James Scicluna wheels away to celebrate his winner against Gżira United. Photo: Domenic Aquilina
GŻIRA UNITED 0
VALLETTA 1
Scicluna 103
GŻIRA UNITED
C. Formosa, E. Pepe (104 M. De Filippis), T. Aldama, L. Riascos, M. Shaquill, D. Barbosa (57 A. Borg), S. Denic (77 B. Borg), K. Zammit, N. Disic (64 F. Hassany), K. Tulimieri, T. Espindola.
VALLETTA
T. Aqulina, E. Mushagalusa (99 K. Ewurum), N. Micallef, E. Ruiz (53 J. Azzopardi), A. Zammit (80 J. Scicluna), A. Ciolacu, B. Paiber, Jefferson, A. Attard, J. Walker, S. Mackay.
Referee: Matthew De Gabriele.
Yellow cards: Barbosa, Jefferson, Micallef, Formosa, De Filippis, Zammit, Ewurum.
Red card: Tulimieri (G) 25.
Valletta completed a major upset when they knocked out Premier League side Gżira United to book their place in quarter-finals of the FA Trophy.
It was a moment to savour for the hundreds of Valletta fans that thronged the National Stadium on Wednesday to see their team catch the limelight with a stunning victory over a Gżira United side that played for almost 100 minutes with a player less following the dismissal of Kevin Tulimieri midway through the first half.
Despite being a man down, Gżira did have their opportunities to win the match, with Thaylor Aldama twice denied by the woodwork.
But Valletta’s resilience was finally rewarded with James Scicluna’s fine winner that sends the team in the last eight of the knock out competition.
Gżira made a fast start and after four minutes of play they were unlucky not to take the lead.
Kevin Tulimieri sprinted in space on the right and his pin-point cross found Thaylor Aldama at the far post but the latter’s winger came off the bar with goalkeeper Timothy Aquilina beaten.
Valletta gradually started to get more into the picture and were slowly imposing their game, albeit rarely creating any chances to Cain Formosa’s goal.
Things got more difficult for Gżira United on 25 minutes. Kevin Tulimieri was adjudged to have elbowed Sheldon Mackay with referee Matthew De Gabriele brandishing the red card and leaving the Maroons with ten men.
Despite their numerical advantage, Valletta were still finding it difficult to threaten the Gżira goal.
Their first chance arrived on 35 minutes when Ciolacu latched on a throughball but was denied by the onrushing Formosa.
Three minutes later, Zammit backheeled the ball into the path of Jefferson inside the area but the City player fired wide.
The match remained balanced early in the second half with Valletta forced to change the limping Enzo Ruiz with Jake Azzopardi.
Despite being with a man less, Gżira were continuing to hold the initiative with Valletta trying to catch their opponents on the counter.
Thirteen minutes from time, Aldama was again denied by the woodwork. The Gżira winger received from Faysal inside the area and hit a low drive that beat Timothy Aquilina but came off the upright.
Two minutes from time, Neil Micallef hit a thumping drive that was pushed away by Formosa as the match drifted into extra-time.
Gżira remained the better side and on 93 minutes Aquilina was alert to save a Brookly Borg shot.
However, Valletta took the lead on 103 minutes when Paiber sent a long pass towards James Scicluna and the attacking midfielder headed the ball past Formosa.
Four minutes later, Neil Micallef failed to clear the ball and in came Brooklyn Borg who, however, fired the ball over.
On 112 minutes, Thaylor Aldama pushed the ball into the path of Kurt Zammit but Aquilina was well positioned to block the ball.
