Gzira U.-Valletta 0-2

Gzira U:K. Gerada, Y. Tonna (C. Cassar), R. Forace, A. White, J. Camilleri, B. Bondin, R. Deguara (J. Chetcuti), M. Kotyza, P. Gueye, M. Avila Perez, S. Meilak (S. Vella)

Valletta: N. Revishvili, J. Caruana, S. Borg, R. Fenech, E. Agius (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), R. Briffa, O. Reyes Sanchez, H. Barry, S. Bajada (L. Cremona), L. Alliyu (L. Montebello), A. Nafti

Referee: C. Lautier

Asst refs: C. Francalanza, T. Debono

Asst.additional refs: A. Azzopardi, A. Arciola

4th official: R. Vella

Scorers: E. Agius 24, L. Cremona 90

Yellow cards: R. Fenech, O. Reyes Sanchez, C. Cassar

Red card: M. Avila Perez

SILVIO VELLA

A goal, scored by Edmond Agius midway through the first half and a late second by substitute Llywelyn Cremona, were enough for Valletta to beat first Division side Gzira United, reduced to ten men for the last ten minutes, and book a place in this season’s U*BET FA Trophy final.

It was more of a stroll for Valletta, without Denni Dos Santos and resting Maisuradze and Da Silva Souza, as they remained in second gear, considering the quality of their opposition.

Jamie Pace and Jonathan Francica were notable absentees for Gzira who, as expected, defended in numbers, putting seven or eight players behind the ball. But they were willing to move forward when the time befitted. They relied on the strength and mobility of Pape Guaye and Moises Avila Perez up front. The latter had found a way inside the Valletta area from the right, but his cross found nobody to connect to.

Valletta’s early running lacked cohesion. It was only past the quarter hour that they carved out the first real threat. Bajada sent a low inviting cross from the left but Alliyu lofted the ball over the bar.

Gradually Valletta started to take a stranglehold in midfield and made the breakthrough midway through the half. Hamza Barry progressed inside the Gzira half after going past three opponents, his shot was ably palmed out by the outstretched keeper Gerada, who was rendered helpless by Edmond Agius upon the loose ball.

The goal galvanised the Citizens who started to mount some sustained pressure and won a series of corners.

Gzira, penned inside their own half for long stretches, countered on 35 minutes. Deguara ran through the Valletta rearguard on an Avila Perez through ball but keeper Revishvili, back in the Valletta goal, rushed off his line to smother the danger.

Valletta remained dominant in possession even in the second period and came up with  routine pots shots from Barry and Bajada but were culpable of a series of misplaced passes that enabled Gzira to hold their own at the back.

Past the hour Barry tested keeper Gerada with two efforts from inside the area before putting in Llywelyn Cremona and Luke Montebello.

Gzira were down to ten men ten minutes from time following Moises Avila Perez’s dismissal after Valletta’s midfielder Fenech, who had committed a foul, had feigned a retaliation by the Spaniard.

The only other noteworthy episode of an otherwise mundane second half was Valletta’s second goal on the stroke of full time. Substitute Llywelyn Cremona advanced unhindered as he beat Gzira’s offside trap to beat keeper Gerada with a low strike.