Three all-Premier clashes in Last 16 round

Three direct clashes between Premier League sides will be the highlight of the Last 16 round of the FA Trophy, after the draws effected yesterday morning.

In these clashes the most balanced affair should be the clash between Mosta and the high flying Santa Lucia. In the other allPremier clashes, Gzira United and Valletta should start as favourites. Gzira, winners of the Trophy way back in 1973, will face struggling Tarxien Rainbows, who received a severe drubbing at the hands of Santa Lucia, forcing Winston Muscat to hand in his resignation. He is being replaced by former Sirens manager Steve D’Amato.

In the other match, a disappointing Valletta side should still be strong enough to have the better of Senglea and move to the quarter final stages.

Hamrun and Birkirkara will face Gozitan opposition with both matches being played on the sister island. For Premier League leaders Hamrun this will be the second successive trip to Gozo, having eliminated Sannat

Lions in the previous round. Birkirkara will face Ghajnsielem in the other encounter.

In the remaining matches Marsa and Pembroke who are dominating the Challenge League, will get a first taste of Premier opposition, with Marsa facing Sirens, and Pembropke taking on the winner of the Hibernians against Zejtun clash. This match was postpones because of Covid-related issues and will now be played next week.

Finally a team from the Challenge League will surely make it to the quarter final stages as Naxxar Lions face St. Andrew’s in the other Last 16 encounter. These matches will be played in the first week of March.

The draw:

Santa Lucia-Mosta

Gzira U-Tarxien R

Pembroke A-Hibernians / Zejtun

Xaghra U-Hamrun S

Naxxar L-St. Andrews Ghajnsielem-Birkirkara Senglea A-Valletta Marsa-Sirens