There were no major surprises in the Preliminary Round of the BOV GFA Cup as the top teams in the senior division of Gozitan football progressed to the quarter-finals of the competition.
Kerċem Ajax obtained a 1-0 win over Xewkija Tigers in the only match between two sides from the top-flight.
Luis Henrique Santana Motta scored the decisive goal on 51 minutes.
Xewkija had a good reaction and were unlucky when an effort by Emiliano Lattes hit the crossbar. The Tigers finished the match with ten men in stoppage time when Rodney Buttigieg was sent off for a second bookable offence.
GFA Division One leaders Nadur Youngsters had to come from behind to register a 5-1 win over second division side St Lawrence Spurs.
The Spurs surprised their more-quoted opponents when they took the lead after only eight minutes of play when in a quick counter-attack, Alen Haska hit a low drive that rolled into the net.
Nadur quickly gained control of proceedings and managed to turn the result in their favour by the half-time interval with quick-fire goals from Lorenzo Atzori (39, 44).
The Youngsters sealed their passage into the next round after the interval when they were on target three times through Ederson Bruno Domingos (67), Judivan Flor Da Silva (69), and substitute Jordi Parnis (81).
Nadur’s scoreline could have even been more pronounced but a free-kick by substitute Joseph Zammit came off the bar while Atzori had a goal disallowed for offside.
Għajnsielem, who had conceded an unexpected defeat in their last league outing against Sannat Lions, registered a 9-0 win over Division Two side Munxar Falcons.
Ghajnsielem dominated this match from start to finish and were already three goals up at half-time courtesy of goals from Igor Nedeljkovic (7), Johnny Camilleri (18) and Dejan Bogdanovic (39).
The Blacks refused to take their foot off the pedal and added five more goals after the resumption. Johnny Camilleri added two more goals to complete a hat-trick, Ryota Watanabe grabbed a brace, Michael Bezzina scored the sixth goal and Igor Nedeljkovic added another goal three minutes from time.
Munxar could have scored a consolation goal but a strike by Luke Meilak was stopped by the crossbar.
Sannat Lions, fresh from their win over Għajnsielem, extended their good moment of form with a 3-1 win over Żebbuġ Rovers.
Sannat opened a three-goal lead with goals scored by Fabian John Xuereb (37), Nicholas Grima (52) and Henry Fabian Solis (54).
Second division side Żebbuġ Rovers scored a consolation goal on 57 minutes from a penalty converted by Eman Bugeja.
Victoria Hotspurs obtained the qualification to the quarter finals of the second most important honour in Gozitan football with a 5-0 win over second division side Xagħra United.
The Hotspurs took the lead after three minutes through an own goal by Xagħra’s Savio Galea and doubled the score on 23 minutes with a fine finish by Olimpio Gabriel Fernandes.
Xagħra were reduced to ten men on 32 minutes when goalie Leonard Camilleri was sent off for retaliation.
The Hotspurs added three more goals through Kakra Boakye-Mensa (41), Andrea Debrincat (48) and Damon Hili (72).
NEXT FIXTURES
PLAYING ON SATURDAY
KERĊEM GROUND
GFA DIVISION TWO
St Lawrence vs Qala 14.00
GFA KNOCK OUT QF
Sannat L. vs Victoria H. 17.00
PLAYING SUNDAY
KERĊEM GROUND
GFA DIVISION TWO
Gharb R. vs Munxar F. 14.00
GFA KNOCK OUT QF
Għajnsielem vs SK Victoria 17.00
