Holders Floriana found no difficult in disposing of Second Division side Luqa St. Andrew’s, beating them 6-1 in one of the eight U*BET FA Trophy third round matches in programme on Sunday.
Floriana forged ahead on the 4th minute when off a cross from the left, Eric Akoto headed home from close range.
The Greens doubled the score on 15 minutes when off a cross from the left, Ryan Darmanin addressed the ball in the direction of Onome Sodje who placed the ball at the back of the net from close range.
Floriana scored the third goal on the 66th minute when off a Pablo Doffo freekick, Ryan Darmanin headed home.
Darmanin added another five minutes later with a close-range header off a corner from the left by Thomas Paris.
Andre Grabowski scored the fifth goal for Floriana when off a cross by John Mintoff from the right, he slotted the ball past Psaila on 77 minutes.
One minutes from time, Clyde Borg sealed the issue with a sixth goal thanks to a great rising shot from outside the area.
But it was not over yet as in added time, Luqa scored a consolation goal through Lawrence Vella whose shot from the edge of the area beat goalkeeper Jurgen Borg.
LUQA Paul Psaila, Adrian Psaila (65’ Jeffrey Fenech), Christian Caruana, Mark Ciantar, Alex Abdilla, Colin Gatt, George Frendo (75’ Darren Agius), Sandro Costa Braziliano, Lawrence Vella, Lee Baldacchino, Michael Camilleri (51’ Jason Good).
FLORIANA Jurgen Borg, Eric Akoto, Owen Bugeja (72’ Francesco Guzman), Thomas Paris, Pablo Doffo (79’ Clyde Borg), Christian Caruana (46’ John Mintoff), Onome Sodje, Joseph Borg, Ryan Darmanin, Andre Grabowski, Christian Cassar.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi
Assistant Referee: Roberto Vella, Duncan Sultana
Fourth Official: Andre Arciola
Yellow Cards: P. Psaila
Scorers: 4’ Eric Akoto, 15’ Onome Sodje, 66’ Ryan Darmanin, 71’ Ryan Darmanin, 89’ Clyde Borg, 90’ Lawrence Vella.
In another match, First Division side Pietà Hotspurs eliminated Premier League side Tarxien Rainbows, beating them 3-0.
The Hotspurs were the better side, taking the lead two minutes from the end of the first half when off a Jurgen Pisani cross from the left, Vinicius Pereira dos Santos headed home pass goalkeeper Nicky Vella.
Pietà doubled the score on 61 minutes. Jurgen Pisani was the provider once again from a corner and Ismael Grech headed home with the ball being deflected by a defender past Vella.
Vinicius Pereira da Silva sealed the issue with a third goal fifteen minutes from time as he slammed the ball home off a cross from the left by Clive Spiteri.
TARXIEN Nicky Vella, Steve Sadowski, Carl Sammut (76’ Warren Zerafa), Manuel Caruana, Everton Antonio Pereira, Ricardo Costa, Karl Pulo (56’ Orosco Anonam), Julian Vella, Lee Galea, Caio Garcia Suguino, Justin Grioli (43’ Luke Vella Critien).
PIETÀ Miguel Montfort, Clive Spiteri, Ezequiel Giaccaglia Belzuz, Quelin Refalo, Terence Agius, Zach Muscat, Vinicius Pereira dos Santos (86’ Adrian Farrugia), Cleaven Cassar, Jonathan Bilbao Zarate, Jurgen Pisani (82’ Larson Mallia), Ismael Grech (88′ Bernard Sciberras).
Referee: Glenn Tonna
Assistant Referees: William Debattista, Alan Camilleri
Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Yellow Cards: Grioli, Vella Critien
Scorers: 43’ Vinicius Pereira dos Santos, 61’ Ismael Grech, 75’ Vinicius Pereira dos Santos
At the Hibernians Stadium, Birkirkara registered a fine 4-0 win over Vittoriosa Stars.
The Stripes took the lead on the 16th minute when off a cross by Ryan Scicluna, Shola Shodiya controlled the ball, beating Ivan Cassar with a cute lob.
They doubled the score on 31 minutes when Gareth Sciberras headed the ball home past Cassar following a cross by Avila Perez.
Ten minutes in the second half, Birkirkara scored the third goal through a perfect lob by Shaun Bajada which surprised the Vittoriosa goalkeeper.
Two minutes from time, Moises Avila Perez sealed the issue with a fourth goal thanks to a diagonal shot which beat Ivan Cassar.
B’KARA Alexander Canovic, Rodrigo Pereira, Gareth Sciberras, Joseph Zerafa (Alan Tabone 72), Paul Fenech, Leighton Grech (Trevor Cilia 75), Shaun Bajada, Ryan Scicluna, Haruna Shola (Michael Camilleri 86), Moises Avila, Ryan Camenzuli
VITTORIOSA Ivan Cassar, Justin Camilleri, Marcelo Pereira, Erin Azzopardi, Rocha dos Santos, Adam Spiteri, Josef Dalli (Mauro Grioli 82), Malcolm Buttigieg, Roberto Brincat (Dillon Pace 74), Isaac Henry, Ivan Kurtusic
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Mitchell Scerri
Fourth official: Esther Azzopardi
Yellow Cards: E.Azzopardi, M.Pereira, I.Kurtusic
Scorers: 16′ Shola Shodiya, 31′ Gareth Sciberras, 55′ Shaun Bajada, 90+2′ Moises Avila Perez
Sliema Wanderers overcame the challenge offered by Mqabba, beating them 4-2 in a clash between two Premier League sides.
Sliema took the lead on the 24th minute thanks to Roderick Bajada who found no difficulty in placing the ball at the back of the net.
Two minutes later, Danial Mitev doubled the score for the Wanderers, placing the ball inside the empty net.
An own goal by Cleavon Frendo on 38 minutes put Mqabba back in contention as he incredibly beat Calleja with a lob from midfield.
Mqabba equalised on 72 minutes thanks to a John Paul Muscat header off a Claudio Calleja freekick.
Three minutes later, Sliema regained the lead with a long-distance freekick by Danial Mitev.
Finally seven minutes from time, Jorge Santos Silva secured victory with a fourth goal as he beat Calleja after concluding a solo effort.
SLIEMA Anthony Curmi, Josef Mifsud, Mark Scerri, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (Clifford Gatt Baldacchino 79), Daniel Mitev, Steve Bezzina, Jackson Lima, Roderick Bajada, Jorge Santos Silva, Cleaven Frendo (Ryan Grech 69), Beppe Muscat (Ryan Dalli 86)
MQABBA Kris Calleja, Mauro Bonnici, Pierre Grima, Mark Anthony Psaila, Marlon Briffa (Mark Fenech 85), David Azzopardi (Ryan Schembri 86), Thiago Mazzitelli (Gary D’Amato 90), Claudio Calleja, John Paul Muscat, Clayton Micallef, Shawn Magro
Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Kevin Azzopardi
Yellow Cards: M. Bonnici, C. Calleja (MQ), J. Lima, C. Frendo, D. Mitev (SW)
At the Victor Tedesco Stadium, a goal five minutes from time gave Mosta a 1-0 win over Second Division side Msida St. Joseph.
Mosta held the initiative but were controlled by their opponents. However on the 85th minute, the Blues managed to break the deadlock when off a cross by Bertrand Michel Maki Mvondo, Ian Zammit controlled the ball before hitting past goalkeeper John Agius.
MSIDA John Agius, Lesley Cassar, Matthew Borda, Oswald Zammit, Matthew Clarke, Melvin Pisani (Martyn Curtis 55’), Ryan Xuereb (Dylan Attard 90’), Mario Caruana, Alessandro Pirrone (Mario Crupi 63’), Phiram Sakchai, Fernando Donizete De Andrade.
MOSTA Glenn Zammit, Adrian Borg, FedericoTisbi, Bryan Agius (Luca Martinelli 80’), Yannick Ossok, Nikola Bogdanovic (Jonathan Bajada 46’), Kurt Magro, Firas Aboulezz, Gilbert Martin (Wayne Sciberras 88’), Ian Zammit, Bertrand Maki Mvondo.
REFEREE: Malcolm Spiteri
Valletta scored twice in the first half to beat First Division side St. Patrick.
The Citizens took the lead on the 11th minute thanks to Siraj Arab who beat the Saints’ goalkeeper with a low shot when served by Denni Rocha dos Santos
Ryan Fenech doubled the score on 22 minutes thanks to a direct freekick by Ryan Fenech which beat Grech following a deflection by a defender.
ST. PATRICK Jonathan Grech, Evair Grech, Malcolm Vella, Andreas Galea (Randall Cassar, 78’), Jurgen Farrugia, Simon Zerafa, Blendi Gockaj, David Mamo (Ilyad Scicluna, 46’), Alex Ellul (David Gauci, 70’), Steven Dimech, Bertrand Engoudou.
VALLETTA Matthew Towns, Ramon Dos Santos, Ryan Fenech, Samir Arab, Siraj Arab, William Barbosa, Denni Dos Santos (Oznef Cassar, 73’), Gilbert Agius (Isaac Zammit, 44’), Jamie Pace (Lydon Spiteri, 83’), Steve Borg, Jonathan Caruana.
REFEREE: Paul Caruana
At the Luxol Stadium, Lija Athletic defeated Gozitan side Victoria Hotspurs 6-0.
Lija took the lead on 23 minutes when Antoine Sacco headed the ball home off a cross by Fleri Soler.
Ige Abdullahi Adeshina doubled the score eleven minutes later with a great shot from outside the area.
Eight minutes in the second half, Gilbert Camilleri scored the third goal with an angled shot from the edge of the area.
Antoine Sacco made it 4-0 after exchanging the ball with Andre Scicluna and hitting home past Grima with a low shot on the 70th.
Sacco completed a hat-trick as he concluded a solo effort by beating Grima for Lija’s fifth goal five minutes from time.
In added time, Daniel Scerri sealed the issue with a sixth goal thanks to a powerful shot from inside the area.
LIJA Ini Etim Aktpan (L. Attard), Timothy Fleri Soler, Renato Conceicao, Daniel Scerri, Gilbert Camilleri (Evano Briffa), Keith Darmanin (Ben Camilleri), Jean Paul Scerri, Andre Scicluna, Matthew Fleri Soler, Ige Abdullahi Adeshina, Antoine Sacco
VICTORIA M. Grima, J. Azzopardi, A. Briffa, O. J. Emanche, D. Farrugia, J. Farrugia, O. Farrugia, R. Grech (G. Attard), J. Pace, A. Tramboo, I. Xuereb
Referee: Andrew James Sammut
Xewkija Tigers were the only Gozitan side to move on to the fourth round after defeating Second Division side Senglea Athletic 3-0 at the Gozo Stadium.
The Tigers took the lead on the 33rd when a John Camilleri header hit the bar before being cleared into a corner and from the resulting corner by Elton Vella, Chris Camilleri hit home.
Xewkija doubled the score on 72 minutes when off another corner by Vella, substitute Mark Camilleri headed the ball past goalkeeper Bartolo.
Two minutes from time, Xewkija Tigers sealed the issue with a third goal as Chris Camilleri released John Camilleri who placed the ball at the back of the net.
XEWKIJA Joseph Grima, Manuel Xerri (Ino Mifsud), Kyril Dyakov, John Vella (Mark. Camilleri), Josmar Vella, Elton Vella (Paul Rapa), Christian Bugeja, Joseph Azzopardi, Chris Camilleri, Rodney Buttigieg, John Camilleri.
SENGLEA B. Bartolo, B. Zerafa, M. Ciappara, S. Calleja, R. Tanti (J. Abela), A. Sciortino, J. Alegbe, T. Thomas (C. Borg), G. Brincat (O. Rababah), J. R. Emeka, R. Micallef.
Referee: Eren Yurtsever