doubtful offside position, before slotting in the return pass with the keeper out of place.
In between these two goals, Mqabba could have drawn level on ten minutes. Baldacchino fluffed a good chance, placing the ball wide after being put through by Ribic.
Valletta remained the better team and could have added further goals before halftime.
Keeper Calleja turned Siberie's back header, on Camilleri's cross, into a corner over the bar and past the half hour, Siberie connected well on Barbara's low cross, but failed to put the ball on target.
Ten minutes from the break, and against all odds, Mqabba pulled one back. Jean Paul Muscat found the ball in his path, after good work by Baldacchino, to slide his shot under the stretched keeper Darmanin and pull his side back into the game.
And Muscat's clinical finish, shooting low when put clear by Baldacchino, roused the few Mqabba supporters, five minutes after the restart, as he restored equilibrium to give the game an exciting twist.
The goal injected enthusiasm into Mqabba's efforts.
Valletta looked most menacing through Falzon, with two close-shave efforts but the Citizens had lost much of their first half gloss, looking more edgy.
On the hour they put in Fenech for Barbara and two minutes later after a short free-kick, Grima rifled his shot towards the top corner, only for keeper Calleja to save acrobatically into a corner.
Mqabba, who retreated deeper, were forced to substitute Baldacchino after he pulled a muscle as Valletta regained the upper hand. On 75 minutes Edafe shot Siberie's pass off target and three minutes later, Gilbert Agius surprised all and sundry with a delicate cross shot from the right, beating the keeper at the far post.
Mqabba looked drained and resigned to their fate, but not before having given their more experienced opponents a tough run for their money.