Valletta 2
Pieta H 0
Good Causes Fund Cup
Under 16 Knock Out Final
In front a good-sized crowd Valletta managed to win the double after having won the Under 16 Section A. The Citizens were the much more better outfit and they fully deserved the verdict being faster on the ball, sharper in their moves and also precise in their passing.
Very few were the actions worthy of note in the first period as play was for some time restricted to midfield. Valletta had a cross-shot by Neil Chircop cleared to a corner and Pieta had a shot by David Caruana also cleared to a corner and a header by Kyle Darmanin which finished out and at the other end Pieta keeper Samuel Portelli saved a shot by Adrian Carabott.
City keeper Dunstan Zarb foiled Jamie Christie from concluding with a timely sortie after he was put through in the area by Randall Refalo and Portelli saved a free kick shot by Bydasser Sammut.
Six minutes after restart Valletta opened the score with a choral move: Chircop square-passed the ball to Neil Goodlip who in turn served Sammut with a through ball who entered the area out-speeding a defender, and shot past Portelli.
Matthew Agius had a shot saved by Zarb and Pieta were denied by the woodwork in the 56th minute when Silvio Consoli served Agius from a free kick and the ball thumped the bar from his header with Zarb beaten and the ball finished safely out.
The score became 2-0 in the 66th minute as Goodlip served Sammut with a through ball and after advancing, entered the area and shot past Portelli obtaining a personal brace and his side’s second goal. Valletta kept insisting and after Sammut was fouled on the left edge of the area the ball missed the upright from the free kick shot by the same player, aand pieta created the last action before the end as Christie served Consoli with a through ball but his cross was cleared to a corner.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant
After the match, The Hon Minister of Finance Tonio Fenech presented medals to the match officials and to both sets of players and the Trophy to Valletta captain Yessous Camilleri
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Paola H 4
Floriana 1
Under 14 Knock Out Final
Paola H addded the Knock Out Trophy after having won the league in Section A, and they fully deserved the verdict as they were the more better side than Floriana who were very erratic in their passing, as they only managed three shots at goal throughou the game and Paola keeper Nicholas Grima was not much troubled.
The Paolites went straight on the offensive and created occasions through Brandon Muscat and Micallef. Grima then saved a weak header by Zackary Mizzi. Hibs kept insisting and Joseph Massa drove lightly out from inside the area and Christian Briffa missed the upright
In the 21st minute Paola opened the score as Keith Tanti served Christian Briffa with a through ball who scored with a low shot after entering the area. In a rare Floriana reaction Sacha Borg was fouled outside the area but the same player drove over the bar from the free kick shot. In the 26th minute Briffa made it 2-0 after controlling the ball from a faulty cleareance by the Floriana defenders and scored with a rising shot giving Floriana keeper Jurgen Borg no chance and two minutes before the break Floriana pulled one back through Zackary Mizzi who was put through by Carl Dalli who netted with a grounder after entering the area.
Two mintues after restart Hibs re-established their two-goal lead when Brandon Muscat served Massa in the area and netted with a low shot.. Substitute Johann Bezzina served Brandon Gatt in the area but Borg saved his shot.
Just before the end of normal time Hibs scored their fourth goal through Substitute Luke Baldacchino who scored from inside the area after he was put through by Bjorn Kristensen.
Referee: Andre' Sciriha
After the match Youth FA Chirman Fr Hilary Tagliaferro presented medals to the match officials and to both sets of players and the Trophy to Hibs captain Bjorn Kristensen.