Marsaskala 0

St. Patrick 1

St Patrick made it to the Thrid Round of the U*BET FA Trophy with a slender penalty win over Third Division side Marsaskala. The match never reached high standards and Marsaskala gave their opponents a very good run for their money.

St Patrick who are struggling in the First Division league, again failed to impress but were still good enough to qualify thanks to a second half penalty.

Marsakala did the early running and upset the saints who failed to settle down. However Marsaskala had nothing to show for the encouraging opening as they never tested Jonathan Grech.

St.Patrick started to came to grips with their opponents after their initial difficulties and Evair Grech missed an easy chance in front of goal when he headed weakly towards the Marsaskala goalkeeper.

On 20 minutes the Saints had a good move with Dylan Micallef’s shot slightly missing the base of the upright. Five minutes later Adrian Domenicus tried his luck from an acute angle for Marsakala but his sot was completely off target.

Just past the half hour Jerome Peplow stretched to the limit to save a Randall Vella shot.

The Saints continued to attackon the resumption and were awarded a penalty on 58 minutes when Alex Ellul was pushed off the ball by Domenicus and from the resultant penalty captain Jurgen Farrugia made no mistake with a low shot.

St Patrick tried to seal the issue with a second goal but they had very few scoring opportunities. On 75 minutes Marsaskala went close to an equalizer when Domenicus was unmarked inside the Saints’ penalty area but his effort was well saved by Jonathan Grech.

Marsaskala J. Peplow, N. Slavchev, E. Desira, S. Saliba, J. Scicluna (A. Yeomans), M. Pace, J. Galdes, D. Falzon, A. Domenicus, C. Dobre Iounut, M. Said.

St.Patrick J. Grech, R. Cassar (D. Mamo), R. Vella (S. Zerafa), D. Gauci, J. Farrugia, C. Massa, D. Zammit, B. Gockaj, E. Grech, D. Micallef, A. Ellul (S. Agius).

Referee Trustin Farrugia Cann

Attard 1

Vittoriosa S 3

First Division side Vittoriosa found the going hard against a gallant Attard side which played a blinder but failed to spring a surprise.

Vittoriosa were the better team in the first half building a two goal lead with a Marcelo Pereira brace. The Stars added another one on the resumption but Attard never gave up and pushed their opponents especially in the second half, managing to pull one back and going near on several other occasions.

Vittoriosa immediately took the initiative and Lopes Fereira tested Ubberden after a couple of minutes. On 13 minutes Vittoriosa took the lead when Marcelo Pereiera’s freekick deceived goalkeeper Ubberden with the ball finishing at the back of the net.

Ubberden made amends minutes when he brilliantly saved a Henry Isaac shot from the edge of the area. Attard hit back on 25 minutes when a Thornton overhead kick was saved by Vittoriosa goalkeeper Cassar with the ball also hitting the crossbar.

Five minutes later a good Vittoriosa move with Lopes fereira passing towards Piscopo whose shot was again brilliantly saved by Ubberden. Just before the break Vittoriosa doubled the score. Henry Isaac passed towards Marcelo Pereira who from a dubious offside position lobbed over a helpless Ubberden.

On the resumption Vittoriosa immediately scored the third goal with a breathtaking move finished off in style by Tassio Lopes Fereira. Attard had a golden opportunity to pull one back on 55 minutes when Edmond Thorton was put through by Darren Galea, but his point blank effort was somehow saved by Cassar.

On 62 minutes Attard managed to pull one back when Thornton scored from close range following a good Darren Galea run on the left flank. Attard now threw weverything forward with Thonton again close when his angled shot hit the side netting.

The Stars were made to defend for long stretches as Attard tried everything they could to save a desperate situation.

Attard R. Ubberden, O. Tabone, C. Lanzon, A. Agius, D. Gauci, J.C. Cachia, D. Galea, R. Pilipov (S. Agius), K. Zahra, D. Traykov, E. Thornton.

Vittoriosa S I. Cassar, J. Camilleri (L. Lagana), S. Tellus, J. Spiteri, T. Lopes Fereira, M. Pereira, E. Azzopardi, A. Spiteri (R. Brincat), M. Buttigieg, S. Piscopo (M. Grioli), H. Isaac.

Referee Sandro Spiteri

Xaghra United FC 0

Siggiewi FC 1

Siggiewi progress to the third round after eliminating Xaghra in the second round match yesterday with an early goal.

It was Roderick Farrugia who scored the decisive goal from Jason Camilleri’s cross from the right on the 14th minute. Siggiewi went close again on 32 minutes when from a Jason Camilleri free-kick Mark Camilleri’s header hit the post.

Xaghra were more aggressive in the second half and after only one minute Thiego Dos Santos’ shot was just wide. On the other end Emanuel Cutajar’s attempt three minutes later was saved by goalkeeper Matthew Vella, and the same Cutajar missed the target on the eighth after a good run.

On 37 minutes Xaghra’s substitute Oleg Pogukay’s through ball was picked by Dos Santos who crossed from the right to Daniel Bartolo but his shot was blocked.

In the closing minutes Xaghra pushed themselves further looking for an equaliser but Siggiewi’s defence held firm.

Xaghra United FC M. Vella, M. Scerri, M. Buhagiar (O. Pogukay), S. Sultana, M. Azzopardi, S.F. Bajada (I. Borg), E. Nkwocha, J. Xerri (M.Bezzina), S. Sultana, D. Bartolo, T. Dos Santos.

Siggiewi FC J. Vella, S. Delia, N. Galea, E. Vella, B. Galea, E. Bugeja, E. Cutajar (J. Shead), M. Camilleri, R. Farrugia, J. Camilleri (E. Chiappara), J. Vassallo.

Referee Paul Apap

Nadur Youngsters FC 1

Victoria Hotspurs FC 2

The encounter between the two Gozo first division went Victoria Hotspurs’ way.

The Hotspurs openened the score on the 28th minute when Oliver Farrugia picked a cross from Daniel Farrugia beating goalkeeper Muscat. Nadur had a chance three minutes later but Grima dived for a good save on a Claudio Antunes free-kick.

Just before the break Nadur equalised when Alex Tramboo grounded Milos Stojanovic in the area and Antunes transformed from the 11 metres.

Nadur started well in the second half but it was Ian Xuereb who found the net for the Hotspurs after Oliver Farrugia caught the Nadur defence napping and after a progression on the right his cross was picked up by Xuereb who’s grounder beat goalkeeper Muscat.

The Rabat side had a chance to increase the score when they were awarded a penalty kick after goalkeeper Muscat fouled substitute Shaun Attard but Daniel Farrugia’s shot from the spot was saved by the same Muscat for a final score of 2-1.

Nadur Youngsters FC M. Muscat, S. Attard, J. Meilaq (B. Meilaq), D. Stojanovic, M. Portelli (J. Grima), R. Meilaq, C. Mercieca, C.Hili, M. Stojanovic, C. Antunes, S. Muscat (A. Portelli).

Victoria Hotspurs FC M. Grima, J. Farrugia, J. Emanche’, A. Briffa, J. Azopardi, A. Tramboo, D. Farrugia, R. Grech, O. Farrugia, D. Bellotti (S. Attard), I. Xuereb.

Referee Frydor Zammit

Luqa SA 2

Zurrieq 2

(Luqa win 4-2 on penalties)

Luqa made it through the third round following a penalty shoot out against Zurrieq. This entertaining match finished 2-2 after 120 minutes in which Luqa always took the lead but Zurrieq recovered only to bow out after two mistakes from the penalty spot.

Luqa were the better team in the first half as they had the lion’s share of the proceedings, however goalmouth actions were very scarce. Luqa were had an aggressive start and forged ahead on eleven minutes when Lee Baldacchino fired home from the edge of the area giving Ellul no chance to save.

Zurrieq’s only attempt at goal came on 25 minutes when Joseph Lia surged inside the penalty area but his shot was well saved by Paul Psaila. Luqa continued to hold the upper hand but they never came close to scoring a second one in the first half.

The second half was very entertaining with Luqa close to scoring a second through a Vella header and a Good shot from the edge of the area. Zurrieq were unlucky on 63 minutes when a Lia shot hit the upright.

But Zurrieq were not to be denied eight minutes later when Alistair Camilleri scored the equalizer. Both teams increased their efforts to snatch the winner with Zurrieq going close with a Briffa shot that missed the upright by a whisker and Lee Baldacchino missing a sitter for Luqa.

In extra time Luqa immediately regained the lead when Lee Baldacchino was again on the mark, with the same player missing a favourable opportunity some minutes later. But Zurrieq did not throw in the towel and they obtained the equaliser six minutes from time when Luqa defender Alex Abdilla headed spectacularly into his own net a Johann Briffa cross.

The penalties had to decide the winner and Luqa were more sharp from the spot scoring all their four penalties taken by Lee Baldacchino, Rodrick Debattista, Jason Good, and Mark Ciantar. For Zurrieq Karl sacco and Dino Bnnici made no mistake, but Victor Micallef and Johann Briffa committed fatal errors from the spot.

Luqa SA P.Psaila, J. Fenech, G. Frendo, F. Cauchi, A. Abdilla, M. Camilleri, A. Psaila, L. Baldacchino, L. Vella, M. Ciantar, C. Caruana.

Zurrieq K. Ellul, D. Bonnici, A. Barbara, V. Micallef, N. Abdilla, M. Genuis, Josef Briffa, Johan Briffa, J. Lia, A. Portelli, A. Camilleri.

Referee Adrian Azzopardi

Dingli S 5

Qrendi 1

Third Division side Qrendi were no match yesterday for First Division side Dingli Swallows as the latter won handsomely with all goals scored in the second half.

From the very first instances of the match it was apparent that Dingli Swallows were by far the better team. But somehow or another Qrendi managed to hold back their opponents in the first forty five minutes of a one sided match.

But as soon as Dingli managed to forge ahead early in the second half, there was no stopping Borislav Giorev’s side who scored at will even missing further scoring chances, with the Qrendi goalkeeper Clifford Damato always in the thick of the action.

A minute into the second half the Redblues took the lead when Steve Meilak beat Damato with a precise shot from the heart of the penalty area.

On the hour Dingli practically booked a third round passage when Steve Meilak obtained his brace scoring from the rebound off a Brincat effort that was partially safe.

Qrendi were dead and buried five minutes later when Leontiev Konda finished off a melee that ensued in front of Damato. On 68 minutes Dingli scored their fourth and arguably best goal of the lot when Jonathan Sapiano hammered a beauty that slammed against the crossbar and behind the goal line.

Thirteen minutes from time some glory for Qrendi’s efforts when Mark Ellul nipped to collect a Paul Bezzina cross, and managed to score with a precise grounder that finished in the low corner past Mark Abela.

Three minutes later Dingli scored their fifth and final goal when Rodrick Briffa had no difficulty in tapping the ball home following a corner that was missed by a handful of Qrendi defenders.

Qrendi C. Damato, A. Formosa, L. Schembri, S. Galea (P. Bezzina), B. Demicoli, S. Galea (M. Psaila), G. Azzopardi, F. Galea, M. Farrugia, C. Debattista (C. Azzopardi), M. A. Ellul

Dingli M. Abela, K. Pace, A. Portelli (K. Asciak), P. Ciantar, L. Konda, M. Brincat (D. Cilia), J. Sapiano (C. Mizzi), E. Farrugia, S. Meilak, R. Vella, R. Briffa

Referee Andre Arciola