Holders Floriana were the first major casualty in the FA Trophy sponsored by Boost Diesel as they were eliminated by ten-man Naxxar Lions in one of the six third round matches in programme on Saturday.

As expected, Hibernians, Valletta, Birkirkara, Balzan and Sliema Wanderers made it to the fourth round of the competition after Lija Athletic, Mosta, Pietà Hotspurs and San Gwann secured their place on Friday.

On Saturday, Naxxar Lions managed to eliminate Floriana, beating them 3-1 after extra-time in a match at the Hibernians Stadium.

Scott Fenwick put the Lions ahead on the 4th minute but Mario Fontanella equalised four minutes in the second half when he converted a penalty after that Naxxar had Oussenyou Elhadji Ndoye sent off.

The game went into extra-time and Scott Fenwick restored the lead for Naxxar three minutes in the first half of extra-time and as the Greens, who had coach Giovanni Tedesco and his assistant Salvatore Caleca sent off, were all out in search of the equaliser, Yuri de Jesus Messias sealed the issue for Naxxar three minutes from the end of the second half of extra-time.

Naxxar will be facing Balzan in the next round.

NAXXAR Christoph Nicht, Scott Fenwick, Ryan Grech, Manolito Micallef (119’ Jurgen Debono), Daren Falzon (52’ Ryan Gilmour Cassar), Duane Bonnici, Daniel Mateo Bustos (77’ Mark Fenech), Angus Buhagiar, Oussenyou Elhadji Ndoye, Adrian Cascaval, Yuri de Jesus Messias.
Subs not used: Omar Borg, Tristan Nappa Licari, Marco Botta, Joel Ellul.
Coach: Oliver Spiteri

FLORIANA Matthew Grech, James Baldacchino, Enzo Ruiz, Steve Pisani, Clyde Borg (95’ Dylan Grima), Maurizio Vella, Juninho Cabral, Alex Cini (111’ Leighton Grech), Arthur Henrique Oyama, Nicolas Chiesa (56’ Ignacio Varela), Mario Fontanella.
Coach: Giovanni Tedesco

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, Chris Francalanza
Fourth Official: Sandro Spiteri

Photos: Copyright © Andrew Grima

Despite playing for over forty five minutes in ten men, Hibernians managed to beat Gozitan side Victoria Hotspurs 2-1 at the Centenary Stadium.

An own goal after just four minutes put the Paolites ahead. However one minute from the end of the first half, Jorge Elias dos Santos was sent off for Hibernians.

The Hotspurs equalised on the 64th minute courtesy of Elton Alexandre da Silva but Johann Bezzina notched the winner ten minutes from time.

The Paolites face Xewkija Tigers or Vittoriosa Stars in the next round.

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HIBS Rudy Briffa, Martin Kreuzriegler (84’ Rodolfo Soares), Rui da Gracia Gomes, Andrei Agius, Jackson Lima, Johann Bezzina, Marcelo Dias, Clayton Failla, Jurgen Degabriele (46’ Joseph Mbong), Marco Antonio Filho Morgon (64’ Bjorn Kristensen), Jorge Elias dos Santos.
Subs not used: Andrew Hogg, Dunstan Vella, Conner Zammit, David Xuereb.
Coach: Mark Miller

HOTSPURS Adrian Parnis, Jason Pace, Jonathan Bajada, Kevin Farrugia (85’ Lawrence Grima), Daniel Sowatey, Ferdinando Apap, Chris Mercieca, Emiliano Lattes, Elton Alexandre da Silva, Henrique Mariel, Chris Camilleri.
Subs not used: Daniel Galea, Andrea Debrincat, James Tabone, Andre Azzopardi.
Coach: Gotthard Conti

Referee: Glenn Tonna
Assistant Referees; Mitchell Scerri, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Ishmael Barbara

Valletta registered a 2-0 win over Senglea Athletic at the Centenary Stadium.

Raed Ibrahim Saleh put the Citizens ahead on the 27th minute and Michael Mifsud doubled the score two minutes later.

Valletta will be facing First Division side Pietà Hotspurs in the next round.

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VALLETTA Henry Bonello, Steve Borg (39’ Juan Cruz Gill), Matteo Piciollo (84’ Nicholas Pulis), Santiago Malano, Michael Mifsud (61’ Uchenna Calistus Umeh), Jean Borg, Joseph Zerafa, Raed Ibrahim Saleh, Claudio Pani, Rowen Muscat, Romeu Pericles Romao.
Subs not used: Nicky Vella, Russell Fenech, Shawn Dimech, Gianluca Borg.
Coach: Zoran Popovic

SENGLEA Matthew Farrugia, Jonathan Bondin, Randall Vella, Jurgen Farrugia (88’ Gonzalo Julian Leyton), Antonio Terraciano, Matias Garcia, Hubert Vella, Ivan Edgardo Paz, Miguel Escobar, Peter Paul Sammut, Ryan Dalli.
Subs not used: Roderick Debattista, Sergio Osagho Uyi, Ian Azzopardi, Steve Bonnici, Terence Vella, Augusto Rene Caseres.
Coach: Paolo Favaretto.

Referee: Stefan Pace
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Thomas Debono
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri

Balzan registered a 4-1 win over Second Division side Gudja United at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

Bojan Kaljevic put Balzan ahead on the 5th minute and Marko Platisa doubled the score on the 22nd. Two minutes from the end of the first half, Alex da Paixao Alves scored a third goal. Chris Grech pulled one back for Gudja on the 57th but two minutes later, Alex da Paixao Alves scored another for Balzan.

In the next round, Balzan will be facing Naxxar.

BALZAN Dorian Bugeja, Antonio Mitev, Bruno Giglio de Oliveira (46’ Michael Johnson), Justin Grioli, Jacob Borg, Marko Platisa, Alex da Paixao Alves (70’ Ryan Fenech), Milos Lepovic, Jamie Zerafa, Alfred Effiong (46’ Gary Camilleri), Bojan Kaljevic.
Subs not used: Justin Micallef, Samir Arab, Steve Bezzina, Uros Ljubomirac.
Coach: Marko Micovic

GUDJA Fredrick Tabone, Cleavon Portelli (83’ Brandon Saliba), Leon Camilleri, Adolphus Nagbe Marshall, Chris Grech, Elton Bugeja, Christian Cassar, Alex Ellul (74’ Shataizan Zarb), David Azzopardi (87’ Jonathan Zahra), Bobby Ray Vaughan, Jean Claud Cesare.
Subs not used: Ishmael Buhagiar, Joseph Chetcuti, Andreas Calleja, Anthony Ewurum.
Coach: Edgar Degabriele

Referee: Eman Grech
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Dusan Petrovic
Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann

Sliema Wanderers came from behind to defeat St. Andrews 3-1 in another match at the Hibernians Stadium.

Following a goalless first half, Kevaughn Atkinson put the Saints ahead after just one minute. However Nicolae Milinceanu was quick to level matters for Sliema on the 49th. Frank Temile made it 2-1 for the Wanderers ten minutes from time and five minutes in added time, Jefferson de Assis Estacio sealed the issue with a third goal five minutes in added time.

A clash with Gzira United or Hamrun Spartans awaits Sliema in the fourth round.

ST. ANDREWS Yenz Cini, Adrian Borg, Travis Blagrove (66’ Jacob Walker), Tristan Grant, Matthew Gauci, Martin Davis (87’ Alex Satariano), Joseph Farrugia, Misael Miranda Gomez, Aidan Friggieri, Kyle Butler (54’ Kemar Reid), Kevaughn Atkinson.
Subs not used; Matthew Calleja Cremona, Liam Grech, Marcus Grima.

SLIEMA Glenn Zammit, Stefano Bianciardi, Frank Temile, Peter Xuereb (69’ Mark Scerri), Jefferson Assis, John Mintoff, Michele Sansone (94’ Gabriel Aquilina), Matias Muchardi, Ricardo Correa Duarte, Goran Adamovic, Nicolae Milinceanu (83’ Ryan Spiteri).
Subs not used: Miguel Bonnici, Lee Pisani, Jonathan Pearson, Edmond Agius.
Coach: John Buttigieg

Referee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Sammy Attard
Fourth Official: Matthew De Gabriele

Birkirkara registered a comfortable 5-0 win over Second Division side Santa Lucia at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

Luke Montebello put the Stripes ahead on the 23rd minute and Jake Grech doubled the score just past the half-hour. One minute in the second half, Montebello scored a third goal, adding another on the hour. Gianluca Zammit scored the fifth goal thirteen minutes from time.

In the fourth round, Birkirkara will be facing First Division side San Gwann.

SANTA LUCIA Jonathan Vella, Keith Vella (82’ Robert Darmanin), Manuel Caruana, Karl Conti, Carmelo Farrugia, Kevin Camilleri, Gaynor D’Amato, Andre Joe Cutajar (46’ Clint Zammit), Steve Meilak, Santiago Solano (61’ Ryan Sammut), Christian Toro Perdomo.
Subs not used: Leighton Mifsud, Paolo Dandolo, Emanuel Cutajar, Christian Diego Mifsud.
Coach: Leslie Burke

B’KARA Philip Schranz, Lucas Maia, Edward Herrera, Martin Klein, Ryan Camenzuli, Llywelyn Camenzuli (77’ Nicky Borg), Ryan Scicluna, Jake Grech (64’ Neil Micallef), Carlos Alberto da Silva (64’ Gianluca Zammit), Alex Nilsson, Luke Montebello.
Subs not used: David Cassar, Zack Cassar, Bruno Andrade de Brito, Kurt Zammit.
Coach: Paul Zammit

Referee: Darryl Agius
Assistant Referees: Paul Apap, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Alan Mario Sant