Dominant City hit Gozo for seven

Valletta 7
Cruyff 10, 32 pen.; Falzon 30; Borg 49; Agius 60; Briffa 81; Giglio 85
Gozo FC 0

This was a no-contest. Valletta may have struggled to show their best form in their last league outings but a match against lowly Gozo FC presented them with a chance to dominate and chalk up a high-scoring victory.

The Citizens did what was expected of them as they swept their mediocre opponents aside on a blustery and rainy evening to set up a fourth round clash with Vittoriosa Stars.

The match between Valletta and Gozo FC was postponed several times last month and the latter must have wished that it was never played, such was the gulf in class between the two sides.

Valletta had a field day as they spent most of the match in their opponents' half as Gozo FC were pedestrian to the extreme.

A number of fringe players at Valletta were handed a chance to bolster their claim for a first-team place. The likes of goalkeeper Nicky Vella, Steve Borg, Stefan Giglio and Dylan Grima were named in City's starting XI.

Roderick Briffa returned for Valletta after recovering from an ankle injury.

Caanen opted for 4-3-3 with Dyson Falzon and Briffa supporting central striker Jordi Cruyff from the wings.

Gozo FC's 5-4-1 approach left no-one doubt that their one and only objective was to limit the damage.

As expected, Valletta tore into Gozo from the word go. The game was seven minutes old when Justin Grioli ran clear on the right and pulled the back for Grima who skewed his shot over the bar.

Grima soon atoned for his mistake as his inviting cross from the right was nodded home by Jordi Cruyff.

Gozo FC's Ryan Grech briefly interrupted Valletta's early supremacy when he unleashed a dipping shot that flashed wide.

Valletta threatened to increase their advantage when Cruyff freed Grima inside the box but the latter's shot was pawed away by Mark Grima.

The Citizens continued to create scoring chances with unerring regularity. Cruyff fired just wide from inside the box and, on 24 minutes, headed just wide from a cross by Giglio.

A minute short of the half-hour, Valletta extended their lead, Falzon poking the ball home after getting on the end of a Briffa cross.

Gozo FC's predicament deepened when Valletta were awarded a penalty after Andrew Zammit was adjudged to have floored Cruyff in the box. The Dutch forward drilled a low shot into the bottom-right corner.

All avenues led to Gozo FC's goal in the opening half as Valletta's 'stars' ran rings around their weak opponents.

Conscious of their limitations, some of the Gozo FC players took the light-hearted banter from the City fans in their stride as they walked to the dressing rooms at half-time.

Four minutes into the second half, Valletta made it 4-0, Borg heading home after meeting a cross from Grima. Two minutes later, Ian Zammit, a half-time substitute for Cruyff, ran at the Gozo defence before picking out Dylan Grima who hit wide with only Mark Grima to beat.

On the hour, Valletta increased their lead. Edmond Agius, who replaced Pace at the start of the second half, beat Mark Grima with a low shot.

Gozo FC hardly got a glimpse of goal but 15 minutes from time, John Paul Grima forced Vella into his first save of the evening after the Gozo FC substitute had pounced on a mistake by Dimech.

Nine minutes from time, Briffa got in on the act with a sweetly-struck shot but the pick of Valletta's goals was scored by Giglio five minutes from time, the City midfielder beating Grima with a thumping drive from the distance.

Valletta
N. Vella, S. Borg, K. Scicluna, L. Dimech, J. Pace ('46 E. Agius), D. Grima, S. Giglio, J. Cruyff ('46 I. Zammit), R. Briffa ('82 S. Bezzina), J. Grioli, D. Falzon.

Gozo FC
M. Grima, A. Tramboo, M. Vella, M. Mifsud, M. Azzopardi, N. Borg, J. Xerri ('62 J. Mizzi), O. Farrugia, R. Grech ('73 J.P. Grima), A. Zammit, M. Buttigieg ('46 A. Briffa).

Referee: Saviour Tanti.

Yellow cards: Zammit; Azzopardi.

Lija reach quarter-finals

Naxxar Lions 1
Fenech 42
Lija Athletic 3
Antignolo 18, 59; Darmanin 90

Lija became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the Anniversary Cup yesterday.

The early exchanges were balanced but after 18 minutes, Lija surged ahead. Profiting from a defensive mistake, Beppe Antignolo ran into the Naxxar box and lobbed the ball over keeper Bjorn Attard.

Naxxar struggled to make much of an attacking impact in the early stages and five minutes from half-time, Lija were denied a second goal by Attard who pushed away Mangion's goalbound header.

From the possibility of going 2-0 up, Lija conceded an equaliser just before the break. Kevin Fenech stole the show with a superb half-volley that soared into top-right corner.

Nine minutes into the second half, Naxxar's Andrea Del Negro hesitated when coming face to face with Bonnici and at the other end, Antignolo's drive drew a fine save from Attard. But a minute short of the hour Antignolo stabbed the ball home after Attard had parried Daniel Scerri's shot.

Lija should have made the game safe when Luke Desira Buttigieg was through on goal but his shot was kept out by Attard. The Lija striker was first to the rebound but his effort came off the post.

Daniel Cremona rifled wide with the Lions' goal at his mercy but in injury time Keith Darmanin put Lija's minds at rest with a well-struck shot.

Naxxar Lions
B. Attard, J. Agius ('67 K. Farrugia), M. Del Negro, K. Fenech, J. Zammit, G. Camilleri, M. Debono ('60 D. Falzon), R. Schembri, K. Drago, K. Bartolo ('26 A. Farrugia), A. Del Negro.

Lija Athletic
L. Bonnici, M. Camilleri, M. Mangion, A. Saliba ('56 K. Darmanin), D. Scerri, L. Desira Buttigieg ('79 D. Cremona), L. Cilia ('67 M. Schembri), J.P. Scerri, A. Scicluna, C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Yellow cards: Bartolo; Fenech.