Mosta 1
Zejtun C. 2
Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, J. Tanti, A. Dos Santos, K. Magro, D. Mansi, T. Farrugia, D. Nworah (N. Frendo), D. Xuereb (Z. Brincat), I. Maric, T. Veronese
Zejtun C.: D. Zarb, D. Albanese, A. Scozzese, C. Giordimaina, Y. Camilleri, N. Tabone, O. Elhussieny, B. Farrugia (R. Dalli), J. Sato, JA Castano, A. Smeir (E. Vella)
Referee: I. Barbara
Asst refs: D. Sultana, P. Abela
4th official: S. Spiteri
Scorers: A. Smeir, L. Ferreira, J. Castano
Yellow cards: K. Magro, J. Castano, T. Farrugia, D. Albanese, E. Vella
Red card: Z. Brincat
First Division side Zejtun Corinthians made history yesterday as they reached the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time in the club’s history – their best ever result in Maltese football since they were founded in 1943.
A 38th minute strike by Adam Smeir seemed to be enough to stun Premier side Mosta but in a dramatic finish, Mosta managed to equalise before Zejtun quickly took the lead once again, keeping it till the end
Mosta had enjoyed the lion’s share of the attacking in the first half, but at the end of the first 45 minutes, it was Zejtun who were leading by a solitary goal scored by Adam Smeir.
The first Division outfit never showed any inferiority complex and apart from appearing well organised in defence, they also had their good moments in attack, keeping the Mosta defence on tenterhooks.
In the second half, Mosta went all out in search of an equaliser but were kept at bay by the Corinthians. But despite their almost continuous pressure, they never came really close to scoring and Zejtun goalie Zarb was not really tested.
On the other hand, Zejtun were far more dangerous in their counterattacks and could have ascertained themselves of their victory earliert had they taken at least one of two good chances they created.
The match had a quiet start, but it came to life through two yellow cards – one on each side – in the opening 12 minutes for tough tackles.
In the 18th minute, it was Ferreira who tested Zejtun goalie Zarb, but the latter turned to corner. From the cornerkick, a Mansi effort was deviated over the bar for another corner.
Mosta maintained the initiative and in the 28th minute, they went very close to opening the score through a Dexter Xuereb fine effort which hit the crossbar.
Immediately afterwards, at the other end, it was Mosta goalie Vella who denied Castano, turning to corner his low effort.
In the 34th minute, Dos Santos set Ferreira beautifully. He advanced into the Zejtun area, but his shot passed across goal.
It was against the run of play that Zejtun took the lead on the 38th minute. From a cross from the left, it was Adam Smeir who appeared to head into the net, possibly also via Veronese’s hand.
Mosta went on the offensive in search of an equaliser at the start of the second half. On the 57th minute, it was Kurt Magro who had a shot from the distance going wide.
Zejtun were again dangerous in the 68th minute when a fine combination between Sato and Tabone, ended with a shot by the ideally positioned Dalli going well over the bar.
In the 74th minute, Mosta were awarded a freekick outside the area, but Dos Santos saw his shot being saved by the agile Zarb.
Four minutes later, in a swift counterattack. Castano lobbed the ball over the onrushing goalie Vella, but slipped and a good chance to increase his side’s tally went begging.
In the 86th minute, Mosta ended up in 10 men when substitute Zac Brincat was shown the red card after an elbowing infringement over Neil Tabone.
What the Blues failed to do in 11 men, they did it with a man fewer in the 90 minute when an indecision in the Zejtun defence allowed Leonardo Ferreira to shoot into the net.
But it proved not enough. In fact, their joy was shortlived, as Zejtun scored again two minutes later. From a Giordimaina cross, it was Castano who controlled the ball in the area and beat Vella with a neat flick.
Hamrun S. 0
Sliema W. 1
Hamrun S.: S. Sultana, M. Criaco, D. Zerafa, K. Micallef (L. Micallef), G. De Castro, J. Galea (A. Faria Machado), T. Caruana, T. Espindola, T. Souza (D. Succi), D. Camilleri, A. Nilsson.
Sliema W.: G. Zammit, S. Biancardi, F. Temile, F. Qeros (E. Agius), M. Scerri, J. Mintoff, M. Sansone (G. Aquilina), M. Muchardi, A. N. Nortey, G. Adamovic, N. Milinceanu (P. Xuereb).
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann.
Asst refs: R. Vella, D. Petrovic.
4th official: E. Grech.
Scorers: G. Adamovic
Yellow cards: J. Galea, N. Milinceanu, M. Criaco, M. Scerri, S. Biancardi, A. N. Nortey, F. Temile, T. Caruana,
Attendance: 745
Sliema Wanderers survived a Hamrun onslaught in the second half yesterday to win this 4th round match narrowly and reach the quarterfinals.
An Adamovic headed goal near the end of the first half was enough for them to advance to the next round at the expense of the Spartans.
It was a match in which the first half lacked action from either side apart from the opening 12 minutes and near the end of the half when Sliema took the lead.
Neither side appeared to have a firm grip on the match as both defences were well in command keeping their opposing forwards far away from both goals.
In the second half, Hamrun were a transformed side as they started pressing hard for an equaliser, keeping the Wanderers in their own half for long stretches.
However, they rarely appeared dangerous as Sliema covered well at the back and never yielded an inch. The Blues, in fact, were more intent on defending their slender lead instead of trying to add at least another goal to assure themselves of victory.
In the 6th minute, Sliema had a gilt-edged chance to open the scoring when Temile crossed low into the Hamrun goalmouth where Nikolae Milinceanu, all alone in front of goalie Sultana, miskicked the ball which finished wide.
Five minutes later, Alexander Nilsson also missed a good chance for the Spartans when he slipped in front of Zammit and shot weakly and wide.
After a very lean period in which play was restricted to midfield, Sliema took the lead on the 41st minute, when off a Qeros cornerkick, it was Adamovic who headed into the net from close in.
The second half started on the same pattern but on the 5th minute, the match was ignited by an incident between Mark Scerri of Sliema and Marco Criaco of Hamrun. Both players were shown a yellow card.
The Spartans appeared more determined in search of an equaliser and on the hour, they had a good chance but from a Nilsson cross, Criaco headed just over the bar
In the 64th minute, Zammit was called into action to save a Criaco freekick. At the other end, Milinceancu provided a test for goalie Sultana, but the Hamrun goalie saved on deck.
In the 72nd minute, Hamrun went closest to scoring but substitute Faria Machado hit wide from five metres.
On 89 minutes, Qeros tested Sultana, but the Hamrun goalie saved well. At the other end, Criaco had a final chance for Hamrun, but his effort went well over the bar.
Lija comeback knocks out Rainbows
TARXIEN RAINBOWS 1
LIJA ATHLETIC 2
Tarxien R: A. Cassar, E. Baker (M. Diaye), A. Scicluna, L. Grech, S. Radovanovic, A. Azzopardi (M. Brincat), A. Mitrev, A. Agius (S. Cipriott), E. Calin, S. Tounkara, R. Faria
Lija A: J. Martinelli, P. Babic, D. Scerri, J. Saavedra (M. Clinch), A. Sammut, R. Kooh Sohna, C. Celis (R. Sammut), K. Hirose, E. Beu, L. Schembri, O. Sidibe
Referee: S. Pace
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorers: R. Faria 27 pen, O. Sidibe 52, E. Beu 60
Yellow cards: A. Agius, A. Scicluna, R. Faria, E. Baker, P. Babic, A. Mitrev, S. Cipriott, L. Schembri
Red card: R. Faria
This fourth round FA Trophy match between the two bottom sides of the Premier League was won by Lija Athletic, who pulled up another comeback against Tarxien Rainbows, in the same manner they had done in their only league win against same opponents earlier this season.
Second half goals from Sidibe and Beu cancelled out Tarxien’s first half lead from a Faria penalty yesterday and enabled them to reach the quarter finals.
With relegation battles to win, both clubs have more pressing matters on their mind than making progress in the FA Trophy, yet Lija will welcome any victory in a season that have been desperatley bleak.
The game started so promisingly for Tarxien. They were totally in control for the entire first 45 minutes, took a lead towards the half hour and could have even increased that before halftime.
But then they surrendered to Lija’s fightback when conceding twice in the space of eight minutes after the interval and they never recovered, even reduced to ten men for the last ten minutes.
Lija relegated Patrick Borg, Nigel Spiteri and Mc Allister Clinch to the bench while Tarxien had forward Samba Tounkara making his first appearance since joing from Gzira United, and combined with Faria to some telling effect.
A quiet first half hour saw Tarxien slightly the more dangerous side, going close with a Faria header and another from Tounkara, on a Faria cross, which both narrowly missed the target within the quarter hour. And after Lija keper Martinelli held out Tounkara’s shot, the Rainbows won a penalty, when Schembri fouled Azzopardi inside the Lija area. Ricardo Faria tucked it away to put Tarxien in the lead.
Lija never really threatened Andrea Cassar’s goal in the first half, except for tame free kicks from Beu and Babic and they were lucky not to go two goals down before halftime when Faria crashed the ball against the left post on a Tounkara cross.
Lija went into the second half on the front foot though and turned the game on its head, scoring twice before the hour mark. On 52 minutes , from a Beu corner from the left, defender Ousmane Sidibe hit the ball first time past Tarxien keeper Cassar and on the hour, Erjon Beu, left unmarked on the edge of the area, ran in to connect to Sammut’s long pass and hit in a delicate shot.
Tarxien were looking sloppy as the game opened up and Lija were playing with more ambition and confidence. Lija were given an advantage when Tarxien’s forward Faria was sent off for two cautions on 79 minutes.
Substitute Dieye missed the best chance to draw level for Tarxien six minutes from the end when, standing inside the Lija eight-yard box, he steered Tounkara’s cross off target.
On their part, Lija could have made it more emphatic with two minutes of normal time remaining. Kooh Sohna grounded two opponents but was denied by keeper Cassar’s flick into a corner.
Alves late brace offers Balzan Trophy relief
BALZAN FC 2
NAXXAR LIONS 0
Balzan FC: S. Mintoff, P. Fenech, E. Serrano, S. Bezzina (S. Arab), B. De Oliveira, B. Kaljevic (J. Boprg), M. Lepovic, U. Ljubomirac (J. Grioli), A. Alves, A. Effiong, I. Bozovic
Naxxar L: C. Nicht, R. Caetano, M. Duarte, J. Moser, R. Grech, M. Micallef, D. Bonnici, A. Buhagiar, M. Casarotto, D. Belhadj (D. Falzon), Y. Messias
Referee: M. Degabriele
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, S. Attard
4th official: F. Zammit
Scorers: A. Alves 82, 90+
Yellow cards: R. Grech, A. Alves, M. Lepovic, P. Fenech, B. Kaljevic, A. Effiong, S. Mintoff, M. Casarotto
Red cards: A. Buhagiar, A. Effiong
Balzan are in the quarter final of the FA Trophy and unfortunately for those raised on cup shocks, it was as straightforward as that.
Both goals in a scrappy match, in which there were more bookings than credible shots at goal, scored by Alex Alves in the dying minutes, had justified their odds-on status with some drama as two players were sent off in between a Balzan penalty miss. Naxxar Lions were their opponents whose reward for knocking out holders Floriana in the previous round, was another tough draw against the Premier League leaders.
With Paul Fenech and Milos Lepovic orchestrating things in midfield, it was no surprise that Balzan took an early stranglehold on the match but they struggled to turn possession into real scoring opportunities.
The only episode of note in a low-key first half, came on 25 minutes. A swift Balzan built-up between Bozovic and Alves led to the latter’s cross shot from the right being held out by Buhagiar’s stretched arm to earn them a penalty. The Naxxar defender was sent off but Kaljevic failed to muster enough power with his shot from the spot and keeper Nicht ably saved, stretching to his right.
With a man down, Naxxar regrouped and stayed compact vat the back, with two banks of four, allowing their opponents little space. Nicht was never really overworked and it remained goalless at halftime.
Micovic’s men quickened the tempo in the second half. Fenech’s powerful drive form outside the area, on an Effiong pass, was tipped over the bar by keeper Nicht. On 54 minutes, Lepovic’s drilling shot thumped against the Naxxar bar with Nicht saving into a corner.
Yet a hint of frustration remained and on 66 minutes, Effiong was also sent off, collecting two yellow cards within as many minutes, as numerical parity was restored.
Naxxar’s never-say-die attitude was admirable and their own threat omnipresent, invariably prompted by Yuri Messias, mostly from a couple of set pieces.
Still Balzan always looked the more likely to deliver punishment. And with Naxxar’s legs weary, Fenech eased a fine pass from deep which was collected in front of goal by Alex Alves who put the ball beyond the goalkeeper with eight minutes remaining.
Balzan survived a late scare, with Naxxar having a Daren Falzon equaliser disallowed for offside.
And deep into three minutes of added time, with keeper Nicht blocking on Fenech inside the area, the ball ran clear to the unmarked Alex Alves to steer it into an empty net.
After more than 90 minutes of frustration, Balzan could make further progress in the competition.