HIBERNIANS 3
XEWKIJA TIGERS 0
Hibernians: R. Briffa, D. Vella, R. Gomes (C. Failla), R. Soares, J. Degabriele (T. Desira Tabone), B. Kristensen, M. Kreuzriegler, G. Gorozia (J. Bezzina), J. Mbong, J. Moreira, A. Agius
Xewkija T: F. Vella, R. Buttigieg, M. Bamba, M. Xerri, G. Hili (D. Bogdanovic), J. Vella, M. Stojanovic, S. Bajada, D. Shields (J. Cefai), C. Antunes (J. Azzopardi), T. Melo
Referee: D. Agius
Asst.refs: R. Vella, P. Abela
4th official: M. Degabriele
Scorers: J. Moreira 16, J. Degabriele 16, 70
Yellow cards: R. Briffa, M. Xerri, J. Vella
Red cards: J.Moreira
Hibernians showed enough experience and overcame a test of nerves to progress into the quarter final of the FA Trophy against opponents from Gozo Division 1, Xewkija Tigers.
Hibernians had struggled to knock out other Gozitan side Victoria Hotspurs 2-1 in the previous round, but this time it looked much easier after going two up within the first 20 minutes, and held their nerves when reduced to ten men for more than an hour.
Yesterday they started with Hogg, Failla, Lima and Bezzina on the bench as they hosted the Gozo champions.
Xewkija had reached thus far, playing in every round from the preliminaries and relished a direct encounter with the Malta champions. They were boosted by the engagement of Shaun Bajada and Dene Shields, with Daniel Bogdanovic featuring as a second-half substitute..
Xewkija had caused some embarassment in the initial stages, with a Bajada inswinging corner from the right which Hibernians keeper Rudy Briffa failed to hold out but Agius cleared on the line.
Towards the quarter hour, Briffa made a mess of an Agius back pass, Melo robbed him of the ball but the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a tackle on the Xewkija forward just outside the area which earned him a yellow card.
Xewkija’s early promise waned as Hibernians made the breakthrough two minutes later. Mbong advanced down the right, delivered a floating cross for Joao Moreira to head past keeper Franklin Vella.
And on 20 minutes Mbong was again the provider for the Paolites’ second goal as he played a through pass for Jurgen Degabriele to score with a strike from inside the area.
Hibernians suffered a setback midway through the half when their striker Moreira was harshly sent off for shoving Xerri as he was keeping check on him.
Xewkija tried to take advantage. Melo’s effort on Antunes cross was deflected into a corner and a Stojanovic shot went slightly off target.
Hibernians put in Failla and Bezzina at the start of the second half but Xewkija showed more threat and energy. They went closer to pulling one back when Agius cleared a Bajada low cross before Melo could connect. The resultant Bajada corner again caused panic inside the Hibernians area and Stojanovic twice had consecutive efforts blocked by the crowded defence.
A 50th-minute snapshot from Degabriele was held out by the Xewkija custodian.
Xewkija introduced Daniel Bogdanovic for Joseph Vella on the hour but any sense of a real contest evaporated 20 minutes before the end when Failla sent a low cross from the byeline on the left and Jurgen Degabriele hit in at the top left-hand corner.
What was positive about the visitors, was that they kept trying even if a quarter final passage had already looked beyond them by then. Ironically they had three goals disallowed for marginally offside positions and one might have been left wondering what could have been the outcome had they been legitimate. But that’s too hypothetical!
Early goal puts wasteful Valletta through
PIETA HOTSPURS 0
VALLETTA 1
Pieta H: M. Montfort, C. Degabriele, A. White, S. Bartolo, J. Ishaya, G. Mensah, D. Agius, N. Pace Cocks, L. Chiedozie, J. Busuttil (J. Artiago), C. Grech
Valletta: N. Vella, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, S. Malano, K. Nwoko (A. Prosa), U. Uchenna (M. Mifsud), E. Beltre’, J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, C. Pani, M. Alba (J. Borg)
Referee: E. Grech
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, D. Petrovic
4th official: E. Mangion
Scorers: R. Camilleri 3,
Yellow cards: J. Ishaya, C. Degabriele
Attendance: 1,146
This was hardly a pairing to stir the souls. Pieta Hotspurs do lie 14 places below their Premier League opponents and had come into this fourth round with what looked like a strategy of damage limitation and the outside chance of a penalty shoot-out at best.
It did not work out their way in the end but the Division 1 side bowed out of the FA Trophy in a respectrable way, capitalising on Valletta’s profligacy and lack of conviction.
The only surprise in a one-dimesnional match was the fact that Valletta’s win hinged on the only goal scored by their central defender Ryan Camilleri in the opening three minutes. It was the only highlight of a frustrating encounter played in wintry conditions at Ta’Qali and helped Valletta secure a place with the last eight teams in the competition.
Valletta produced most of the flourishes but showed a great lack of decent finishing.
Pieta were never allowed to prosper but their failure to summon any intensity was also disappointing. Their too laid-back approach underlined a lack of confidence.
Valletta made a crisp start and took the lead with hardly three minutes on the clock. On a low cross inside the Pieta area, Ryan Camilleri slotted the ball in from close range.
There could have been more for Valletta immediately after. Steve Borg headed Alba’s cross over and Malano skied the ball on another Alba cross.
But once the initial spark fizzled out, Pieta began to settle more into the match.
A Pace Cocks shot from a distance missed the target.
Valletta carved out enough chances to kill the contest before halftime but spurned them all. Alba and Malano had the pace and alertness to punish a vulnerable Pieta rearguard in the first half. Alba lofted the ball in front of the Pieta goal on a Nwoko cross and Camilleri missed the target on an Alba corner.
Alba’s low effort on 43 minutes skimmed the foot of the post.
The second half followed the same pattern although a heavy downpour at the start made the playing surface wet and slippery.
Valletta continued to rake deep crosses inside the Pieta area but remained too erratic in their finishing. Michael Mifsud’s introduction past the hour was meant to make more impact. His low shot on 65 minutes was well saved by Pieta keeper Montfort. Nwoko shot well off target before making way for Albert Prosa.
Valletta were irked but continued to apply the pressure. Pieta kept defending desperately but without creating menace. Valletta could progress to the quarter finals.