Rabat 2
Sliema Hotsticks 1

Rabat became the first team to book their place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup after beating Sliema Hotsticks by the odd goal in three in a tight match at Corradino last weekend.

For the first ten minutes the teams sized each other up with scant activity inside the D.

Tight marking in midfield was the order of the day but Rabat missed an opportunity to draw first blood when they were awarded a penalty corner in the 12th minute.

Hotsticks went ahead four minutes later when a defence-splitting pass from Shawn Grima was blasted into the net by Steve Portelli.

Rabat reacted strongly and applied pressure on the Hotsticks’ rearguard with the latter depending on counter-attacks.

After two abortive penalty corners, Rabat won another one on the stroke of half-time and Shawn Falzon equalised after receiving a pass from Kevin Micallef.

Rabat’s defence managed to keep their goal intact after a melee inside their D in the 39th minute, which resulted in a goal-line clearance.

At this point, both teams went all out in search of a winner with play flowing from end to end. But after exacting a period of pressure, Rabat won a penalty corner in the 50th minute and Michael Galea netted, picking up a rebound off the goalkeeper, to send his team 2-1 up.

True to form, Hotsticks reacted and piled heavy pressure on the Rabat defence. They won two penalty corners in succession and did everything but score.

They came close on two occasions in the next couple of minutes, but Rabat hung on for a hard-earned Challenge Cup win.

Umpires: Paul Brincat, Shawn Mifsud.