U*BET FA Trophy: Zebbug Rangers eliminate Sliema Wanderers

BOV Second Division leaders Zebbug Rangers registered a major surprise as they beat Sliema Wanderers on penalties.

Birkirkara beat Tarxien Rainbows 1-0 while St. Andrews defeated Msida St. Joseph 2-0. Hibernians beat Mosta 2-1, Floriana defeated Melita 2-0 while Qormi needed extra-time to beat Pembroke Athleta 5-2.

At the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Zebbug Rangers defeated Sliema Wanderers 8-7 on penalties in what is definitely the biggest surprise so far in this year’s competition. The score at the end of the ninety minutes and at the end of extra-time was 1-1.

Following a goalless first half, Zebbug managed to break the deadlock through Maurico Rodrigues Britto on 71 minutes. However eight minutes later, Alex Muscat equalised for Sliema.

The penalty shoot-out resulted as follows:
Alan Tabone (Z) scored, Mark Scerri (S) scored;
Mauricio Rodrigues Britto scored, Paltemio Barbetti scored;
William Camenzuli scored, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino scored;
Lee James Agius scored, Diego Ortega scored;
Miguel Francica scored, Alex Muscat scored;
Lee Galea – saved by goalkeeper, Stefano Bianciardi hit crossbar;
Melvin Farrugia hit wide, Josef Mifsud – saved by goalkeeper;
Justin Spiteri scored, Luigi Ruggiero scored;
Jonathan Xerri scored, Andrew Decesare – hit crossbar

SLIEMA Glenn Zammit, Alex Muscat, Paltemio Barbetti, John Mintoff (53′ Miguel Ciantar), Mark Scerri, Luigi Ruggiero, Andrew Decesare, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Alain Faccini (77′ Diego Ortega), Marlon Briffa (74′ Josef Mifsud), Stefano Bianciardi.
Coach: Alfonso Greco
ZEBBUG Justin Spiteri, Lee Galea, Miguel Francica, William Camenzuli, Melvin Farrugia, Mauricio Rodrigues Britto, Alan Tabone, Jonathan Xerri, Roderick Spiteri, Lee James Agius, Dylan D’Agostino.
Coach: Jesmond Zammit
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Scorers: 71′ Mauricio Rodrigues Britto (Z); 78′ Alex Muscat (S)

Floriana, on the other hand, defeated Melita 2-0.

Ryan Darmanin put the Greens ahead on 28 minutes and Igor Coronado doubled the score on the hour.

MELITA Karl Zahra, Jovan Vukanic, Rudi Alhinho, George Gribbon, Manuel Ramon Sierra Camacho, Matthew Borg, Michael Valenzia (63′ Vince Ringrose), Andrew Caruana Scicluna (71′ Luke Micallef), Nigel Rizzo (63′ Jean Pierre Attard), Juian Galea, Jose Luis Armaro Negrin.
Coach: Patxi Salinas
FLORIANA Tony Warner, Duncan Pisani, Henrique Celestino, Kane Farrugia, Sacha Borg, Aman Verma, Trevor Cilia (58′ Thomas Paris), Clyde Borg (67′ Tyrone Farrugia), Mark Spiteri, Igor Coronado, Ryan Darmanin (73′ Joseph Borg).
Coach: Stephen Azzopardi
Referee: Clayton Pisani
Assistant Referees: William Debattista, Paul Apap
Fourth Official: Mario Apap
Yellow Cards: Valenzia, C. Borg, S. Borg, Sierra Camacho, M. Borg
Scorers: 28′ Ryan Darmanin, 60′ Igor Coronado

Ten-man Birkirkara defeated Tarxien Rainbows 1-0 at the Hibernians Stadium.

Although the Stripes had an edge over their opponents, the Rainbows went close to taking the lead late in the first half but Andrezinho was unlucky to hit the upright.

Birkirkara took the lead four minutes in the second half through Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.

Joseph Zerafa was sent off for the Stripes after picking a second yellow card on 58 minutes.

B’KARA Reuben Gauci, Ryan Scicluna (74’ Yosimar Gonzales Hernandez), Nikola Vukanac, Joseph Zerafa, Ryan Camenzuli, Rowen Muscat, Paul Fenech, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (90+4’ McAllister Clinch), Edward Herrera, Alejando Mendoza Corujo, Jhonnattann da Conceicao (89’ Rodrigo Pereira).
Coach: Paul Zammit
TARXIEN David Cassar, Evaldo Silva dos Santos, Justin Grioli, Andre Reinaldo de Souza Esposito, Ryan Sammut, Mark Tanti (56’ Danilo Meira Santos), Daniel Mariano Bueno, Luiz Romulo de Castro (46’ Manuel Caruana), David Fenech (56’ Karl Pulo), Orosco Anonam, Steven Bonnici.
Coach: Clive Mizzi
Referee: Andre Arciola
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Roberto Vella
Fourth Official: Adrian Azzopardi
Scorers: 59’ Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza

In the second match, Hibernians defeated nine-man Mosta 2-1.

Clayton Failla put Hibernians ahead on the 3rd minute as he converted a penalty after Luke Dimech brought Marcelo Dias down inside the area.

Luke Dimech, who was cautioned in the previous incident, received a second yellow card for a foul just outside the area on 38 minutes and was therefore sent off.

One minute from time, the Paolites doubled the score when they were awarded a second penalty. Justin Haber saved partially Clayton Failla’s effort but off the rebound, the Malta international defender placed the ball at the back of the net.

In stoppage time, Bryan Agius was sent off for Mosta.

But the game was not over yet as Mosta reduced the gap thanks to a penalty by Daniel Bogdanovic.

HIBS Mario Muscat, Adrian Pulis (81’ Johann Bezzina), Ryan Camilleri, Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias, Andrew Cohen, Bjorn Kristensen, Clayton Failla, Udo Nwoko, Zoran Levnajic, Allan Kardeck dos Santos.
Coach: Michael Woods
MOSTA Justin Haber, Mano Micallef, Steve Bezzina (73’ Alex Cini), Steve Onyii Chiemeka, Luke Dimech, Carlos Campagnoli, Ryan Grech (69’ Firas Aboulezz), Ousseni Zongo, Daniel Bogdanovic, Obinna Obiefule, Jonathan Bajada (77’ Bryan Agius).
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Ingmar Spiteri, Thomas Debono
Fourth Official: Marco Borg
Scorers: 3’ Clayton Failla pen, 89′ Clayton Failla, 90+2′ Daniel Bogdanovic pen

Photo: Copyright © www.stephengatt.com

First Division side St. Andrews defeated Division 2 side Msida St. Joseph 2-0 at the Centenary Stadium.

Trayo Grozev scored the two goals for Wayne Attard’s side during the second half on 46 and 84 minutes.

MSIDA John Agius, Lesley Cassar (75′ Richard Attard), Matthew Borda, Trevor Templeman, Fernando Donizete de Andrade, Lee Baldacchino (60′ Mauro Grioli), Ronnie Celeste, Shawn Magro, Stacy Vella, Oswald Zammit (67′ Wayne Buttigieg), Dylan Attard.
Coach: Twanny Dalli
ST. ANDREWS Matthew Towns, Patrick Briscoe White, Ben Diacono, Neil Chetcuti, Brian Said, Jonatahn Briscoe White, Joseph Farrugia, Nicki Vella Petroni (75′ Jacob Falzon), Michael Grima (86′ Matthew Desira Buttigieg), Trayo Grozev, Rumen Kerekov (61′ Cesar Catalan Clemente).
Coach: Wayne Attard
Referee: Esther Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Philip Farrugia, Konrad Borg
Scorers: 47′ Trayo Grozev, 84′ Trayo Grozev

In the second match, Qormi defeated Second Division side Pembroke Athleta 5-2 after extra-time.

Qormi took the lead thanks to Edison Bilbao Zarate on the 9th minute and doubled the score through Abubakar Bello Osagie on 28 minutes. Three minutes from half-time, Pembroke reduced the gap with a goal by Daniel Cremona.

After the break, Qormi continued to dictate matters but against the run of play, Kane Micallef levelled matters for Pembroke late in the game to force extra-time.

Sebastian Aurelio Siritto restored the lead for Qormi on the 99th minute and goals by Jonathan Bondin on 106 and 109 minutes sealed the issue for the Yellow Blacks.

QORMI Steve Sultana, Kris Thackray, Joseph Chetcuti (110′ Carmelo Farrugia), Abubakar Bello-Osagie, Matthew Gauci, Sebastian Aurelio Siritto, Edison Bilbao Zarate, Jonathan Bondin (110′ Dylan Pirotta), Alessio Cassar, Stephen Wellman, Leighton Grech (40′ Luke Sciberras).
Coach: Jesmond Zerafa
PEMBROKE Michael Carter (17′ Jonathan Vella), Malcolm Mamo, Aaron Attard, Lydon Cilia, Vojko Martinovic, Jonathan Mifsud, John Roland Emeka (76′ Matthew Borg), Rodney Caruana, Geoffrey Spiteri, Daniel Cremona (72′ Adrian Galea), Kane Micallef.
Coach: Jacques Scerri
Referee: Glenn Tonna
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Alex Grech
Fourth Official: Chris Lautier
Scorers: 9′ Edison Bilbao Zarate, 28′ Abubakar Bello-Osagie, 42′ Daniel Cremona, 84′ Kane Micallef, 98′ Sebastian Aurelio Siritto, 106′ Jonathan Bondin, 109′ Jonathan Bondin