[attach id=236754 size="medium"]Valletta’s Abubakar Bello-Osagie shields the ball during the 3-0 win over Rabat. Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar[/attach]
Rabat Ajax 0
Valletta 3
Ogunuppe 28; Bello-Osagie 50; Barbosa 74;
Valletta breezed into the semi-finals of the U*Bet FA Trophy after a routine victory over Rabat Ajax in a one-sided quarter-final yesterday.
It was a dominant display from the Citizens who seized control from the outset.
Coach Mark Miller opted to rest several first-team regulars but the champions still had too much firepower for the Magpies who rarely posed a threat to the solid Valletta defence.
Nigerians Abubakar Bello-Osagie and Joseph Jojo Ogunuppe were the driving force behind Valletta’s victory yesterday as, besides putting their name on the scoresheet, they gave endless problems to the Rabat defence with their continuous running.
It was Valletta’s first win over Rabat this season as their previous two matches, in the league, ended in a 1-1 draw.
With their place in the last four of the Knock-Out competition now secured, Valletta can turn their full focus to their Championship Pool commitments where they will be looking to retain the league crown for a third successive season.
Miller handed a start to a number of fringe players as Dyson Falzon, Edmond Agius, Ogunuppe and Gabriel were drafted into the starting formation while the likes of Michael Mifsud, Denni, Ian Azzopardi and William Barbosa were among the substitutes.
Goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo retained his place as Yenz Cini was still out with flu.
Silvio Vella, the Rabat coach, named Joseph Caruana, who missed the 3-2 league win over Mosta, and Patrick Borg, who came on as a substitute, in his starting formation as Gaetano Gesualdi started on the bench. Justin Felice could miss the rest of the season with a groin injury.
Jonathan Azzopardi was given the nod to start in goal ahead of Sean Mintoff.
As expected, it was Valletta who made the early running. Gabriel showed good skills to evade his marker before hitting a curling shot that flashed just wide. On 17 minutes, Rabat keeper Azzopardi had to be alert to palm away Ogunuppe’s dangerous cross-shot as the Citizens stepped up a gear.
Eight minutes later, the Citizens should have taken the lead when Gabriel picked out Bello-Osagie on the right and the Nigerian quickly delivered a cross towards the unmarked Demba Toure who headed over from close in.
The stalemate was finally broken three minutes later when Bello-Osagie put in another teasing cross that was not cleared by Dylan Falzon with Ryan Fenech hitting a fierce drive that was deflected past Azzopardi by Ogunuppe.
Valletta almost struck again on the half-hour when Bello-Osagie again burst clear on the right before sending a cross towards Ogunuppe who nodded into the path of Toure but the Senegalese striker was anticipated by Rabat’s Clive Brincat who cleared for a corner.
Rabat continued to work relentlessly to try and unsettle the City defence with quick forays from their Spanish duo of Jose Luis Armario Negrin and Diego Carrillo Pendas but the City rearguard refused to concede an inch.
Five minutes from the break, Ogunuppe produced another dangerous cross into the path of Bello-Osagie who headed wide with only Azzopardi to beat.
Rabat had a glorious chance to pull level three minutes from the break when Manuel Fuster profited from some lax defending by the Citizens to release Negrin who, despite being clean through, fired wide with only Bartolo to beat.
Valletta began the second half determined to put the issue beyond doubt and took just five minutes to add a second goal.
The goal owed much to the brilliance of Bello-Osagie. The Nigerian raced past two defenders and, after trading passes with Gabriel, sped into the area before planting the ball past Azzopardi.
Valletta kept up the momentum and three minutes later, Fenech ran clear on the left before picking up the sprinting Ogunuppe who saw his bullet header finish wide.
Vella was clearly unhappy with Rabat’s display and on 56 minutes, he withdrew David Azzopardi and roped in Yan Cauchi.
Miller’s response was to bring on Mifsud for the hard-working Ogunuppe.
Valletta almost scored a third on the hour when, from a Fenech free-kick, Jonathan Caruana anticipated his marker but his dipping header finished just over.
On 64 minutes, Azzopardi had to dive to his right to push away Fenech’s stinging drive.
It was all Valletta and six minutes later Barbosa, who had just replaced Bello-Osagie, put Toure through but the latter blasted wide.
Rabat were occasionally dangerous on the counter and, on 71 minutes, they came close to pulling a goal back when Negrin released Carrillo Pendas who came face to face with Bartolo but hit wide.
The Magpies paid dearly for that miss as three minutes later, they conceded a third goal. Valletta were awarded a central free-kick and Barbosa’s curling drive flew past Azzopardi.
Substitute Mifsud could have heaped further misery on the Magpies three minutes from time but concluded wide after receiving from Roderick Briffa.
Rabat Ajax
J. Azzopardi, I. Carapic, J. Caruana, J.L. Armario Negrin, M. Fuster (79 W. Borg), D. Falzon, P. Borg, C. Brincat, D. Carrillo Pendas, D. Azzopardi (56 Y. Cauchi), C. Gauci (86 K. Muscat).
Valletta
M. Bartolo, R. Briffa, J. Caruana, L. Dimech, D. Falzon, R. Fenech, E. Agius, J. Ogunuppe (60 M. Mifsud), A. Bello-Osagie (68 W. Barbosa), D. Toure (76 Denni), Gabriel.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Yellow cards: Agius; Gauci; Cauchi; Carrillo Pendas.