The Amateurs cruised to the quarter finals after beating the south seasiders from Section B. Marsaxlokk keeper Luca Bugeja saved his side from a much heavier defeat with his anticipation of crosses and also with some daring saves.

Melita had much more chances than their opponents who tried very hard to operate on the break but Russell Tabone did not have the required support from his colleagues against the strong midfield sector were Matthias Fenech excelled with his timely interventions and also did the spade work for two of his side’s goals.

The first action came from Marsaxlokk as Daniel Farrugia served Tabone with a through ball on the edge of the area but Melita keeper Justin Attard Montalto saved his feeble shot, at the other end, Luke Micallef crossed from the right to Tobias Terpougoff and Bugeja saved his close range header and moments later he had to dive and save to corner a Luke Micallef shot and from the flagkick by the same player the ball was partially cleared and the rebound shot by Maximillian Bartolo missed the bar by inches.

Melita kept insisting and Fenech served Ian Vella with a through ball in the area and the latter’s shot was deflected to a corner, from the flagkick taken by Terpougoff the ball was partially cleared and the rebound shot by Micallef was cleared on the line with Bugeja beaten.

Bugeja again saved his side with a daring save when he dived at Terpougoff’s feet and smothered the ball after he entered the area after a solo run down the left flank, the same player saved Ian Vella with a through ball in the area but he missed the upright from a very good position. In the last action before the break a Micallef flagkick was partially cleared and Bugeja saved the rebound shot by Bartolo.

Melita created more occasions than Marsaxlokk during the second period. Ian Vella served Terpougoff in the area but he drove out with only Bugeja to beat, Terpougoff served Micallef in the area and as Bugeja came out of his charge to foil him he tripped him in the process but the referee saw nothing wrong, Micallef won a loose ball in Marsaxlokk’s half, his rising shot from outside the area hit the bar and from the rebound shot by Vella the ball was cleared on the line.

In a rare Marsaxlokk attack, Daniel Farrugia crossed from the right to Christian Bugeja who missed the bar by inches from outside the area. The Amateurs resumed their pressing, a cross-shot from the right by substitute Philip Zammit missed the upright.

Melita opened the score on 48 minutes. Terpougoff was put through on the left flank who in turn crossed to Vella and a defender handled the ball in the area and Micallef converted from the spot. Micallef then entered the area after beating two defenders and Bugeja effected a daring save by diving at his feet to smother the ball. After a freekick shot by Giuljo Farrugia, Steve Scicluna drove over Melita’s bar with only Attard Montalto to beat. Bugeja came to his side’s rescue once again as he dived to save a header by Terpougoff after a cross from the right by substitute Andrea Muscat.

The score was doubled on 73 minutes when Matthias Fenech served Luke Micallef in the area who scored with a low shot after beating a defender and four minutes later the score became 3-0 when again it was Fenech who did the spade work by serving Muscat with a perfect pass in the area who made no mistake with a grounder.

Referee – Thomas Debono

Player of the match – Matthias Fenech (Melita)

* * *

APS Bank U/14 Section A

Floriana 0

Rabat 2

A keenly-contested game which attracted a large crowd and played at Tarxien ground which is only good for a five-a-side game. Floriana suffered a second defeat from 12 games after a positive run of nine games, winning eight and drawing one.

They occupy second place on 28 points from 12 games while Rabat are on 24 points from same number of games. Both sides had their good moments but they could not prove their real worth in such a restricted space.

Rabat were the first to threaten as a dangerous cross by Ryan Micallef was cleared to corner, at the other end, Warren Cardona served Matthew Caruana with a cross from the right but Rabat keeper Rudy Cuschieri saved the latter’s shot from outside the area.

In Rabat’s next attack they forged ahead after seven minutes. They won a throw-in on the left flank which was taken by Tyrone Bugeja, serving Ryan Micallef in the area who shot past Greens keeper Daniel Said who was beaten after 257 minutes, the last goal he suffered dates back to 8 December 2006. From another long throw-in by Bugeja the ball was partially cleared and the same player drove the rebound over the bar.

After a freekick shot by Clive Farrugia was partially cleared, Matthew Caruana pounced on the loose ball and entered the area after beating a defender and his close range shot missed the upright by inches.

The last two actions before the break also came from Floriana, Cardona served Greg Marney with a square pass who missed the upright after shooting from outside the area and Farrugia floated a perfect ball in the area from a freekick but Sacha Borg skied the ball from two metres with only Cuschieri to beat.

As expected, Floriana went all out to save the game and enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges during the second half. Alan Abela crossed from the right to Cardona and Cuschieri saved his header, after a well-taken flagkick by Caruana, Cardona headed well over the bar from an ideal position, Cuschieri then saved on Caruana after he dribbled his way past two defenders before entering the area.

In a Rabat rare attack, substitute Leevin Bonello served Micallef in the area but Said dived and saved his shot to a corner and a minute before normal time Cardona crossed from the right after beating a defender but the ball finished over the bar.

In the fourth minute of added time, Rabat scored their second goal thanks to

a very strange decision

by the referee. Substitute Francesco Azzopardi was served with a high ball in the area, Floriana defender Clive Farrugia was faster on the ball and when he tried to clear the ball Azzopardi tried to get his head to it, and to the amazement of all present the referee whistled for a penalty. If this was a foul for a dangerous play, according to Law 12, fouls and misconduct, it is punishable by an indirect freekick. The match inspector who was present, should take note of this gross misinterpretation of the laws of the game.

To no avail were the Floriana players’ just protests as the referee stuck to his decision and he should brush up his knowledge to distinguish between an offence punishable by a direct freekick and that punishable by an indirect freekick. Christian Vassallo then converted from the spot.

Referee – Franz Bartoli

Player of the match – Sacha Cortis (Rabat)

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