Rabat Depiro 2
Poiatti Qormi 2
(Rabat won 3-2 on penalties)

This was a typical cup match, providing all the twists and turns expected from such an encounter.

Qormi went ahead early on when they were awarded a penalty stroke which Jonathan Borg converted.

Play was more or less balanced until after a period of pressure Qormi went further ahead when John Williams scored their second in the 30th minute and they seemed to be cruising to victory at half-time.

But the game was turned on its head soon after the restart when a Charlot Antonelli effort was deflected into goal to reduce Rabat’s arrears.

This goal gave Rabat a new lease of life and in fact they drew level on 60 minutes when Kevin Micallef scored from an acute angle.

Rabat applied further pressure but the match dragged into extra time without any team being able to break the deadlock.

After an uneventful first period Qormi won four penalties but could not break down Rabat’s defences.

Penalties had to determine a winner and Rabat came out on top, scoring three to Qormi’s two.

Sliema Hotsticks 2
Young Stars 1

Young Stars took the upperhand before half-time in this semi-final without managing to capitalise on a couple of chances late on.

This cup tie burst into life in the second half when the Hotsticks were awarded a penalty stroke which Lucas Plaehn converted.

A near miss almost cost them dear as Young Stars hit back and Christian Bonello scored in the 58th minute to level the score.

The pace of the game became frantic and James Mizzi, the Young Stars keeper, denied Hotsticks a certain goal on 62 minutes, diving to his right and parrying a goal-bound bullet.

Two minutes later, the Hotsticks were awarded a second penalty stroke and Plaehn converted to put his side ahead.

Sliema then hung on to their lead, booking their place in Sunday’s final against Rabat.