Żabbar SP pay the penalty as Sliema squeeze into Jubilee Cup final

SLIEMA WANDERERS 0

ŻABBAR SP 0

(Sliema win 9-8 on penalties)

SLIEMA W.

R. Al Tumi, J. Borg, N. Frendo (71’ K. Nwoko), A. Magri Overend, V. Plut (71’ Wescley), M. Beerman (90+1’ L. Montebello), R. Prsa (79’ Fernandinho), S. Bah, M. Freire, S. Pisani, M. Baggio (71’ G. Alcino).

ŻABBAR SP

J. Grech, P. Cejas, B. Gambarte, N. Agius (79’ I. Akpan), J. Micallef, S. Jovancic, Z. Leonardi, V. De Paiva (79’ Mayron), K. Scicluna, J. Pisani, M. Fontanella (71’ H. Tchaouna).

Referee: Alex Johnson

Yellow Cards: M. Fontanella, S. Pisani

Sliema Wanderers squeezed past Żabbar St. Patrick 9-8 on penalties following a goalless draw at the end of the 90 minutes.

The two teams shared the exchanges throughout the match with neither side managing to break the deadlock.

Slilema coach Paul Zammit handed Sulahmana Bah a start with Fernandinho being included as a substitute.

On the other hand, Żabbar had two changes from the team which cruised past Zebbug Rangers in the quarter-finals, beating them 8-0 as Strahinja Jovancic was preferred to Mayron while Mario Fontanella was a last-minute replacement for Abu Dumbuya.

Aniello Parisi’s side went close on nine minutes when a header by Pedro Cejas off a Nicholas James Agius free kick from the left hit the upright.

Sliema replied wth a Roko Prsa free kick from an angled position on the right ending just over the bar.

On 36 minutes, a long-distance effort by Bah was blocked by Jonathan Grech with Vito Plut hitting high off the rebound.

A minute from the end of the first half, Mario Fontanella just failed to connect off an inviting pass by Pedro Cejas from the left.

In the second half, Sliema threatened with a Prsa corner from the right which was not held by Grech and a few minutes later, Bah served Vito Plut who hit just wide from inside the area.

At the other end of the pitch, Rashed Al-Tumi came to the rescue anticipating Fontanella following a through pass on the right.

With no goals being scored, the penalty shootout had to determine the winner.
The Wanderers scored the first three penalties thanks to Murilo Freire, Luke Montebello and Fernandinho while Żabbar scored thanks to Brian Gambarte and Haroun Tchaouna but Pedro Cejas hit high.

Steve Pisani’s effort for Sliema was parried by goalkeeper Jonathan Grech with Jurgen Pisani converting for Żabbar to make it 3-3.

Kyrian Nwoko, Wescley, Sulahmana Bah, Jean Borg and Adam Magri Overend scored for Sliema and Strahinja Jovancic, Jake Micallef, Isaac Etim Akpan, Zean Leonardi and Kean Scicluna replied for Żabbar.

Gustavo Alcino scored Sliema’s ninth but Mayron was unlucky to hit the crossbar and send Sliema through to the final.