Stripes ease past Mosta into the last four

Mosta 0
Birkirkara 5

Trophy holders Birkirkara could not fail their test against unfancied Mosta, if test their tie against the Premier League wooden-spoonists could be called.

Their cavalry charge against their opponents had them striking twice in the opening period and hit three more goals within 18 minutes into the restart, before finally going on for some academics.

The Stripes knew that Mosta could only offer token resistance. Once Mosta defence was unhinged there was no stopping Stephen Azzopardi's troops. Their fans knew it as well and they only watched in tacit admiration at the way their favourites accomplished their mission.

George Mallia, Chucks Nwoko and Michael Galea were masters of all they surveyed as they shifted positions and went in for the kill inside their opponents' penalty box over and over again.

Mosta played bravely but could only chase shadows. Their best, if one could say they produced it, was never enough. The dice was cast once the Stripes took the lead after almost half an hour. After that the result was a foregone conclusion.

Conscious of their onus to take the game to their opponents, Birkirkara went earnestly into buccaneering stride. Their objective was to obtain an early goal or two and then stroll about the park in a calmer frame of mind, perhaps luring the Mosta players into allowing them space when moving up in search of an equaliser.

Simon Agius, a replacement for the suspended Charles Sciberras, saved on Matthew Calascione who was then out with a header. In between Michael Galea hit over.

The tide drifted against Mosta but it was not until just before the half hour mark that the Yellow-Reds took the lead.

The relentless William Camenzuli floated the ball towards Nwoko who hit beautifully on the turn with the leather taking a slight deflection before searing in.

A minute later Mosta carved their first opening. Dyson Falzon sent Jura Da Silva clear on the right but the Blues striker could only hit the side-netting.

The Stripes marked this let-off with a second goal. This time it was Mallia who rocketed splendidly into the net from the corner of the penalty area after the ball was charged down by the Mosta defenders.

Five minutes from the interval Da Silva had a penalty kick saved by Haber after the referee had sighted a tugging infringement inside the area.

It was free-wheeling for Birkirkara after ends were changed. Nothing Mosta did could match the drive and flair of the Stripes.

After barely a minute, Galea darted in on a clearance by Matthew Agius following a free-kick from Nwoko to put his team three goals up.

The pressure prevailed and a fourth goal duly arrived. Galea all but beat Agius with his effort coming off the upright. A deflection spun towards Clint Micallef who made sure the ball ended in the Mosta net.

On 63 minutes, Galea hit in his second goal and his team's fifth. He was released by that master grafter Nwoko and he duly completed formalities by hitting a low shot past Agius.

Of course, there had always been one team in it. The difference now was that the scoreline mirrored Birkirkara's supremacy. A flurry of substitutions from both sides could not be of any technical significance.

The Stripes kept their feet firmly on the accelerator and although they went near on a couple of other occasions the sixth goal eluded them.

Playing today at the National Stadium - 2 p.m. Floriana vs Marsaxlokk; 4 p.m. Valletta vs Hibernians.

Mosta: S. Agius, P. Sciriha, M. Abela, B. Agius, C. De Oliveira (R. Newell), A. Terziyski, D. Falzon (A. Chetcuti), J. Da Silva, C. Camenzuli (P. Zammit), K. Loughborough, M. Agius.

Birkirkara: J. Haber (S. Micallef), W. Camenzuli, M. Calascione, J. Marx, M. Galea, C. Nwoko (R. Sammut), C. Micallef (B. Pisani), L. Dronca, R. Briffa, G. Mallia, L. Dimech.

Referee: Lorry Sammut.

Scorers: Nwoko 28th, Mallia 35th, M. Galea 46th, 63rd, Micallef 57th.