Wanderers through to FA Trophy semi-finals after penalty shoot-out

Sliema Wanderers reached the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, powered by Boost Diesel, after defeating Hibernians 4-1 on penalties in a match from the quarter-finals at the National Stadium on Saturday. In the semi-finals, the Blues join Balzan, Birkirkara and Valletta.

Goal-mouth action was rare throughout the ninety minutes of regular time and the thirty minutes of extra-time even though Hibernians had a player sent off on the 90th after Rodolfo Soares received a second yellow card. The penalty kicks therefore had to settle the issue with Sliema scoring four and Hibernians just one.

Frank Temile scored the first penalty for Sliema but Jackson Lima hit wide for the Paolites; Matias Muchardi scored the second for Sliema and Johann Bezzina scored the first for Hibernians; Peter Xuereb made no mistake but Jorginho hit high. Michele Sansone scored the fourth and decisive penalty to put the Wanderers in the semi-finals.

Photo: Copyright © Andrew Grima

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HIBS Rudy Briffa, Dunstan Vella, Martin Kreuzriegler, Jackson Lima Siqueira, Rodolfo Soares, Bjorn Kristensen (65’ Arlindo Oliveira Neto), Clayton Failla, Andrei Agius, Joseph Mbong (25’ Marcelo Dias), Jorge Pereira da Silva, Giorgi Gorozia (60’ Johann Bezzina).
Coach: Mark Miller

SLIEMA Glenn Zammit, Goran Adamovic (104’ Jonathan Pearson), Frank Temile, Matias Muchardi, Edmond Agius (83’ Michele Sansone), John Mintoff, Ricardo Correa, Peter Xuereb, Nicolae Milinceanu, Kurt Shaw, Nii Nortey Ashong (79’ Kilian Amehi).
Coach: John Buttigieg

Referee: Matthew De Gabriele
Assistant Referees: Luke Portelli, Alan Camilleri
Fourth Official: Fyodor Zammit
Yellow Cards: Soares, Ashong, Temile, Vella, Lima, Bezzina, Mintoff
Red Cards: 90’ Rodolfo Soares
Attendance at the National Stadium: 1,869

At the Hibernians Stadium, BOV Premier League leaders Balzan defeated neighbours Lija Athletic 3-1.

Balzan took the lead on the 11th minute when a shot by Carlos Eduardo De Fiori Mendes was partially saved by goalkeeper Jonathan Martinelli and Alex da Paixao Alves hit home.

Three minutes later, Uros Ljubomirac slotted the ball past Martinelli off a cross from the left by Kaljevic.

Lija pulled one back on the 45th minute thanks to an Aaron Sammut freekick which gave Balzan goalkeeper Ivan Janjusevic no chance.

However six minutes from time, Balzan made it 3-1 when Siraj Arab Eddin advanced on the right, serving Carlos Eduardo de Fiori Mendes who found no difficulty in placing the ball at the back of the net.

LIJA Jonathan Martinelli, Carl Cassar (46′ McAllister Clinch), Leon Muscat (46′ Patrick Borg), Daniel Scerri, Erjon Beu, Aaron Sammut, Ryan Sammut (71′ Raphael Alain Kooh Sona), Ousmane Sidibe, Vilfor Hysa, Leejoe Schembri, Kei Hirose.
Coach: Joseph Galea

BALZAN Ivan Janjusevic, Clive Brincat (69′ Jamie Zerafa), Justin Grioli, Uros Ljubomirac, Elkin Orlando Serrano Valero, Bojan Kaljevic (55′ Siraj Eddin Arab), Milos Lepovic, Paul Fenech (89′ Fabio Attard), Michael Johnson, Carlos Eduardo de Fiori Mendes, Alex Da Paixao Alves.
Coach: Marko Micovic

Referee: Indrit Myrtja (ALB)
Assistant Referees: Astrit Mahmuti, Dojando Myftari (ALB)
Fourth Official: Kreshnik Barjamaj (ALB)
Yellow Cards: M. Lepovic, C. Brincat, I. Janjusevic (B), J. Martinelli, D. Scerri, M. Clinch (L)
Attendance at the Hibernians Stadium 554