Żabbar SP thrash Żebbuġ Rangers 8-0 to set up semi-final showdown with Sliema Wanderers

Żabbar St Patrick broke little sweat to cruise into the semi-finals of the MFA Jubilee Cup after hammering Żebbuġ Rangers 8-0 at the Centenary Stadium.

As the scoreline clearly shows, the match turned out to be one-way traffic as once the Saints raced into a three-goal lead inside the first 15 minutes, there was no way back for Żabbar.

The win was a major achievement for Żabbar as they have now reached the semis of the one-off competition, when they will take on Sliema Wanderers on Wednesday. The winner of this match will contest the Jubilee Cup final scheduled for December 8.

Żabbar took just eight minutes to break the deadlock when their skipper Brian Gambarte sent a fine cross into the path of Jake Micallef, who headed firmly into the net.

Three minutes later, Żabbar doubled their lead when Jurgen Pisani sped clear on the left and sent a low cross into the path of Haroun Tchaouna, who blasted the ball home.

More woes followed for Żabbar, who conceded a third goal on 16 minutes. It was Gambarte again who provided the assist as Mayron headed his perfect cross past Żebbuġ goalkeeper Jake Scicluna.

The former Ħamrun Spartans defender Mayron was at it again on 25 minutes when this time he crossed the ball towards Pedro Cejas, who saw his header tipped by Scicluna onto the crossbar. But from the resultant corner, taken by Gambarte, Mayron was on hand to head the ball into the net.

Cejas put his name on the scoresheet on 29 minutes when the Żabbar forward curled the ball home directly from a central free-kick.

Żabbar headed into the half-time interval with a six-goal lead when Cejas tried to play in Abu Dumbuya but the Żebbuġ defenders made a hash of their attempt to clear the danger, and the Żabbar player fired home.

With six goals to the good, the game was dead and buried but Żabbar still managed to add two more goals after the break.

First it was Nicholas Agius who put his name on the scoresheet when he converted a penalty on 63 minutes.

Then six minutes from time, Żabbar were awarded a second penalty and this time it was Timothy Evipartrker who stroked the ball home from the spot to complete a resounding victory.