First Division side Gzira United, Second Division side Zabbar St. Patrick and Gozitan side Nadur Youngsters were the first three teams to reach the fourth round of the FA Trophy as they registered wins in the three third round matches which were played on Saturday.
Gzira United secured a place in the fourth round and hence a clash with either Mosta or Senglea Athletic as they defeated Second Division side Swieqi United 6-0 at the Centenary Stadium.
Jamie Pace put the Maroons ahead after just three minutes and Moises Avila Perez doubled the score on the 10th. Swieqi had Shaun Bonello sent off on the half-hour and Gzira increased the lead thirteen minutes in the second half thanks to another goal by Avila Perez on 58 minutes. Eight minutes later, Ryan Dalli made it 4-0 and an own goal four minutes later, increased the lead further. Eight minutes later, Anthony Ewurum sealed the issue with a sixth goal.
SWIEQI Matthew Sapiano, Matthew Asciak, Jean Claude Borg, Matthew Fenech (34′ Kurt Pisani), Kenneth Ekezie, Leontiev Konda, Mark Farrugia, Shaun Bonello, Omar Smeir (70′ Dillon Grech), Gabriel Buttigieg (70′ Glendon Refalo), Kristian Sultana.
GZIRA Fredrick Tabone, Serio Moreno Marin, Daniel Scerri (46′ Ademola Shennowo), Gianluca Calabretta (66′ Yanis Tonna), Dejan Vukovic (60′ Dylan Agius), Steve Meilak, Anthony Ewurum, Moises Avila Perez, Jamie Pace, Josef Mifsud, Ryan Dalli.
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Gozitan leaders Nadur Youngsters registered a fine 4-1 win over Second Division side Gharghur at the Sannat Ground to set up a clash with either St. George’s or Hibernians.
Milos Stojanovic put the Youngsters ahead on 11 minutes and two goals by Sunday Baala on 30 and 37 minutes increased the lead to three-nil. Muda Fagbeja pulled one back on 74 mintues but two minutes in added time, Sunday Baala added a fourth goal.
In another match at the Centenary Stadium, Zabbar St. Patrick defeated First Division side Msida St. Joseph 2-1. In the fourth round, Zabbar will be facing either Balzan or Kirkop United.
Clayton Camilleri put Atanas Marinov’s side ahead on 42 minutes. Eleven minutes in the second half, Uchenna Anyanwu equalised but Camilleri scored again on 75 minutes to secure victory.
MSIDA Matthew Camilleri, Uchenna Anyanwu, Dino Cachia, Aleksandar Sofranac (20′ Lincoln Micallef)(77′ Kevin Borg), Ricardo Silva Faria, Gianluca Vella, Isaac Chircop, Dylan Attard, Zvezdan Vukovic, Rennie Forace, Steven Schembri (86′ Stacey Vella).
ZABBAR Jonathan Grech, Jurgen Farrugia, Carl Magro, Samuel Buhagiar, Richard Galea, Dylan Micallef (72′ Shalon Diacono), Dillon Pace, Dion Fava, Andrew Formosa (89′ Jean Claude Cesare), Randall Cassar (46′ Alex Ellul), Clayton Camilleri.
Referee: Emmanuel Grech