Ħamrun Spartans 0
Valletta 0
(aet; Valletta win 6-5 on pens)
Hard graft and disjointed football characterised the first semi-final of the U*Bet FA Trophy but the tie still kept the fans on the edge of their seats as Ħamrun Spartans delivered an indefatigable showing to frustrate Valletta.
Down to 10 men from the 74th minute, Ħamrun, regarded as underdogs, refused to wilt amid Valletta's chaotic efforts to translate their numerical supremacy into clear-cut openings.
A nerve-jangling match drifted into extra-time but with the score still goalless, a penalty shoot-out became necessary to decide the issue, much to the evident satisfaction of the vociferous Spartans fans whose optimism had risen after Valletta were also reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Steve Bezzina.
In a tense shoot-out, the Spartans rightly thought that a famous victory was on the cards when Andrew Hogg fired over his team's fifth penalty but the Valletta shot-stopper turned from villain to hero after saving Geatan Spiteri's kick to keep his team alive.
Three more penalties were converted, two for Valletta and one for the Spartans, but the latter's hopes ebbed away when Hogg parried away Ivan Casha's penalty to book the Citizens' place in Sunday's final where they meet either Qormi or Tarxien Rainbows.
Beset by the absence of a host of leading players, namely captain Gilbert Agius, Jamie Pace, Edmond Agius and Jordi Cruyff, Valletta coach Ton Caanen will have pondered long and hard about his starting formation.
The Valletta coach awarded a starting role to young midfielder Dylan Grima who flanked Kevin Sammut in the middle as Roderick Briffa, one of Malta's better performers in the 3-0 friendly defeat away to Germany, switched to right-back.
In spite of his diluted resources, Caanen adhered to his favoured 4-3-3 approach with Terrence Scerri leading the forward line, Michael Mifsud operating in a free role and Doding Priso and Dyson Falzon pushing up the wings.
On-loan forward Ian Zammit was the only notable absentee for the Spartans. Nigerian Obinna Obiefule and Spiteri were Ħamrun's most advanced players yesterday with Brazilian Marcelo Pereira and Mano Micallef providing support from the wings.
The atmosphere at the National Stadium was reminiscent of the days when Ħamrun's rise as a leading force sparked off a ferocious rivalry with Valletta.
Scoring chances proved elusive in the opening stages. The first glimmer of a chance came on 15 minutes when Falzon's cross from the right drifted towards Scerri whose backheader was saved by Casha, the Ħamrun goalkeeper.
Valletta called on Paul Caruana to award them a penalty when a cross appeared to come off Roderick Fenech's outstretched arm but the referee saw nothing wrong.
On 24 minutes, the Citizens manufactured their best move of the game so far when Scerri retrieved possession in midfield, swept past a couple of players and set up Mifsud whose rising shot that flew high and wide.
Another long-range attempt by Sammut was also off target but by and large, the game remained devoid of creative football.
Ħamrun had to wait until the 35th minute to record their first noteworthy opportunity. Pereira received a pass just outside the box but his drive flashed wide of the near post.
Obiefule, lurking in the Spartans' box as his team defended a corner, did well to belt away Briffa's dangerous cross that seemed destined to reach Steve Borg, yesterday deployed at centre-half alongside Kenneth Scicluna.
Valletta lacked their usual fluency in the opening half but they began the second period in brisker fashion. Ten minutes after half-time, Grima guided a pass to Sammut who unleashed a low shot that rolled wide of the near post.
A neat interchange between Sammut and Mifsud ended with the latter teeing up Scerri but the latter's grounder lacked power.
Midway into the second half, Priso waltzed his way into the box after running past Hrubsa and Micallef before crossing towards the far post. The Spartans defenders managed to clear but only as far as Falzon who skewed his shot high and wide.
Ħamrun's diligent approach was clearly unnerving their opponents but the Spartans' growing optimism was undermined when, with 17 minutes remaining, Bonnici was expelled after collecting his second booking for a handsball.
Shortly afterwards, the referee was harangued by protesting Ħamrun players who urged him to show Bezzina a yellow card, which would have been his second, after the ball grazed the Valletta left-back's hand. Jonathan Holland was cautioned for protests.
For all their possession, the white-shirted players just could not inject a semblance of flair and firepower into their game.
Priso's intelligent through-ball unlocked the erstwhile watertight Spartans defence but Mifsud miscued his effort from point blank.
As the 10-man Spartans drew on their resilience to send the game into extra-time, their fans became more vocal. Shouts of 'Birkirkara, Birkirkara' reverberated around the arena as the Spartans supporters joined forces with scores of Stripes followers to taunt their rivals from the capital.
Briffa's header from Sammut's cross was too weak to trouble Casha. At the other end, Pereira twisted and turned to create space for a shot but his curling drive was wide.
There was no change in the pattern of the game in extra-time as Valletta's disjointed efforts to make their numerical superiority count were easily doused by the unyielding Spartans who kept eight men behind the ball.
The Spartans' spirits rose when Valletta were also reduced to 10 men after Bezzina earned his second caution for a late challenge on Obiefule.
With five minutes of extra-time remaining, Sammut muscled in a low shot but Casha saved as penalties loomed large, much to the disappointment of the City fans and to the delight of the Spartans faithful.
Ħamrun Spartans
I. Casha, M.A. Bonnici, R. Mangion, R. Fenech, M. Micallef, M. Pereira ('100 M. Mifsud), G. Spiteri, M. Hrubsa, O. Obiefule, J. Holland, C. Camoin.
Valletta
A. Hogg, S. Borg, S. Bezzina, K. Scicluna, R. Briffa, D. Falzon, D. Grima ('70 C. Frendo), M. Mifsud, T. Scerri, D. Priso, K. Sammut.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Hrubsa; Briffa; Bezzina; Micallef; Bonnici; Holland; Falzon; Casha.
Red cards: Bonnici (ĦS) 74; Bezzina (V) 105.
Penalty Sequence
Priso (V) 1-0; Obiefule (H) 1-1; Mifsud (V) 2-1; Holland (H) 2-2; Scicluna (V) 3-2; Hrubsa (H) 3-3; Falzon (V) 4-3; Fenech (H) 4-4; Hogg (V) missed 4-4; Spiteri (H) saved 4-4; Borg (V) 5-4; Mangion (H) 5-5; Sammut (V) 6-5; Casha (H) saved 6-5.