Gżira United made it to the quarter finals of the FA Trophy defeating Tarxien Rainbows by a 4-2 scoreline. The Maroons turned the tables in their favour after going two goals down, drawing till full time and dominating in extra time.

But the match was no easy task for Gżira who found the going tough against an organized Tarxien outfit.

Gżira United made it to this round after defeating Challenge League Mqabba to the tune of eight goals to nil. As for Tarxien Rainbows they won their match against Qormi by a 3-0 scoreline. In their last league matches

In their last league committments Gżira lost a top of the table clash against Ħamrun whereas Tarxien Rainbows registered a second win on the trot under the stewardship of Steve D’Amato defeating Gudja by two goals to nil.

The two protagonists had already met twice during this season where the first match ended in a 1-1 draw with Gżira United emerging winners by a 2-0 scoreline in the second round match.

Tarxien Rainbows opened the score after only two minutes when Raphael Kooh Sohna though sandwiched between two Gżira defenders reached the ball first and fired into the net. On fifteen minutes  a Darren Falzon shot sailed just over the bar. And two minutes later  Plut play a perfect pass towards Kooh Sohna but his shot ended inches wide.

Gżira went near for the first time in the 27th minute through a Correa Duarte shot which was deflected onto a corner. And just past the half hour a diagonal shot by Correa Duarte just missed out.

In first half stoppage time Tarxien doubled their lead when off a Darren Falzon corner from the right side the Maroons rearguard failed to clear and Vito Plut was on hand to blast the ball into the net.

Four minutes into the second half a headed effort by Maxuell Maia off a Correa Duarte cross ended inches wide. And on 65 minutes Fernandes saved a point blank shot by substitute Bahrudin Atajic.

Twenty minutes from the end of the match Gżira reduced the gap when off a Correa Duarte corner a melee ensued with the ball finally coming into Bahrudin’s Atajic path who placed the ball  into the net.

The Maroons were now piling on the pressure and just a minute later a header by Maia Silva missed the target by a whisker.

Five minutes from the end Steve Pisani tried his luck with a long range effort which Fernandes saved. But a minute later Gżira drew level when Nikolai Muscat fired a shot from the edge of the area which found the corner of the net with the match going into extra time.

Two minutes into extra time Maxuell Maia was unlucky when he hit the upright from close range. And in the 96th minuta Gżira took the lead for the first time when following a good run Ricardo Correa Duarte sent a fierce shot past a helpless Fernandes.

And in the 99th minute they increased their lead and put the issue beyond doubt when off a Correa Duarte cross Maxuell Maia placed the ball into the net.

Photo: Domenic Aquilina