First Division sides Pembroke Athleta and Swieqi United were the first two teams to reach the fourth round of the FA Trophy as they emerged as winners from the first two third round matches which were played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium on Friday.
In the first match, Pembroke, who had defeated Xghajra Tornados 3-0 in the previous round, found no difficulty in beating Second Division side Zabbar St. Patrick 6-0.
They managed to take the lead on the 9th minute thanks to a Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza penalty. Luka Mijic scored twice on the 31st and 36th and Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos added another three minutes from the end of the first half. During the second half, Pembroke scored another two goals thanks to Luka Mijic on the 61st and Darko Todorovski on the 87th.
In the next round, Pembroke will be facing Zejtun Corinthians or Hibernians.
PEMBROKE Philip Schranz, Ymer Shaba, Aleksandar Vujovic, Djordje Isakovic, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (61’ Christian Camilleri), Glenn Azzopardi, Tyrone Fenech, Luka Mijic, Neil Frendo, Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos (67’ Mattia Zarb), Yanis Tonna (62’ Darko Todorovski).
ZABBAR Liam Lagana, Carl Abela, Carl Magro, Ethan Jay Goodman (46’ Paul Simon Ellul), Shawn Vella, Clayton Camilleri, Gabriel Bonavia, Nicholas Grech, Evair Grech (67’ Mark Micallef), Aidan Agius Gilford, Clint Barbara (77’ Kurt Tabone).
Referee: Massimo Axisa
Assistant Referees: Daniel Casha, Kristian Kavai
Meanwhile Swieqi United, who had beaten Mellieha 4-1, survived a good comeback by Qormi, beating them on penalties in a clash between two First Division sides.
Ayorinde Ebenezer Tejumola scored twice on the 11th and 23rd to hand Swieqi a two-goal lead but Tensior Gusman equalised on the 33rd and Michael Borg equalised on the 73rd. The game therefore went into extra time but no goals were scored. Swieqi emerged as winners in the penalty shoot-out by five goals to four.
In the fourth round, Swieqi will be facing Tarxien Rainbows or Hamrun Spartans.
QORMI Jamie Azzopardi, Carmelo Farrugia (69’ Carlos Debattista), Chris Matombo, Romulo Silva Santos (85’ Gilmour Sammut), Michael Borg, Brandon Grech (63’ Sheldon Grech), Alan Abela, Francesco Gusman, Alessio Cassar, Nick Ghio, Tensior Gusman (91’ Nathan Gauci).
SWIEQI Craig Abdilla, Kyle Muscat, Alan Schembri Wismayer, Luke Zammit (78’ Matheus de Albuquerque de Souza), Sean Gatt Baldacchino (59’ Andrew Shaw), Marko Ivanovic, Ibrahim Salis (69’ Felipe Nunes Fernandes), Melvin Farrugia, Tejumola Ebenezer Ayorinde (97’ Gary Bugeja), Josuel Azzopardi, Dayle Borg.
Referee: Alex Johnson
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Robert Curtis