Valletta, B’Kara eliminate First Division teams to reach FA Trophy semi-finals

Valletta and Birkirkara secured a place in the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, powered by Boost Diesel, as they defeated two First Division sides in the first two quarter-finals on Saturday.

At the National Stadium, Valletta defeated Zejtun Corinthians 2-0.

The Citizens took the lead on tthe 25th minute when Michael Mifsud served Matteo Piciollo but the latter was anticipated by a defender, the ball reached Kyrian Nwoko whose low shot from outside the area beat Zejtun goalkeeper Dunstan Zarb.

Valletta doubled the score on the 70th thanks to a Steve Borg header following a freekick from the left by Miguel Angel Alba.

Photo: Copyright © Andrew Grima

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VALLETTA Henry Bonello, Steve Borg, Juan Cruz Gill, Michael Mifsud (66’ Rowen Muscat), Matteo Piciollo (67’ Albert Prosa), Kyrian Nwoko, Enmy Pena Beltre, Joseph Zerafa, Denni Rocha dos Santos, Claudio Pani, Miguel Angel Alba (85’ Russell Fenech).
Coach: Danilo Doncic

ZEJTUN Dunstan Zarb, Clayton Giordimaina, Filippo Andrea Scozzese, Omar Elhussieny, Neil Tabone, Johan Alberto Castano (33’ Junki Sato), Adam Smeir, Brooke Farrugia (68’ Gianluca Sultana), Diego Albanese, Yessous Camilleri, Emerson Vella (39’ Adrian Carabott)
Team Manager: Alan Mifsud

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Jude Amin Utulu
Yellow Cards: Alba, Giordimaina, Pani, Borg

At the Hibernians Stadium, Birkirkara registered a 3-0 win over Qrendi.

The Stripes took the lead four minutes from the end of the first half thanks to a shot from close range by Cain Attard which beat the Qrendi goalkeeper.

Eleven minutes in the second half, Nikola Vukanac doubled the score with a header following a corner by Srdjan Dimitrov.

Three minutes from time, Edward Herrera added another with a great shot from outside the area.

QRENDI Julian Azzopardi, Mark Farrugia, Bjorn Bondin (78′ Kenneth Abela), Petar Mrvic, Dhonatan Santos Da Hora, Zachary Bowman (58′ Aaron Agius), Emerson Amaira (64′ Dylan Zarb), Mark Barbara, Shunsuke Nakamura, Julio Cesar Sousa Martins da Silva, Davide Martini.
Coach: Demis Paul Scerri

BIRKIRKARA David Cassar, Edward Herrera, Fernando Barbosa Pereira, Mislav Andelkovic, Ognjen Rolovic (77′ Gianluca Zammit), Nikola Vukanac, Carlos Alberto Da Silva Goncalves Junior (87′ Zack Cassar), Waldemar Jesus Acosta Ferreira, Srdan Dimitrov (60′ Jake Grech), Ryan Scicluna, Cain Attard.
Coach: Paul Zammit

Referee: Emanuel Grech
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Dusan Petrovic
Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Yellow Cards: P. Mrvic, Z. Bowman, A. Agius