Floriana, Gzira United and Birkirkara were the first three teams to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the IZIBET FA Trophy after they emerged as winners in the first three matches from the Round of 16 on Tuesday.
At the Centenary Stadium, Floriana defeated Challenge League side St. George’s 2-0.
The Greens, who had defeated Ghajnsielem 1-0 in the previous round, hit the woodwork twice through Zachary Cassar and Alejandro Garzia during the first half but then managed to break the deadlock three minutes in the second half thanks to an own goal by Matheus Freitas da Silva and doubled the score eight minutes from time through Emiliano Callegari.
FLORIANA Manuel Bartolo, Oualid El Hasni, Zachary Cassar, Kristian Keqi (69’ Mattia Veselji), Ulises Arias (80’ Brandon Paiber), Matias Nicolas Garcia, Brian Ariel Gimenez (46’ Jan Busuttil), Andreas Vella (46’ Ryan Camenzuli), Emiliano Callegari, Eugeniu Rebenja (46’ Kemar Reid), Alejandro Garzia.
ST. GEORGE’S Andre Spiteri, Nicholas Gauci, Matheus Freitas da Silva, Irvin Abela, Ryan Cutajar (72’ Jordan Debono), Gianluca Sultana, Ryan Sammut, Aaron Sammut, Nick Borg (63’ Rafael De Fex), Matthew Xuereb, Jose Alejandro Sorza Marin.
Referee: Daniel Portelli
Assistant Referees: Chris Francalanza, Mark Ciantar
Fourth Official: Ezekiel Barbara
At the National Stadium, Birkirkara defeated Mosta 3-1 on penalties following a goalless draw at the end of the ninety minutes and extra-time.
The Stripes, who had defeated Fgura United 4-0 in the previous round, were a better side but failed to break the deadlock and late in the game, had Kurt Zammit sent off
Just before the penalty shoot-out, coach Andre Paus replaced Daniel Fernandes with Juliani Archibald and the latter turned out to be the hero for the Stripes as he saved two penalties.
Diego Venancio scored for Birkirkara; Johann Bezzina missed; Leandro Aguirre made it 2-0 for the Stripes; Rafael Morisco’s effort was saved by Archibald. Cain Attard missed and Youri Loen reduced the gap for Mosta; Enrico Pepe made it 3-1 for Birkirkara and William Donkin’s effort was saved by Archibald.
B’KARA Daniel Fernandes (120’ Julani Archibald), Enzo Ruiz, Enrico Pepe, Claudio Bonanni (104’ Johnson Nsumoh), Paul Mbong (104’ Ryan Scicluna), Kurt Zammit, Federico Falcone (79’ Jed Valletta), Cain Attard, Leandro Aguirre, Jeferson Macedo, Diego Venancio.
MOSTA Ini Etim Akpan, Roderick Briffa (112’ Nathan Agius), Christ Ememe (71’ William Donkin), Geoffrey Acheampong (104’ Dennis Agyare Antwi), Tyrone Farrugia, Youri Loen, Luis Riascos, Rafael Morisco, Zachary Brincat (85’ Johann Bezzina), Sunday Akinbule
Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Vasil Vasilev
Fourth Official: Glen Tonna
At the Tony Bezzina Stadium, Gzira United beat Gudja United 3-1.
Gzira, who had defeated Zabbar St. Patrick 4-0 in the Round of 32, took the lead thanks to Maxuell Maia on the 15th minute and Jefferson de Assis doubled the score on the 29th. Aidan Jake Friggieri pulled one back six minutes from the end of the first half but Gabriel Bohrer Mentz made it 3-1 on the 63rd.
GZIRA Darijan Zarkov, Gabriel Bohrer, Marko Cosic, Nikolai Muscat, Steve Pisani, Zachary Scerri, Toni Kolega, Clive Gauci, Jean Paul Attard, Maxuell Maia (68’ Nevin Portelli), Jefferson de Assis.
GUDJA Duncan Formosa, Aidan Jake Friggieri (89’ Farid Romero Zuniga), Rodolfo Soares, Llywelyn Cremona, Ahinga Bienvenu Selemani, Neil Tabone (46’ Kyle Gatt), Juan Bolanos Ramires, Nika Dzalamidze (70’ Tatsuro Nagamatsu), Giorgi Nikabadze (46’ Gabriel Mensah), Neil Anthony Micallef (70’ Justin Grioli), Marcelo Dias.
Referee: Slobodan Petrovic
Assistant Referees: Jurgen Spiteri, James Muscat
Fourth Official: Daniel Casha