The Malta Independent on Sunday
Ten-man holders scrape through on penalties
Football - FA Trophy
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Sliema bossed in midfield but laboured to find spaces in the Senglea crowded rearguard. They raked high balls inside their opponents’ area but headed efforts from Bianciardi and Scerri failed to find the target.
The Wanderers came closest to breaking the deadlock towards the half hour with a Pearson header that rebounded off the post and was cleared by the Senglea defence
Sliema were reduced to ten men on 36 minutes. The Sliema forward Jean Paul Farrugia was dismissed for treading on the grounded Doffo. Denni Dos Santos took a more central role in attack after that, but with Sliema looking disjointed and Senglea remaining resolute at the back, the match was goalless at halftime.
Senglea were playing with more confidence at the start of the second period as they tried to exploit their numerical superiority. Vella steered a grounder straight at the hands of Sliema keeper Sarao and Jurgen Farrugia had his effort blocked inside the area.
On 65 minutes, there were Senglea claims for a penalty turned down after Vella’s shot hit Temile’s arm from close distance.
Sliema introduced Gabriel Aquilina for Spiteri and soon regained control of the proceedings without working the Senglea keeper though.
The match came to life in the late stages. Obaje-Smith ran in well from the right for a Farrustill gia through pass but keeper Sarau turned into a corner. From the resultant flag kick, Tanti headed just over.
The Senglea fans must have had their hearts in their mouth on 84 minutes when Temile advanced inside the Athletic area, his cross was handled by Tanti’s outstretched arm but surprisingly no penalty was awarded to Sliema.
Another late chance for the Wanderers saw Xuereb’s shot headed out by Doffo. And in added time, Denni sent a ball across the face of the Senglea goal with nobody connecting to it.
Although Senglea went close in extra time, with a Muscat rising shot and a Doffo free kick that keeper Sarao turned into a corner, and there remain doubts whether there was contact between Bianciardi and ObajeSmith, when the latter fell inside the Sliema area, thus denying Senglea a penalty, the stalemate still prevailed after 120 minutes of playing time.
On to penalties, Sliema keeper Sarao saved three kicks by Tanti, Obaje-Smith and Beppe Muscat. Captain Alex Muscat scored the fifth and decisive penalty, after Scerri and Correa also had their shots saved by the Senglea keeper Martinelli, to put the Wanderers into the semis.
A curious incident during the penalty shoot-out was Wisdom Salomon’s dismissal by the referee after the Sliema player had scored his side’s fourth penalty and made some gestures to the hostile Senglea crowd.