ROUND OF 32
SLIEMA WANDERERS 1-1 ST. ANDREWS (3-1 AFTER PENALTIES)
J. Sowah 39 (St. Andrews); S. Bah 70 (Sliema)
Sliema: K. Agu (46 R. Al Tumi); J. Borg, A. Magri Overend, L. Montebello (76 E. Agius), M. Beerman (46 S. Bah), K. Nwoko, G. Alcino, Wescley, M. Henrique, S. Pisani, M. Baggio (46 Fernandinho).
St. Andrews: F. Tabone; C. Tanti, D. Torres, R. Soares (71 B. Sciberras), M. Dias, L. Scicluna, K. Briffa (79 J. Camilleri), B. Gaerty, Elizeu, M. Johnson, J. Sowah.
TARXIEN RAINBOWS 1-0 KERĊEM AJAX
O. Barros 31
Tarxien: M. Spteri; O. Barros (58 J. Quitongo), G. Vella, S. Mizzi, L. Borg, L. Zango, K. Donsu (46 N. Rosa), P. Xuereb (46 M. Grima), R. Tavares, Wallisson (84 N. Ibeh), A. Vella (67 W. England).
Kerċem: F. Vella; M. Lima, D. Bogdanovic, J. Theuma (90 D. Cassar), C. Natal, R. Saliba, M. Cardoso (80 L. Atzori), J. Leite (90 A. Xuereb), G. Farrugia (60 A. Mizzi), A. Debrincat (46 A. Azzopardi), I. Souza.
MARSAXLOKK 1-1 BALZAN (7-6 AFTER PENALTIES)
Dodo 90 (M); G. Chiemezie 64 (B)
Marsaxlokk: P. Sanchez; Weder (64 L. Aguirre), E. Pepe, N. Muscat, J. Ghio (65 E. Attard), J. Arias, J. Corbalan, Dodo, J. Mensah (70 N. Portelli), J. Vella, T. Caruana (78 M. Ayom Majok).
Balzan: N. Vella; S. Arab (80 J. Grech), J. Engerer, G. Chiemezie (B. Hili), J. Scicluna, L. Silva, A. Cini, S. Cipriott (71 J. Portelli), C. Guaic (90 G. Cacciatore), Z. Grech.
MOSTA 2-0 QALA SAINTS
Joao Victor 8, Leonardo Da Silva 42
Mosta: A. Demba; A. Agius (46 K. Farrugia), J. Scerri, S. Charles (46 R. Debono), Joao Victor, G. Sciberras (70 D. GTA), N. Agius, Q. Herrera, B. Farrugia (46 R. Caruana), Z. Brincat (70 J. Vassallo), Leonardo Da Silva.
Qala: O. Attard; N. Inguanez (46 M. Camilleri), J. Buttigieg, L. Da Silva, A. Martins, J. Zammit, E. Buttigieg, G. Lemos, N. Njoku, I. Mohammed (68 G. Cardona), G. Carrara.
VALLETTA 1-0 MELITA
Y. Yankam 72
Valletta: T. Aquilina; Z. Cassar, A. Zammit (61 K. Ewurum), A. Ciolacu (61 Jefferson), B. Paiber, J. Azzopardi (69 Y. Yankam), S. Brewer, N. Micallef, Y. Messias, S. Radic, Thaylor.
Melita: G. Mizzi; A. Sladden (74 B. Cassar), K. Mohnani (74 M. Vella), N. Cutajar (74 K. Obregon), A. Borg Olivier (83 M. Portelli), G. Barone, E. Mensah, J. Azzopardi (83 G. Grima), Q. Allionida, J. Morlets, K. Bondin.
GŻIRA UNITED 2-1 FGURA UNITED
A. Costa 34, B. Borg 51 (G); T. Akande 73 (F)
Gżira: K. Sargent; P. Fonseca, D. Abela, A. Borg, B. Borg (90 H. Bartolo), A. Costa, C. Failla, L. Riascos, J. Portocarrero, D. Xuereb (68 L. Thompson), J. Bonilla (87 M. van de Bonvekamp Font).
Fgura: Y. Cini; H. Abdelghani, A. Xuereb, D. Caruana (61 L. Pisani), S. Buhagiar, A. Rahman (61 T. Akande), N. Andrews, J. Gambin, M. Gatt, A. Marshall, H. Ueda.
ŻABBAR ST. PATRICK 1-0 PIETA’ HOTSPURS
P. Cejas 27
Żabbar: J. Grech; P. Cejas (69 H. Tchaouna), B. Gambarte, N. Agius (69 J. Pisani), J. Micallef, Z. Leonardi, Vinicius, R. Scicluna (85 A. Etim), T. Silva (77 S. Gomes), Mayron, K. Scicluna.
Pieta‘: R. Cini; S. Xiberras (79 T. Howland), J. Vella (69 L. Gatt), I. Cutajar, S. Borg, J. Micallef (79 J. Borg), J. Brincat (54 A. Santana), O. Magro (69 N. Pisani), G. Mannino, R. Farias, E. Bio.
Sliema Wanderers survived a major scare as they needed a penalty shoot-out to overcome Challenge League side St. Andrews and book their place in the Round of 16.
The Blues, among the favourites to lift the trophy, were held to a 1-1 draw in regular time after St. Andrews took a surprise lead in the 39th minute through Jeff Sowah.
Sliema coach Paul Zammit had named a strong starting formation, featuring former St. Andrews forward Kyrian Nwoko in attack. However, with his side struggling to find their rhythm, Zammit made key half-time changes, introducing midfielder Fernandinho and forward Sulahmana Bah.
Bah, the Liberia international, proved to be the difference-maker as he struck the equaliser to restore parity. Despite Sliema’s dominance in the second half, they were unable to find a winning goal before the final whistle.
In the ensuing penalty shoot-out, goalkeeper Rashed Al Tumi emerged as the hero for the Wanderers, producing three crucial saves to seal Sliema’s progression. The Blues will now face Birkirkara in the Round of 16.
Melita gave Valletta a real scare, but despite their valiant performance, they were narrowly defeated 1-0 courtesy of a goal from substitute Yannick Yankam.
The Citizens, strong favourites heading into the tie, struggled to turn their dominance into goals, as second-tier side Melita showed impressive organisation and defensive discipline to keep them at bay.
Melita’s task became even harder midway through the second half when they were reduced to ten men. Meanwhile, Valletta coach Thane Micallef looked to his bench for inspiration, introducing several key players to break the deadlock.
One of those substitutions proved decisive, as Yankam found the net shortly after coming on to secure Valletta’s passage to the Round of 16.
The Citizens will now face Mġarr United in the next round.
Meanwhile, Tarxien Rainbows also booked their place in the next round after a 1-0 victory over Gozitan side Kerċem Ajax. Octavio Barros scored the decisive goal in the first half to send the Premier League outfit through.
Tarxien will now take on Gżira United, who defeated Fgura United, for a place in the quarter-finals.
The Maroons scored a goal in each half through Andre Costa and Brooklyn Borg.
Fgura did pull one back through Timilehin Akande but Darren Abdilla’s Gżira managed to hold on to their narrow lead and advance to the next round.
Another Premier League side, Marsaxlokk, secured their place in the Round of 16 after eliminating Balzan in dramatic fashion.
Vincenzo Potenza’s team were forced to rely on penalties to advance, having salvaged a 1-1 draw in stoppage time. Balzan had taken the lead through Gabriele Chiemezie, putting the Challenge League outfit on course for an upset.
However, Marsaxlokk’s persistence paid off late in the game when Dodo struck a crucial equaliser to send the match to a penalty shoot-out. The Southseasiders held their nerve from the spot to complete the comeback and book their place in the next round, where they will face Hibernians.
Two goals in the first-half were enough for Mosta to see off Qala Saints and move into the Round of 16.
Joao Victor and Leonardo Da Silva scored the winning goals as the Blues will now face Żurrieq (Challenge League) in the next round.
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ROUND OF 16
Żurrieq vs Mosta.
Birkirkara vs Sliema Wanderers.
Żabbar St. Patrick/Pietà Hotspurs vs Naxxar Lions.
Żebbuġ Rangers vs Attard/Lija Athletic.
Mġarr United vs Valletta.
Ħamrun Spartans vs Floriana.
Tarxien Rainbows vs Gżira United.
Marsaxlokk vs Hibernians.
